That’s because the 6-8 guard is the youngest player in American hoops to have gone pro—ever. 

Last spring, just after turning 17, the wiry, athletic phenom bypassed his senior year at LG Pinkston High School in Texas to join the G League Ignite. He etched himself into the record books by signing a two-year deal with the NBA’s premier developmental unit, edging out former Ignite star Scoot Henderson—who, up to that point, had been the youngest American to participate in a professional basketball league—by five weeks.

But beyond Pate’s historically young age marker—which, to be clear, has become more normalized in the modern world of basketball—he’s simply a baller. Throw on his highlight tape and you’ll quickly understand why this Southern blue chipper has been wildly sought after. Ranked as a five-star prospect, he garnered recruitment from the nation’s premier college programs (Kansas, Kentucky, Georgetown and the like) as one of the most coveted additions of his class.

Instead, he took the LaMelo Ball route by going pro early. He played with the Ignite for a season, and in his limited but stellar outings, cemented his potential as a hybrid 1 guard who can do it all. He concluded his debut campaign with an average of 24 minutes, 8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per contest. His length, smoothness, creativity and tempered decision making are reminiscent of Penny Hardaway (one of Pate’s idols) mixed with Shaun Livingston—another of Pate’s exemplaries—and a dash of (yes, I’m gonna say it) LeBron James, who is Pate’s all-time favorite.

“I watch the big guards. I key into what they’re doing,” he tells me over a Zoom call from his porch in Dallas. “But basketball wasn’t even my first love. I was a football player, bruh. I wanted to go to the NFL like Julio Jones, Dez Bryant. I only started playing basketball because I was in a program where you had to play both.”

It explains Pate’s propensity for action and his ability to shift gears and hit the lane with relentless bursts of speed. Large and point-guard minded, Pate knows where his spots are and will surgically get there to create for himself and his teammates. A panther in transition, he pounces, glides and Euro-steps around, through and over any defenders clogging the lane. Impressively, the former NFL hopeful plays with more finesse than force on the hardwood. In fact, it’s his cerebral grasp of in-game rhythm and flow that most seems to define his potential contributions at the NBA level.

But his plans to reach the Association became complicated by Ignite’s recent disbandment; only halfway into his contract with the team, the Las Vegas-based squad folded. Their unexpected dissolution means Pate and his cohort were the last to ever suit up in the experimental NBA organization’s black, purple and white threads. Like always, he had to figure out the best play to make next.

First, he attempted to enter the 2024 NBA Draft with his teammates Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland (lottery picks for the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons, respectively) via a waiver exemption, but was denied due to being under the League’s age limit. That hasn’t deterred the bucket-getting protégé from pursuing his telos, though. Pate made a historic pivot by signing with the NBA-affiliated Mexico City Capitanes.

“I found out [about Ignite’s ending] 45 minutes before the world found out. I didn’t think an NBA program would shut down,” he admits. “But I don’t regret it. That’s adversity. That’s where I get my confidence from. I have to be fully prepared. You never know what’s gonna happen next. What’s next is I went to the gym and I had a job to do, the season wasn’t over yet. And it means I’m the last one in history, as the youngest to ever play with the Ignite.

“I’ve always kept the main thing the main thing,” he adds, without hesitation. “Basketball is the main thing.”

Basketball is why Dink Pate—a Black, Gen Z teenager from Pleasant Grove—is living in Mexico’s capital. Currently, he’s projected to be a star on the Capitanes.

The outfit is the only Mexican-owned sporting franchise to ever compete as a full-fledged member of any pro US league. Having officially joined the G in 2021, Mexico City has since become a top destination for NBA veterans like Jahlil Okafor, Kenneth Faried, Michael Carter-Williams and Juan Toscano-Anderson, who enjoy the chance to shine in North America’s largest city (Mexico City is bigger than New York, L.A, Chicago, Toronto or any other city you can name on this continental expanse). The metropolitan scale and commercial offerings, along with its passionate, international fan base, is something that other G League teams located in places like Southaven, Mississippi and Oshkosh, WI, simply cannot match. And unless they’re on a two-way contract, Capitanes players are available to be called up by any of the NBA’s 30 troupes, which makes it an ideal proving ground for a rising star like Pate. 

And yet, the Capitanes are also Latin America’s home base for its growing ranks of hoop talent aiming to reach the NBA from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil the Dominican Republic and elsewhere. The coaching staff is bilingual. The players and personnel vary in age, experience and career paths. It’s no ordinary circumstance for anyone to enter, let alone an American teenager who nearly ended up playing at the University of Alabama before deciding to go pro.

To his credit, Pate isn’t overthinking any of it. He’s taking Spanish classes once a week. Growing up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where the Capitanes coincidentally played their home games during the COVID-impacted 2021 season (and which boasts over 2 million Mexican-heritage residents), has prepared him for this moment. He feels eager if not proud to put a spotlight on Mexico’s culture and its affinity for basketball.

“I be wearing my sombrero, bruh. I got Mexican homeboys. I stay representing,” he tells me, a Mexican American, with a genuine smile. “I feel like I got a country on my back now. I went down for two weeks and was showered with nothing but love. I love Mexico. That’s family.”

Mexico City will provide more than enough opportunities for what Pate is ready to deliver. Unlike his US-born contemporaries who will be mostly playing in front of college students and alumni at prestigious, ivory-towered campuses, Pate will be electrifying thousands of Spanish-chanting fans at Arena CDMX in the Azcapotzalco neighborhood of Mexico City as a member of the Capitanes.

When we linked up down south, he had just finished practice at Mexico’s national Olympic facility. We met at the bustling Monumento a la Revolución in the Aztec capital’s Plaza de la República. The triumphal arch—think the Arc de Triomphe on Champs-Élysées—symbolizes Mexico’s revolution, in which myth-like heroes such as Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa were crowned liberators of the country’s working classes, effectively rewriting Mexican history over a century ago. 

Besides standing for the nation’s rebellion, the memorial is also the primary logo for the Capitanes. And what better identifier is there for Pate—a player who has already broken history as the youngest pro US baller, and who signed to Reebok—than an ode to revolution?

The NBA’s current age eligibility rules were implemented in 2006, just three years after LeBron James entered the League straight out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School like an otherworldly meteor of fiery athleticism and professional maturity. But what King James has accomplished since going pro as a teen has been, well, kingly and unprecedented. In 2005, the NBA’s CBA determined that the League simply needed more time in assessing its ultra-young pool of talent, so mandated that all future players must be at least one year removed from their high school graduation and must turn 19 years old within the same calendar year of being drafted.

Unfortunately for Pate, being born in March means he won’t hit 19 until 2025, when he can finally become eligible for the NBA alongside fellow lottery prospects like Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper. At this stage, he’s embracing each step with a precocious mindfulness.

“You can do everything with poetry,” Pate says. “Poetry is real calm. It’s not loud. Stay low and move slow.”

When asked where he developed that mindset, he cites the apodictic rap revolutionary, Tupac Shakur. Pate flashes his Makaveli tattoo and tells me that all 713 of Pac’s tracks are worth listening to. 

On the court, Pate carries a Shakurian blend of maturity and freeness of spirit. You can see it in his off-the-dribble shooting. His calculated step backs. His rhythmic spins. And you can see it in the way he carries a joyful confidence, too.

“I’m not worried about my game,” he says. “I’m focused on my leadership, my communication. I’m gonna be that guy on the team. I’m ready to take the blame. I’ve always been a leader to high school kids but I’m about to be thrown to the fire. I’m ready for it.”

Portraits by Sandra Blow.

The post Dink Pate is Ready to Make History and Become the First Pro Hooper Drafted Out of Mexico appeared first on SLAM.

Of course, G League players are always being watched by decision-makers at the NBA level—but never by so many, at the same time, and so blatantly. Most of the bigwigs there to evaluate sit just two or three feet off the court, laptops and notebooks open, ready to decide fates.

Daunting is perhaps the most appropriate word, considering all that’s at stake. The Winter Showcase offers G Leaguers their best chance to impress NBA higher-ups, just a few weeks before teams can begin offering 10-day contracts (January 5), which can be worth significantly more than the standard G League contract of $40,500. 

The talent level at this year’s Showcase—hosted, for the first time, in Orlando, Florida—was perhaps the highest it’s ever been. Here’s a look at some of the top performers:

2023 All-Showcase Team (selected by the G League)

Brandon Goodwin

Guard

Westchester Knicks

24.7 points, 5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 1.7 steals

Winning matters to scouts, so the teams that advance further in the tournament attract more attention. Goodwin, a 28-year-old guard who has bounced back and forth between the G League (71 games) and the NBA (133 games) since going undrafted in 2018, led the Knicks to the Showcase championship and claimed MVP. After scoring 33 and 28 points in Westchester’s first two games, he struggled to find his shot in the Finals, but still contributed 13 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals. Asked during the trophy presentation what he showed NBA personnel over the past four days, Goodwin’s teammate, Charlie Brown Jr, answered for him: “That he a dog!” 

Trevelin Queen

Guard

Osceola Magic

25.5 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 3.5 steals, 64.5 FG%, 52.6 3P%

Nothing new here. Trevelin Queen, who’s on a two-way with the Orlando Magic, has been lighting up the G League for a while now. As a member of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2021-22, he won both the regular season and Finals MVP awards. With help from teammates Mac McClung and Brandon Williams (who just earned a two-way contract from the Dallas Mavericks), Queen guided the hometown Magic to a 2-0 record. 

Jarace Walker

Guard

Fort Wayne Mad Ants

21.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1 steal

Assigned by the Pacers for the Showcase, rookie Jarace Walker helped the Mad Ants reach the championship game, where they ultimately fell short to the Knicks. The 20-year-old out of the University of Houston flashed the versatile skill set that made him the 8^th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, scoring from all over the floor. In Fort Wayne’s first game—a win over the Capital City Go-Go—Walker nailed six threes and finished with 31 points. 

Darius Bazley

Forward

Delaware Blue Coats

31.5 points, 14.5 rebounds, 2 steals, 5.5 blocks, 57.9 FG%, 41.2 3P%

Just look at those numbers. Bazley, the 23^rd pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, dominated on both ends at the Showcase. In a tight win over the Texas Legends, the dynamic forward posted 43 points (on 63% shooting!), 18 rebounds, 3 steals and 6 blocks. He’s been in the public eye for so long—it was the fall of 2018 when he made the groundbreaking decision to forgo college and intern for New Balance while training for the NBA—that it’s easy to forget Bazley is just 23 years old. And the Blue Coats star is clearly getting better.

Jontay Porter

Forward

Raptors 905

22.5 points, 12 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 66.7 FG%, 70 3P%

Jontay, who’s on a two-way with the Toronto Raptors, is more of a big man than his older brother (Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr) but can also stretch the floor—in two wins at the Showcase, he shot 7/10 from behind the arc. Through 16 games with the 905, the 24-year-old is averaging a double-double. 

Other Standouts

Terence Davis

Guard

Rip City Remix

31.5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 61 FG%, 51.9 3P%

The former Sacramento Kings guard joined the Rip City Remix—the new affiliate of the Portland Trail Blazers—right before the Showcase, where he hit 14 threes in two games. 

Ethan Thompson

Guard

Mexico City Capitanes

30 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals

Thompson has been in the G League since 2021 and improved every season. His three-point percentage has jumped from 30.5% (2021-22) to 36.4% (2022-23) to 39.2% on seven attempts per game this year.

Blake Wesley 

Guard

Austin Spurs

27 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 59.5 FG%, 83.3 3P%

On assignment from the San Antonio Spurs, Wesley—the 25^th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft—took care of business at the Showcase, leading Austin to two victories.  

Terquavion Smith

Guard

Delaware Blue Coats

31.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2 steals 

In the same game that Bazley put up 43, Smith, a 6-4 guard on a two-way with the Philadelphia 76ers, dropped 40 points of his own on 12/23 shooting.

Miller Kopp

Forward

Oklahoma City Blue

24 points, 5.5 rebounds, 53.8 FG%, 60 3P%

The Blue went 2-0 at the Showcase, thanks in large part to the red-hot shooting of Kopp, who buried 12 of his 20 attempts from deep.

Trey Jemison

Center

Birmingham Squadron

13 points, 17 rebounds, 2.5 blocks

Playing in his first Showcase, Jemison, a 6-10, 260-pound center from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), made his presence known, controlling the paint for the 2-0 Squadron.

Jordan “Jelly” Walker

Guard

Texas Legends

27.5 points, 10 assists, 2 steals, 50 FG%, 50 3P%

Walker, Jemison’s former teammate at UAB, has been an impressive floor general for the Legends all season long. In his first Showcase outing, the 5-11 guard notched 23 points, 15 assists, and 3 steals.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post A Look at the Top Performers from the 2023 G League Winter Showcase appeared first on SLAM.

The 6-7 forward was the obvious choice for this month’s “G League Player to Watch”—not just because of his absurd individual production, but because he led the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on an impressive run to sneak into the playoffs.

First, a brief history lesson. Rio Grande Valley (RGV) has been the most successful franchise in the history of the NBA’s official minor league, reaching six finals and claiming four championships since 2010. Last season, an RGV squad led by MVP Trevelin Queen cruised to the title, going undefeated in the playoffs. The Vipers also won it all in 2019 with a roster that included Gary Payton II and Isaiah Hartenstein.

This year…it wasn’t looking good. Heading into March—the last month of the regular season—RGV had a 10-12 record. The team had dropped four of its previous five, including an embarrassing 26-point loss to the South Bay Lakers at home. If the Vipers wanted to keep their streak of six straight playoff appearances (excluding the season canceled due to COVID) alive, then they had to turn things around right away.

OK, back to Days. An undrafted rookie out of LSU, he signed a Two-Way contract with the Houston Rockets back in October. The 23-year-old is an extremely versatile forward, capable of filling multiple positions with his size, strength and mobility. He has spent most of this season with the Vipers and proven to be a reliable 3-and-D player. At the beginning of March, he stepped up big time…

27 points, 7 rebounds vs. Oklahoma City

33 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals vs. Birmingham

26 points, 10 rebounds vs. Greensboro

28 points, 11 rebounds vs. Iowa

32 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals vs. Iowa

22 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals vs. Memphis

The Vipers won all six of those games to climb back into the playoff picture, and after splitting their next four, they locked up the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. Days posted 25.7 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game across that stretch, shooting 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. He barely turned the ball over—just seven times in 10 games—despite averaging 38.6 minutes (the fifth highest mark in the league). Less than 72 hours after the Vipers clinched their playoff spot, he was named G League Player of the Month for March.

The Vipers upset the 2-seed Lakers in the Conference quarterfinals with guard Jalen Lecque sealing the deal with this tough game-winning lay-up. And Days? He delivered, of course: 21 points (on 7/13 shooting), 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. 

You can catch Days and the Vipers in the G League Finals as they face off against the Delaware Blue Coats. Tune in now through April 9 on ESPNU and ESPNews.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Luka Garza, Forward, Iowa Wolves: 30.5 points, 10 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 blocks, 68 FG%, 46 3P% (4 GP)

Carlik Jones, Guard, Windy City Bulls: 26.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6 assists, 2.3 steals, 46 FG%, 35 3P%

Jahmi’us Ramsey, Guard, Oklahoma City Blue: 26 points, 4.4 rebounds, 58 FG%, 38 3P%

Lester Quinones, Guard, Santa Cruz Warriors: 24.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 46 FG%

Jack White, Forward, Grand Rapids Gold: 23.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, 55 FG%, 38 3P%

Trevelin Queen, Guard, Fort Wayne Mad Ants: 23.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.1 steals, 50 FG%

Mfiondu Kabengele, Forward, Maine Celtics: 21.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 61 FG%, 41 3P%

Zavier Simpson, Guard, Lakeland Magic: 17.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 1.7 steals, 50 FG%, 43 3P%

REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS

Eastern Conference: Long Island Nets (23-9)

Western Conference: Stockton Kings (25-7)

Scoring Champ: Carlik Jones (26.1)

Assists Champ: Jacob Gilyard (9.7)

Rebounds Champ: Jayce Johnson (13.5)

Blocks Champ: Jay Huff (3.1)

Steals Champ: Jaden Springer (2.3)

3PT Champ: Mychal Mulder (129)

MARCH CALL-UPS

Luka Samanic, Forward, Maine Celtics to Utah Jazz

Xavier Sneed, Forward, Greensboro Swarm to Charlotte Hornets

Jay Scrubb, Guard, Lakeland Magic to Orlando Magic

Lester Quinones, Guard, Santa Cruz Warriors to Golden State Warriors (twice this month)

Trevor Keels, Guard, Westchester Knicks to New York Knicks

Lindell Wiggington, Guard, Wisconsin Herd to Milwaukee Bucks

Jamaree Bouyea, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Washington Wizards

Jared Butler, Guard, Grand Rapids Gold to Oklahoma City Thunder

Sam Merrill, Guard, Cleveland Charge to Cleveland Cavaliers

Jay Huff, Center, South Bay Lakers to Washington Wizards

Xavier Moon, Guard, Ontario Clippers to Los Angeles Clippers

More below:

Willie Cauley-Stein, Center, Rio Grande Valley Vipers to Houston Rockets

Kobi Simmons, Guard, Greensboro Swarm to Charlotte Hornets

Gabe York, Guard, Fort Wayne Mad Ants to Indiana Pacers

Skylar Mays, Guard, Mexico City Capitanes to Portland Trail Blazers

Shaquille Harrison, Guard, South Bay Lakers to Portland Trail Blazers

Jeenathan Williams, Guard, Salt Lake City Stars to Portland Trail Blazers

Justin Minaya, Forward, Mexico City Capitanes to Portland Trail Blazers

Photos via Getty Images.

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It was hard not to go with Mac McClung. 

In the span of a few days, the Delaware Blue Coats guard earned a call-up from the Philadelphia 76ers, signed a sneaker deal with Puma, and, oh yeah, brought back the NBA Slam Dunk Contest with an unforgettable performance in Salt Lake City (also, I have to call out this 360 layup from Monday night). But…

Carlik Jones has been that good. Really, pretty much unstoppable. The Windy City Bulls star has been one of the best players in the G League all season, and just wrapped up perhaps the busiest month of his career so far. It started with a dominant performance against the Herd in Wisconsin: Jones dropped 40 points on 16/25 shooting from the field and 8/9 from three on February 3. Two days later, he took the court in Greensboro and hung 31 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals on the Swarm. Not a bad road trip.

After going undrafted out of Louisville, Jones first joined the G League in October of 2021, when he was acquired by the Texas Legends. He immediately established himself as an elite scorer and playmaker—on opening day against the Lakeland Magic, he casually put up 37 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in a win. 

Jones always plays at his own pace, patient and under control. He lulls defenses to sleep and then attacks the paint with force (I was there at the Comerica Center when he did this… and oh my God). At just 6-0, he relies on his athleticism, exceptional handles, and nifty footwork to create offense, both for himself and for others. Pull up any highlight video of Jones and you’ll see the full package: he shoots confidently from behind the arc, stops on a dime for smooth midrange jumpers, finishes through and around rim protectors at the basket, and finds teammates for easy opportunities.

Last year, Jones led the Legends to the second round of the playoffs and was named to the NBA G League All-Rookie Team and the All-NBA G League Third Team. He began this season on a standard G League contract but was called up to the Chicago Bulls in December, inking a two-way deal. Since then, he has mostly remained in the G, but did manage to score the second field goal of his NBA career in Paris when the Bulls met the Detroit Pistons in January’s NBA Paris Game.

Appearing in eight G League contests throughout February, Jones averaged 27.5 points (on 46% shooting), 8.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 2 steals. Windy City, a team fighting for a playoff spot, went 6-2 in those games. Jones also logged 22 minutes for Chicago—the most he’s received in an NBA game to date—during a nationally-televised matchup with the Bucks on Feb. 16 (he finished with 1 point, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists). 

From there, Jones was off to Salt Lake City for All-Star Weekend. He was one of 24 players invited to participate in the first-ever G League Next Up Game, which also featured previous “Players to Watch” Luka Garza, Kenneth Lofton Jr., and Isaiah Mobley.

Of course, McClung was the G Leaguer who stole the show out in Utah. The spotlight has (rightfully so) found him in February, and he has used it to help promote the level of talent in the G. Asked to deliver a message to NBA executives, McClung said, “I’d really encourage them to watch the G League. There’s a lot of people in the G League who deserve the same light.”

People like Carlik Jones. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS (FEBRUARY STATS)

Xavier Moon, Guard, Ontario Clippers: 26.4 points, 5.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 52 FG%, 47 3P%

Johnny Juzang, Guard, Salt Lake City Stars: 26.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 49 FG%, 41 3P%

Alize Johnson, Forward, Wisconsin Herd: 17.0 points, 14.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 66 FG%

DaQuan Jeffries, Guard, Westchester Knicks: 23.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.9 steals, 1.1 blocks, 49 FG%

Lester Quinones, Guard, Santa Cruz Warriors: 23.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 47 FG%, 38 3P%

Kenneth Faried, Forward, Mexico City Capitanes: 13.9 points, 14.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 2.3 blocks, 49 FG%

Chris Chiozza, Guard, Long Island Nets: 14.7 points, 8.4 assists, 4 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 52 FG%, 52 3P%

FEBRUARY CALL-UPS

Willie Cauley-Stein, Forward, Rio Grande Valley Vipers to Houston Rockets

P.J. Dozier, Guard, Iowa Wolves to Sacramento Kings

Kris Dunn, Guard, Capital City Go-Go to Utah Jazz

Frank Jackson, Guard, Salt Lake City Stars to Utah Jazz

Keaton Wallace, Guard, Ontario Clippers to Los Angeles Clippers

Nate Darling, Guard, Ontario Clippers to Los Angeles Clippers

Mac McClung, Guard, Delaware Blue Coats to Philadelphia 76ers

Olivier Sarr, Forward, Oklahoma City Blue to Oklahoma City Thunder

Joe Wieskamp, Forward, Wisconsin Herd to Toronto Raptors

Quenton Jackson, Guard, Capital City Go-Go to Washington Wizards

Stanley Umude, Guard, Motor City Cruise to Detroit Pistons

Jamaree Bouyea, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Photos via Getty Images.

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It was 2019 when Isaiah Mobley said those words to SLAM. He was about to begin his college career at the University of Southern California, while his younger brother Evan—the No. 1 prospect in the class below him—would have one final year at Rancho Christian High School. The nation’s best sibling duo was breaking up, but, as Isaiah hinted, the brothers would be reunited soon.

Evan eventually followed Isaiah’s footsteps to USC, where the two shined side by side for a season. Then Evan was off to the NBA—selected with the No. 3 overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2021—while Isaiah chose to remain in L.A. The Mobley brothers were split up again… 

And then they were reunited. Again.

With the 49^th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Cavaliers took Isaiah. This time, the Mobley reunion has looked a bit different. The brothers haven’t spent much time on the floor together. Instead, Isaiah, who is signed to a two-way contract, has been dominating for the Cleveland Charge—the Cavs’ G League affiliate—this season.

At 6-8, 238 pounds, Isaiah is an athletic and versatile big man, just like Evan. Growing up, the two developed their skill sets in competitive games of one-on-one.

“Evan would always want to play me one-on-one after practice because he would play against his teammates and do really well,” Isaiah said in 2019. “I just remember that I was beating him but would have to try harder because he was getting better. His competitive drive…he would try to play until 100 until he could win. I think that rubbed off on me because when I was younger, I played hard always and played to win, but not as intense as I do now.” 

He later added: “We used to [fight a lot] because [Evan] had temper tantrum problems, but now he got it under control so we don’t have no problems. It was good though—he was a sore loser, which is good. It plays into [who he is] now because he plays hard and he hates to lose. I used to beat him in 90 percent of stuff and he used to hate it. One-on-one, I’d beat him, and he’d try to fight me. But, also, I think that’s why he is so good now.”

Fast forward four years and Evan is helping lead a Cavs squad that sits at fourth in the NBA’s Eastern Conference standings, while Isaiah is helping lead a Charge squad that sits at first in the G League’s Eastern Conference standings. 

In January, Isaiah averaged 23.6 points (on 52 percent shooting), 9.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 blocks per contest. He led the Charge in scoring four times, in rebounding three times (including a 19-board game against Fort Wayne) and in assists three times. His three-point percentage dropped, but for the full year (showcase + regular season), he is knocking down 35 percent of his attempts from behind the arc. Led by Mobley and guard Sharife Cooper, Cleveland has won nine of its last 10 games.

Below are Isaiah’s highlights from a recent victory over the Wisconsin Herd, in which the 23-year-old forward notched 30 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Peep his creativity on offense—Mobley attacks off the bounce, finishes jump hooks in the paint and steps out for threes. (You can see shades of all that in this video of him and Evan playing one-on-one from 2019.)

As of January 27, Mobley ranked seventh in fan votes for the G League’s Next Up Game, a new event to take place at All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City. (Our previous two “G League Players to Watch,” Luka Garza and Kenneth Lofton Jr, placed one and two in fans votes, respectively). 

With Isaiah starring for the Charge and Evan doing his thing for the Cavs, Cleveland must be super thankful that the Mobley brothers always find a way back to each other.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (JANUARY STATS)

Sharife Cooper, Guard, Cleveland Charge: 27.4 points, 6.1 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 50 FG%

Mason Jones, Guard, Mexico City Capitanes: 24.8 points, 5.4 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 49 FG%, 40 3P%

Scotty Pippen Jr., Guard, South Bay Lakers: 24.3 points, 8.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 50 FG%, 40 3P%

Charles Bassey, Center, Austin Spurs: 23.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 71 FG%

Lindell Wigginton, Guard, Wisconsin Herd: 24.7 points, 6.4 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 48 FG%, 46 3P%

Gabe York, Guard, Fort Wayne Mad Ants: 24.0 points, 4.8 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 48 FG%, 39 3P%

Zavier Simpson, Guard, Lakeland Magic: 15.9 points, 9.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 57 FG%, 63 3P%

Jay Huff, Center, South Bay Lakers: 15.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.6 blocks, 61 FG%, 44 3P% 

JANUARY CALL-UP TRACKER

Chris Silva, Forward, College Park Skyhawks to Dallas Mavericks

Deonte Burton, Forward, Stockton Kings to Sacramento Kings

Donovan Williams, Forward, Long Island Nets to Atlanta Hawks

Dru Smith, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Brooklyn Nets

Saben Lee, Guard, Raptors 905 to Phoenix Suns

PJ Dozier, Guard, Iowa Wolves to Sacramento Kings

Joe Wieskamp, Forward, Wisconsin Herd to Toronto Raptors

Sterling Brown, Guard, Raptors 905 to Los Angeles Lakers

Photos via Getty Images

The post NBA G League Player to Watch (January Edition): Isaiah Mobley appeared first on SLAM.

Mac McClung, a Delaware Blue Coats guard whose sensational dunks have gone viral, has accepted an invitation to compete in the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend next month in Salt Lake City, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

McClung joins Shaedon Sharpe and KJ Martin so far in dunk contest, averaging 17.6 points, 4.4 assists, 63.8 percent shooting and 41.7 percent from 3 this season for the 76ers’ G League affiliate. The high-flying guard played in two NBA games for Bulls and Lakers last season. https://t.co/36wLVSRtx5

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 13, 2023

McClung averages 17.6 points and 4.4 assists on 63.8 percent shooting from the field and 41.7 percent from beyond the arc in seven games with the Delaware Blue Coats. McClung has gained a ton of notoriety due to his athletic exploits, going viral as a high school phenom thanks to his electric dunks. His high-profile playstyle helped him play college ball at Georgetown and Texas Tech.

McClung went undrafted during the 2021 NBA Draft and has played two games for the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers. He won the G League’s Rookie of the Year while playing with the South Bay Lakers and Windy City Bulls. He signed with the Blue Coats after the Golden State Warriors released him in October.

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McClung will compete with Portland’s Shaedon Sharpe and Houston’s KJ Martin.

The post Mac McClung Will be the First G League Player in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest appeared first on SLAM.

Based on his performance over the three-day event, Lofton Jr. earned a late invitation to the NBA Draft Combine. On May 23, just after the Combine ended, he announced his decision to remain in the 2022 Draft. “See y’all June 23,” he wrote on Twitter. “100% staying in the draft!” Though he wasn’t selected, the 20-year-old eventually signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies and continued to shine at NBA Summer League in July, posting 14.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

At 6-6, 275 pounds, Lofton Jr. is built more like an NFL tight end than an NBA forward. His strong frame, “bully ball” style and smooth lefty jumper immediately reminded Grizzlies fans of Zach Randolph. The hype surrounding him grew even more during a matchup with No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren, in which Lofton Jr. overpowered the 7-1 Gonzaga star down low, notching 19 points and 6 boards.

A point guard in high school before sprouting from 6-2 to 6-6 and moving to the frontcourt at Louisiana Tech, Lofton Jr.’s game reflects just that—he is as comfortable handling the ball up top as he is operating on the post, where he makes up for a lack of height with sheer muscle and excellent footwork. Asked about the development of his unique skill set at Grizzlies media day, Lofton Jr. said, “I just knew post moves. I just added everything I had and put it in one bag and used it.”

That bag includes a soft touch in the paint, a crafty spin move and an impressive passing ability. And now, with the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate, Lofton Jr. is adding to his arsenal. After taking just 20 total threes in college, the rookie is currently averaging just under 4 attempts per contest. He shot 50 percent from the field and 36 percent from behind the arc in December, averaging 21.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists to lead his team to a 7-2 record.

Memphis went 2-0 at the recent AT&T Winter Showcase in Las Vegas, the event that every G Leaguer has circled on the calendar. Playing in front of scouts and executives from all 30 NBA teams, Lofton Jr. was dominant. He showed his expanded range, knocking down 5 three-pointers, and overwhelmed weaker defenders inside. He was unstoppable driving to his left, using his body to keep shot blockers away and finishing through contact at the rim. In the two most important games of the season so far, he averaged 27 points, 11.5 rebounds and 5 assists. He was named to the All-Winter Showcase Team along with Brandon Boston Jr., Tre Mann, Isaiah Mobley and Terry Taylor.

Of course, Lofton Jr. still has a lot to improve—reducing his turnovers, upping his efficiency from deep, playing defense without fouling. But since the Elite Camp seven months ago, when he wasn’t even set on turning pro, the big man has already taken significant steps toward becoming a real contributor at the NBA level.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (DECEMBER STATS)

Mason Jones, Forward, Mexico City Capitanes: 24.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.3 steals, 63 FG%, 49 3P%

Isaiah Mobley, Forward, Cleveland Charge: 25.8 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.5 blocks, 65 FG%, 57 3P%

Mamadi Diakite, Forward, Cleveland Charge: 24 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, 53 FG%

Orlando Robinson, Forward, Sioux Falls Skyforce: 25.5 points, 15.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 blocks, 62 FG%

Vernon Carey Jr., Forward, Capital City Go-Go: 25.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 59 FG%

Carlik Jones, Guard, Windy City Bulls: 23 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 52 FG%, 37 3P%

Brandon Boston Jr., Guard, Ontario Clippers: 23.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 49 FG% (Winter Showcase MVP)

Brandon Williams, Guard, College Park Skyhawks: 23.4 points, 4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.6 steals, 52 FG%, 49 3P%

Tyler Dorsey, Guard, Texas Legends: 27.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 51 FG%, 47 3P%

DECEMBER CALL-UP TRACKER

Louis King, Forward, Rio Grande Valley Vipers to Philadelphia 76ers

AJ Lawson, Forward, College Park Skyhawks to Dallas Mavericks

Jared Rhoden, Guard, College Park Skyhawks to Detroit Pistons

Carlik Jones, Guard, Windy City Bulls to Chicago Bulls

Stanley Johnson, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to San Antonio Spurs

Orlando Robinson, Forward, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Photos via Getty Images.

The post NBA G League Player To Watch (December Edition): Kenneth Lofton Jr.  appeared first on SLAM.

If things go well when he plays with the Lakeland Magic, Issac will be closer than ever to finishing his comeback attempt after all of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

Isaac is likely to play two games for the Lakeland Magic on a comeback that’s been in the making since tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament on August 2, 2020 in the NBA bubble, sources said.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 10, 2023

Issac has been practicing with the Magic since early December, per Woj.

The former Florida State Seminole has averaged 9.3 points, 1.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals since he entered the NBA in 2017 as the sixth overall pick. He’s in the second season of a four-year $70 million contract and will be rejoining a Magic (15-26) team building around Paolo Banchero.

The post REPORT: Jonathan Issac Set to Play with Lakeland Magic Before He Makes His Return to the NBA appeared first on SLAM.

Of all the standout players in the G during November, Iowa Wolves star Luka Garza shined the brightest. A quick reminder what the 6-11 center did at the University of Iowa: 2020-21 consensus National Player of the Year, two-time First Team All-American, the only player in Big Ten history with at least 2,250 points and 900 rebounds. Garza graduated as Iowa’s all-time leading scorer and had his No. 55 jersey retired by the program. His list of accolades is seemingly never-ending—just scroll through his bio page here.

And yet…Garza was not a top NBA prospect. There were a lot of questions about how his old-school game would translate to the pros, and whether he was mobile and athletic enough to still be productive at the next level. Despite a remarkable college career, the Hawkeye legend fell all the way to the 52^nd pick in the 2021 Draft, where he was scooped up by the Detroit Pistons.

As a rookie, Garza played in 21 games for the G League’s Motor City Cruise, averaging 21.6 points and 9.1 rebounds. He was named to the G League All-Rookie Team and the All-NBA G League Third Team. He also appeared in 32 games for the Pistons, contributing 5.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest (17.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per 36 minutes).

Detroit moved on from Garza this past summer, and the 23-year-old eventually signed a two-way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was able to learn from All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert throughout training camp and preseason. Since then, Garza has spent much of his time with Minnesota’s G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves.

“That was one of the draws of coming here—being able to develop my game, but do it in a place that’s basically my second home,” Garza told reporters in mid-October. “I’m from DC, but now it feels like I’m from Iowa. I love it out there, so I’m super excited.”

Back in his “second home,” the big man averaged 27.3 points (second in the G League), 8.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists (first among centers) in November. His efficiency was ridiculous—he shot 67.6 percent from the field and 55.2 percent from behind the arc (on 4.1 attempts per game). Just look at the array of ways he scores in the highlight clip below: finishes out of the pick-and-roll, fade-away baseline jumpers, put-backs, three-pointers, floaters in the lane, crafty post moves—he does it all.

With Garza in the lineup, the Iowa Wolves went 6-1 in November; without him, they were 0-2. After Towns suffered a right calf strain a week ago, Garza was temporarily called up from Iowa to Minnesota. In December, our “G League Player to Watch” might just get an opportunity to prove himself on the big stage.

HONORABLE MENTIONS (NOVEMBER STATS)

Jaden Hardy, Guard, Texas Legends: 29 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 55 FG%, 48 3P%

Jay Huff, Forward, South Bay Lakers: 17.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 4.4 blocks, 68 FG%

Sharife Cooper, Guard, Cleveland Charge: 26.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 51 FG%, 45 3P%

Kenneth Lofton Jr, Forward, Memphis Hustle: 27.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 57 FG%

Mark Williams, Center, Greensboro Swarm: 23.1 points, 12.6 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 63 FG%

Chris Chiozza, Guard, Long Island Nets: 15.1 points, 11.9 assists, 6.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals

Jamaree Bouyea, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce: 18.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.5 steals, 53 FG%

Luka Samanic, Forward, Maine Celtics: 21.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.1 blocks, 53.7 FG%. 

NOVEMBER CALL-UP TRACKER

DaQuan Jeffries, Guard, Westchester Knicks to New York Knicks

Alize Johnson, Forward, Austin Spurs to San Antonio Spurs

Dru Smith, Guard, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Saben Lee, Guard, Raptors 905 to Philadelphia 76ers Toronto Raptors

Devon Dotson, Guard, Capital City Go-Go to Washington Wizards

Ibou Badji, Center, Wisconsin Herd to Portland Trail Blazers

AJ Lawson, Forward, College Park Skyhawks to Minnesota Timberwolves

Orlando Robinson, Forward, Sioux Falls Skyforce to Miami Heat

Jordan Hall, Forward, Austin Spurs to San Antonio Spurs

The post NBA G League Player to Watch: Luka Garza (November Edition) appeared first on SLAM.

Still, there have been lots of questions about whether Wembanyama’s game can translate well over into the NBA. The SLAM 240 cover star and the Metropolitans 92 in an exhibition game Tuesday night in Las Vegas against the G League team Ignite—who has their own contender for projected No. 1 pick in Scoot Henderson— in front of 200 scouts and NBA executives.

The French cheat code dropped 37 points on what was a very efficient 11-of-20 shooting. Wembanyama’s scoring clinic also included seven threes as well as showing a ton of heart on the defensive end picking up five blocks along with four rebounds.

“I want to become the kind of player you have never seen,” Victor told SLAM in his exclusive cover story.

Henderson also had a great outing to show dynamic play at the guard position. Henderson finished with 28 points and nine assists.

With the 2023 NBA Draft on the horizon, it’s more than safe to say the NBA has no shortage of talent coming into the League. Wembanyama and Henderson square off again in another exhibition match on Thursday night in Vegas.

Get your copy of SLAM 240 here.

The post Victor Wembanyama Backs up the Hype, Drops 37 in Exhibition Matchup Against Scoot Henderson appeared first on SLAM.

Ball also signed a training camp deal with the Pistons in 2020. Detroit ultimately waived Ball before he could play in the preseason due to an ankle injury. This left older brothers Lonzo Ball and Lamelo Ball in the League.

The trio is widely known for their impressive play at Chino Hills High School, where each of the brothers put up unguardable numbers. Liangelo Ball had out-of-this-world performances, which has kept their father, LaVar Ball thinking he’s the best out of the three. As everyone knows, LaVar is one of the more popular voices in basketball, and he proves so in an interview back in 2020, stating:

“Everybody’s trying to create the Big Three. They’ve been the Big Three since they’ve been babies. And people are telling me, ‘Man, you know the odds of all three of your boys being on the same team?’ and I say, ‘Yeah, probably the same odds of me coming into the NBA with my own brand.”

The middle child once scored 72 points in a single game, just a day after getting 56. Later that month, he dropped 65 points as well, leaving his mark as one of the best high school performances in a single month of all time.

LiAngelo Ball has had a tough slate of reaching the pros, but his career is still young, and he has an opportunity to prove to basketball fans he is that scoring phenom out of his three brothers.

The post LiAngelo Ball Signs One-Year Deal With Charlotte, Joining Brother LaMelo Ball appeared first on SLAM.

The G League set seven points as the target because it wanted to ensure the extra period lasted longer than two possessions. The move mirrors what the NBA has done at its last three All-Star games. Since Kobe Bryant tragically passed away in a helicopter accident, the League opted to set a fourth-quarter “target score” of 24 points, a nod to the Hall-of-Famer’s iconic jersey number. The final frame was untimed as well.

A variation of the “target score” will also be used for the G League’s Winter Showcase in Las Vegas in December. The fourth quarter of the Winter Showcase will also go untimed; the highest score after three periods will have 25 points added to it, and the first team to hit the “target score” will be the winner.

For example, if Team A leads Team B 75-74 after three quarters, the first team to 100 points would be the winner.

The G League is going to a seven-point "target score" finish for overtime games this season (similar to TBT's Elam Ending).

And all 31 games at the Winter Showcase in Las Vegas will utilize a 25-point target score during an untimed fourth quarter.

G season starts Nov. 4.

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) September 1, 2022

The NBA has experimented with the Elam Ending since 2019 after former NBPA president Chris Paul reached out to the League and recommended exploring the concept made famous by The Basketball Tournament, a winner-take-all summer tourney entire moalumf college alum teams, and overseas talent.

In the Elam Ending, the clock is turned off at the first stoppage with 4:00 or less in the final frame, and the target score is eight points more than the highest score at the time.

The G League released its schedule on Thursday, featuring a 50-game slate, an 18-game Showcase Cup to start the year, followed by a 32-game regular-season from Nov. 4-March 25. The playoffs will begin on March 28. The G League Ignite and Mexico City Capitanes are set to be full members of the League this season and will play a full 50-game schedule and can compete for the League title for the first time.

The Ignite will play their home games out of Henderson, Nevada. The team has been used to develop NBA prospects like Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Dyson Daniels, Jaden Hardy, and MarJon Beauchamp.

The post G League Sets New Seven-Point ‘Target-Score’ Finish For Overtime Games appeared first on SLAM.

The first bit of criticism O’Neal received was from his Hall-of-Famer dad, Shaq, who wasn’t a fan of Shareef leaving college early “at all.” and admitted that although he hadn’t spoken about his plans to play professionally with his dad since they’re both adults Shareef believes “we’ll get through it.”

“He didn’t like that idea at all,” O’Neal said. “It sucks that he didn’t like that idea, but I’m a grown man, I’m 22 years old, I can make my own decisions. It was right in front of my face. I’m not backing up from it. I’m going to go get it if I see it. That’s just how I’m built. I take everything the same way. I took my heart surgery the same way. Being cleared was right in front of me, being healthy was right in front of me, and I went for it. I’m not backing down from nobody. I know he’s an NBA legend; I know he’s my dad, but it was right in front of me; I had to go get it. So, if he likes it or not, it’s not really going to stop me from doing what I want to do.”

Fun Fact: Shaq wanted Shareef to stay in school and not workout with the Lakers. pic.twitter.com/sCRbBmXM5u

— The Pettiest Laker Fan (@ThePettiestLA) June 21, 2022

The second bit of tough love O’Neal has had to deal with was from his father’s old teammate, Robert Horry. Big Shot Rob won three rings during his Lakers tenure as one of the most clutch shooters in franchise history. On a recent episode of his podcast, Horry said he wasn’t sure if O’Neal had what it takes to play in the League.

“I don’t know if he has that dog in him to go out there and take what he wants,” Horry said on The Big Shot Rob Podcast.

I know this outta love and no disrespect!!! I got you BIG SHOT but you know who raised me , I don’t quit. Always been taught to go get it and take it . Been heading in the right step …like I said I got you! Youll see https://t.co/QmbciWH46c

— Shareef O’Neal (@SSJreef) August 3, 2022

Shareef O’Neal responded by saying Horry knew “who raised me” and that he was “taught to go get it and take it.” by the self-proclaimed most dominant player of all time. The younger O’Neal finished off his response to Horry by saying telling the seven-time champion, “I got you! You’ll see.”

O’Neal recently signed a deal to play with the G League Ignite, a developmental team that’s been the breeding ground for recent lottery picks like Jalen Green, Jonathon Kuminga, and Dyson Daniels. O’Neal averaged 4.0 points per game while he played for the Lakers’ Summer League team.

The post Shareef O’Neal Responds to Criticism From Robert Horry: ‘You Know Who Raised Me” appeared first on SLAM.

Rod Strickland officially named the head coach at LIU in Brooklyn. He had been director of the G League Ignite.

— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) June 30, 2022

Strickland grew up in the Bronx, eventually getting drafted by the Knicks in the first round of the 1998 first-round pick after three seasons at DePaul. He previously worked as an assistant at South Florida before becoming a key figure in developing and launching the G League Ignite program over the last three years.

“Rod Strickland has a demonstrated eye for recruiting and developing student-athletes, and we are confident he will elevate Long Island University’s winning tradition to even greater heights,” Long Island University President Kimberly R. Cline said Thursday in a statement announcing the hire. 

“Rod has done a tremendous job as program director for NBA G League Ignite, from leading our recruiting efforts to aiding in the development of our young players, including six NBA Draft picks in the last two seasons,” Shareef Abdur-Rahim, President of the NBA G League, added. “We wish him the best with Long Island University. LIU is getting an amazing person and great basketball man.”

LIU is coming off a third-place finish in the Northeast Conference, and he inherits a program that hasn’t finished worse than .500 in conference play since Kellogg, 74-74(49-41 NEC) took over in 2017. Kellogg led the Sharks to one NCAA tournament appearance in 2018.

Strickland will bring a player’s perspective and an NBA point guard’s basketball IG to a program that could be on the rise as LIU’s profile grows with a former NBA player’s presence at the helm of its program. Strickland’s G League Ignite program has been an alternative for top high school players to pursue an immediate pro-style development and career instead of going to college.

“Developing young players on and off the court has always aligned with my passion while I was playing and after retiring from the NBA,” Strickland said. “I am appreciative to Long Island University for the opportunity to become a head coach at home, in New York City. The Sharks are going to be a competing program for top athletes who not only want to take their game to the next level but prepare for success.”

The post Rod Strickland Leaving G League Ignite to Become Head Coach of LIU Brooklyn appeared first on SLAM.

Jose Alvarado, Terance Mann, Max Strus, Oshae Brissett and Mac McClung. None of ’em got an invite, initially. They earned it, though, after showing out at the G League’s Elite Camp.

On May 16-17, 44 prospects will participate in 5-on-5 scrimmages and strength and agility drills hoping for an invite to the combine later in the week.

LSU’s Shareef O’Neal, Kansas’ Davis McCormack and UNC’s Brady Manek are among those expected to attend with the hopes of following in the same path the big steppers named above did in their journey to the L.

Here are some of the G League’s Elite Camp biggest success stories.   

“Grand Theft” Alvarado, who attended the camp in 2021, took the NBA by storm this season, but before then, the electric 6-foot guard was just another undrafted player, albeit one with the ACC DPOY award. After signing a two-way deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, it took just five games for the team to call Alvarado up from the Birmingham Squadron, where he was averaging 19.8 points and 3.4 swipes per game. His 11 games with 3-plus steals and the two forced 8-second violations he had on Point God Chris Paul in the 2022 playoffs has not only made Alvarado a fan favorite in NOLA but across the entire L. And now, the Elite Camp alum has a well-deserved four-year guaranteed contract to show for it.

In 2019, Terance Mann’s phone was on 1% as he headed to the airport, going home after not being invited to the Draft Combine despite showing out at the G League Elite Camp. As he was preparing to check his bag, the 23-year-old looked down at his phone and saw a number he didn’t recognize. It was the NBA, calling to tell him to turn back around so he could take part in the Combine after all. Now coming off his third year in the League, the FSU product averaged 10.8 points and 5.2 boards for the Clippers, showcasing flashes of brilliance and growth as a secondary option, highlighted by back-to-back 20-pieces in February.

Former undrafted DePaul prospect Max Strus is lighting it up for the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semis. The third-year sharpshooter was able to showcase his scintillating skills for scouts during the Elite Camp in 2019. In 23 minutes per game, Strus is averaging 10.3 points on 41 percent shooting from downtown, knocking down nearly three trey balls a night. The definition of an unphased shooter, Strus shot 50 percent from three with defenders within two feet of him and now remains a vital part of the Heat’s championship run.

Before he was flying through the air in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Oshae Brissett signed with the Toronto Raptors as a two-way player, averaging 14.7 points and 6.5 boards for the Raptors 905 G League squad. Starting the 2021-22 campaign with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (the Pacers’ G League affiliate), the undrafted prospect out of Syracuse was ultimately given the opportunity to sign with the Pacers for the remainder of the season, where he proved a force to be reckoned with in the paint, dropping 27 points and 6 boards in a late February win over the Celtics and 28 and 8 in their final game of the season.

An undrafted guard out of Texas Tech and now the reigning G League Rookie of the Year, Mac McClung showcased his top-tier athleticism and dawg mentality to scouts and coaches at last year’s Elite Camp. After averaging 21.7 points and 7.7 dimes while swiping 1.4 steals per game in the G League, the rookie signed a two-way deal with the Lakers, appearing in their season finale, where he tallied 6 points, 3 boards and a signature reverse throw-down.

Follow along on G League (@nbagleague) and SLAM socials for details on players throughout Elite Camp, storylines and stream info.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post The G League Elite Camp Returns to Chicago Looking to Fulfill More NBA Dreams appeared first on SLAM.

First Team:

Justin Anderson – Fort Wayne Mad Ants

Mason Jones – South Bay Lakers

Justin Tillman – College Park Skyhawks

Trevelin Queen – Rio Grande Valley Vipers

Moses Wright – Texas Legends

Second Team:

Cat Barber – College Park Skyhawks

Charles Bassey – Delaware Blue Coats

Braxton Key – Delaware Blue Coats

Saben Lee – Motor City Cruise

Reggie Perry – Raptors 905

Third Team:

Luka Garza – Motor City Cruise

Jared Harper – Birmingham Squadron

Justin Jackson – Texas Legends

Carlik Jones – Texas Legends

Anthony Lamb – Rio Grande Valley Vipers

The G League also released their All-Rookie and All-Defensive Team rosters. Notable players are the 2021-22 Rookie of the Year Mac McClung and the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year Shaquille Harrison. The teams are as follows:

All-Rookie:

Charles Bassey – Delaware Blue Coats

Luka Garza – Motor City Cruise

Carlik Jones – Texas Legends

Mac McClung – South Bay Lakers

Micah Potter – Sioux Falls Skyforce

All-Defensive:

Charles Bassey – Delaware Blue Coats

Braxton Key – Delaware Blue Coats

Tacko Fall – Cleveland Charge

Shaquille Harrison – Delaware Blue Coats

Trevelin Queen – Rio Grande Valley Vipers

The post 2021-22 All-NBA G League, All-Rookie, and All-Defensive Teams Announced appeared first on SLAM.

One of just a couple dozen players in the G League and NBA to have played college basketball outside Division I, Demers’ mere presence in the G League cuts against conventional knowledge that the best basketball players can all be found at the top of high school recruiting lists and draft boards. He averaged 8.1 points and 1.2 assists in his first season as a pro in the G League. 

For a professional athlete, Demers is surprisingly unassuming. A 6-1 shooting guard who likes to golf and hang with his family, Demers is easy to hang with. Michael Rejniak, Demer’s coach with team We Are D3 in the TBT remembers when Demers first walked into the pre-tournament workouts. “Eric might be the last guy you pick, like, from a visual viewpoint to be the G Leaguer. But he is.”

Looking out onto the court where players he used to watch on ESPN warm up, the Gordon College alum points out that he’s “the one guy in the G League that has loans.” Division III rules do not allow schools to offer athletic scholarships, and at nearly $40,000 a year, Gordon’s tuition is nothing to scoff at. Ask him if he would change his path to the G-League, though, and Demers will tell you that he wouldn’t change a thing.

During his senior year at Gordon College, Demers led the nation in scoring with 32.4 points per game, dropping 42 against Hartford in an exhibition game, his only Division I opponent that year. Last summer, he went off for 25 points in his TBT debut for team We Are D3, off the bench. 

Rejniak proudly calls Demers “one of the best shooters I’ve had the pleasure to coach,” while Maine Celtics assistant coach Craig Luschenat, a fellow DIII alumnus, was “shocked by his quick release” when first watching Demers play. But for all the things he does well, Demers has some adjusting and learning to do since entering the G-League, and he has to overcome ageism too, all while playing against the best competition he’s ever faced.

What’s more, the G League is molded in the NBA’s image, and as such, is dominated by the pick and roll, an offensive scheme which calls for defensive assignments that Demers has never played and for a brand new offensive approach for him, too. Where in college he had the green light like Damian Lillard, in the G League he’s tasked with emulating Jae Crowder, a typical three-and-D wing.

“Coming from DIII, he’s so used to being able to kind of do whatever he wants,” Luschenat explains. At Gordon, Demers would set up shop above the break. He had the freedom to attack the rim off the dribble, shoot deep pull-up threes, and even post up on occasion, as he did in his 25-point TBT performance. But in the G League, Demers now lives in the corner, waiting for more higher-profile players to pass him the ball, rebuilding his game to fit the new level. 

“I didn’t have any scholarships coming out of high school or anything like that. I just fell in love with the process of getting better,” he explains. “I loved basketball so much, I wanted to become the best I can. And I still do. So I try not to put a ceiling on myself or a window of opportunity. I just truly want to find my potential.”

After solidifying himself as one of the top scorers in college basketball, Demers was in Los Angeles training with professional trainer Jordan Lawley—also known as JLaw, who counts Zach Lavine, Klay Thompson, and Alex Caruso among his many clients—when COVID-19 hit. An early Instagram post from 2020 shows Demers working out with a EuroLeauge ball, underlining his impression that his first gig was going to come overseas. Freshly married and coming off a successful senior season at Gordon, Demers looked to sign with an agent and begin his pro career, but he found that “meeting with agents is a lot different for Division III athletes rather than Division I athletes.” 

Conversations over Whatsapp with agents speaking broken English trying to convince Demers to play in the country where they lived proved unfruitful, and a contract to play in New Zealand fell through because “they were kind of COVID-free at the time and didn’t really want anyone coming into their country.” With just half of G League teams going to the bubble, Demers didn’t get an invite and found himself teamless for the first time in years. 

Though Demers and his wife Lauren were “100% locked in” on Demers playing professional basketball, the financial realities of starting a family set in, and Demers was forced to take a job at a mortgage company through a friend at church, working out every day in addition to his office and family duties. (Lauren and Eric welcomed their first child, Jordan, in August 2021.) Months in, Demers says there were “moments in time where I had some hard conversations with my wife, and it was like, is it time to just move on from basketball?”

Ultimately, the pair decided that they’d wait to see what professional opportunities would come his way. Six months later, Demers earned an invitation to NBA Summer League with the San Antonio Spurs. Having quit his day job and now beginning his professional journey, Demers arrived in Las Vegas, only to find more doubters.

Walking around the Summer League arenas, someone even asked him if he worked in the Spurs front office. Looking for a table at a restaurant with former teammates from Gordon College, Demers was about to be turned away from the restaurant until one of his buddies told the restaurant workers that Demers was a Summer League player. 

And yet, Demers isn’t sweating any of it. He says the story about the restaurant is one of his favorite moments since becoming a professional basketball player. For JLaw, Demers’ ability to be “able to turn off the basketball side” when he’s not on the court is what sets him apart from other players.

Luschenat and Rejniak echo JLaw’s sentiment: “He doesn’t care whether you’re 6-8, 6-7,” boasts Rejniak, “he’ll cook you.” It seems from the outside that Demers is the ever-elusive, even-keeled player, never too high and never too low. 

Demers’ coachability is reflected in the ways he challenges his teammates. Sam Hauser, a two-way player for the Boston Celtics, is Demers’ main matchup in practice, says Demers is “consistently moving and keeping the defense on edge,” a skill that wasn’t important for him in college, but is now a key facet of his game. 

In the words of  Luschenat, Demers is “always ready.” After the game against the Knicks, the pro reflects on his rookie season thus far, and how unlikely it’s all been. This is just the beginning for him; he says that he can see himself playing in the G League for “two to three years,” and then potentially taking his talents overseas. 

 “Not many rookies especially come from where I’ve come from [and] get the opportunity to impact the team the way I have.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Former DIII Guard Eric Demers is Ready to Tap Into His Potential in the G League appeared first on SLAM.

Tucker initially played college basketball at Florida Gulf Coast and transferred to Arkansas-Little Rock after two seasons. After sitting out his junior year due to transfer rules, Tucker averaged 20.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game as a senior. He was named to the second-team All-Sun Belt Conference and declared for the 2019 NBA Draft.

After going undrafted, Tucker signed with Wisconsin Herd and played for the Bucks’ summer league team, where he averaged 10.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in five games. In 16 games with the Herd, Tucker averaged 23.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists before eventually signing with the Utah Jazz mid-season in 2019-2020.

After stints with the Jazz and 76ers, Tucker returned to the Herd in August 2021 and averaged 12.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 13 games. In December, he would sign 10-day contracts with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets before returning to the Herd for his third stint with the team.

Yesterday the Milwaukee Bucks waived forward DeAndre’ Bembry, who recently underwent season-ending knee surgery, opening a roster spot for Tucker.

The Bucks will close out the regular season on the road as they travel to Detroit and Cleveland to prepare for postseason action.

The post REPORT: Milwaukee Bucks Sign Rayjon Tucker to Multiyear Contract. appeared first on SLAM.

The Boston Celtics are signing forward Juwan Morgan of G League’s Maine Celtics to a 10-day contract, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 28, 2022

The UNLV product averaged 12.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game for Boston’s G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics. He last played in the League in December when the NBA was facing a surge of COVID-19 cases that forced teams to sign a plethora of NBA players to their rosters as more and more players tested positive. Morgan finished with five points, four rebounds, and one dime during his one appearance with the Raptors.

The post REPORT: Juwan Morgan Gets Call-Up to Celtics appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN Sources: Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman has been ruled out for the rest of the season and will continue rehabilitating his right knee. Wiseman has been recovering from a meniscus repair last April, and the team has been cautious to protect him for the long-term.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 25, 2022

The second-year center has spent the entirety of the season recovering from the meniscus repair he underwent in April 2021. According to Woj, Wiseman is expected to remain in the Bay Area while he continues to rehab.

WISEMAN SLAM pic.twitter.com/lauEbIRzf9

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 11, 2022

Wiseman isn’t expected to undergo more surgery. Wiseman will focus on strength and conditioning exercises. Wiseman played three games with the Sants Cruz Warriors, the G-League affiliate of the Golden State Warriors. The former Memphis Tiger averaged 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

Steve Kerr on the decision to shut James Wiseman down for the rest of the season: “it was ultimately very simple: we’re protecting James’ future.”

Says he wouldn’t be able to play in any games for the next few weeks, so made sense to rule him out.

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) March 25, 2022

The post REPORT: James Wiseman Out For the Rest of the Season appeared first on SLAM.

Those absences have opened the door for one of the G League’s top scorers to get an opportunity in the NBA.

On Thursday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Pelicans had signed Tyrone Wallace to a 10-day contract with the team.

Wallace has been applying his trade in the G League with the Long Island Nets, where over 16 games, he’s averaged 21.1 points, 5.2 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. As Wojnarowski notes, over his last 11 games, he’s averaged 27 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game.

This won’t be Wallace’s first shot in the League, as he has played three seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers since being drafted out of Cal in 2016. Wallace has played in 106 career games over three seasons, two with the Clippers and one with the Atlanta Hawks, and has averaged 5.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.

Wallace hasn’t played in the NBA since 2019, though, last suiting up for the Hawks on Dec. 4, 2019. Since then, Wallace has been applying his trade exclusively in the G League for the Nets, Agua Caliente Clippers, and the College Park Skyhawks.

The Pelicans (27-39) are a team on the fringes of the playoffs at the moment, holding on to the 10th seed and the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, just 1.5 games ahead of the 11th place Portland Trail Blazers.

Wallace will get his first chance to help his new team on Friday night when the Pelicans take on the Charlotte Hornets (32-35) at home.

The post REPORT: Pelicans Sign Tyrone Wallace to 10-Day Contract appeared first on SLAM.

Isaiah Thomas is signing a 10-day deal with Charlotte, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 1, 2022

In the last week, the two-time All-Star guard averaged 41.3 points per game in three appearances with the G League franchise Grand Rapid Gold. Thomas scored a season-high record 46 points on Feb. 26, the most scored in the G League this year.

IT4’s signing couldn’t have come at a better for the Hornets (30-32), who have lost 11 of their last 13 games. The skid has dropped the franchise to ninth in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Thomas played four games for the Lakers, memorably scoring 19 points against the Dallas Mavericks. The December game was his first time playing back an NBA court since he played for the Pelicans in 2020-2021. Thomas played one game for the Mavericks as well before his 10-day expired.

@isaiahthomas puts up 19 points in his return to the @Lakers and his 2021-22 NBA debut! pic.twitter.com/tgblSNIWGX

— NBA (@NBA) December 18, 2021

The post REPORT: Isaiah Thomas Signs 10-Day Deal With the Hornets appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers are promoting assistant general manager Mike Gansey to GM, an ascension in the wake of Koby Altman's elevation to President of Basketball Operations: https://t.co/zLQlc54bGO

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 23, 2022

The Cavs elevated Gansey to GM in the wake of the Cavs rewarding Koby Altman with an extension and ascension to president of basketball operations. Altman served as the principal architect of the Cavs’ rise up the Eastern Conference playoff standings.

Ganey previously served as assistant general manager after a remarkable rise from becoming GM of the Canton Charge, where he won G League Executive of the Year in 2017. He worked in the front office of the Canton franchise for the last decade after starting as an intern in basketball operations in 2011.

The 39-year-old previously played college basketball for St. Bonaventure and West Virginia before playing professionally in the then-NBA D League for the Erie Bayhawks and Idaho Stampede. He also played professionally in China and Germany.

The post REPORT: Cavs to Promote Mike Gansey to General Manager appeared first on SLAM.

The G League Ignite guard will be played in the Rising Star Challenge on Friday. Hardy will also be taking part in several Panini America marketing initiatives and will be featured on packaging on a number of Panini products.

Growing up as a kid I dreamed of my own trading card. I’m blessed to share that today I’ve signed an exclusive autograph trading card deal with @paniniamerica joining a great roster of athletes. Excited for what’s to come! #ratedrookie #whodoyoucollect pic.twitter.com/khNL4xTa0U

— JHardy (@JadenHardy1) February 18, 2022

“Jaden is an exciting young player to watch in the NBA G League, and we look forward to watching him in the NBA Rising Stars Game and as he enters the NBA Draft later this year,” said Panini America CEO Mark Warsop. “We are excited to have him join the Panini family. ”

“It’s truly an honor and blessing from God to become an exclusive athlete for Panini and join their roster of other exclusive NBA athletes,” Hardy said. “As a kid growing up collecting Panini trading cards, to know that I’m going to have my own basketball trading card is a humbling experience. I can’t wait to get started.” Hardy said.

Jaden Hardy with a TOUGH jump shot off a tight handle against close defense pic.twitter.com/uCf3wt3yj4

— Mavs / Magic Draft (@MavsDraft) February 18, 2022

The post Jaden Hardy Signs Autograph Trading Card Deal With Panini American appeared first on SLAM.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Giannis, Thanasis, and Alex Antetokounmpo (Raptors 905) are “strongly considering” joining forces in this year’s Skills Challenge in Cleveland.

Sources: Three Antetokounmpo brothers – Giannis and Thanasis of the Milwaukee Bucks and Alex of the G League’s Raptors 905 – are strongly considering participating together in the Skills Challenge at NBA All-Star. A revamped competition is expected to have teams of three players.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2022

Due to the League’s recently announced revamped competition, the Skills Challenge will host teams of three players competing against one another instead of individuals duking it out.

The Taco Bell Skills Challenge will kick off Saturday night’s All-Star festivities on February 19th, followed by the 3-Point Contest and the Slam Dunk Contest.

The participants for the 2022 Skills Challenge have yet to be announced.

The post REPORT: Antetokounmpo Brothers ‘Strongly Considering’ Team Up for All-Star Skills Challenge appeared first on SLAM.

However, on Friday the G League announce that the resumption of its regular season, originally scheduled to tip off on Dec. 27, will now begin on Jan. 5, 2022.  

Over the past few weeks, countless G League players have been called up to the NBA to fill out depleted rosters from players being in health and safety protocols. 

This delay will give teams an opportunity to safely return players to their respective G League markets after the holidays and allow time for their players that have been called up make their way back down. 

Rescheduled game date information will be announced at a later date once determined by the league. 

To this point in the season, Saben Lee of the Motor City Cruise leads the G League with 30.6 points per contest. The Delaware Blue Coats recently won the Showcase Cup and are one of the hottest teams in the league. 

The post NBA G League Regular Season Resumption Postponed appeared first on SLAM.

Tuesday, the Mavericks have four players in the NBA’s health and safety protocols: Hardaway Jr, Reggie Bullock, Josh Green, and Maxi Kleber.

Dallas also signed NBA G Leagues Caliente Clippers forward George King to a 10-day hardship deal.

The newest add-ons to the team come just in time for the Mavericks in their matchup against the Timberwolves, Tuesday evening.

With Delaware, Brown averaged 16.8 points and 8.1 boards. King averages 13.7 points and 5.7 rebounds.

The post Maverick’s Sign Charlie Brown To A 10-Day Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Isaiah Thomas was nothing short of AMAZING tonight. @isaiahthomas

42 points | 8 assists | 6 rebounds | 5 3PT pic.twitter.com/qBO1IelI0f

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) December 16, 2021

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Grand Rapids Gold added Shabazz Muhammad to the roster for the G League showcase against the Ignite on Sunday.

It’s the highly touted G League Ignite against the @NBAGrandRapids Superteam starring Lance Stephenson, Mario Chalmers, Nik Stauskas and the freshly signed Shabazz Mohammad — and coached by Jason Terry — here at the @nbagleague Showcase in Las Vegas. Let’s hoop … pic.twitter.com/QvHnPGNgyQ

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 20, 2021

The Utah Jazz’s former 2013 first-round draft pick (draft right traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 21st pick) is hoping the G League’s showcase event will spark an NBA comeback. It’s not the first time Muhammad has played in the showcase. In 2014, he was part of the All-Showcase team when the Wolves sent him to the NBA Development League to play with the Iowa Energy.

Shabazz last appeared on an NBA court in 2017-18, playing 43 games with Minnesota and the Milwaukee Bucks. Since then, he has played in the Chinese Basketball Association.

The post Shabazz Muhammad Signs With NBA G-League’s Grand Rapids Gold appeared first on SLAM.

Thomas is planning to sign a 10-day contract under the hardship exemption, sources said. https://t.co/cKmXwmgMWD

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 16, 2021

The Lakers decided to sign IT after the former All-Star scored 42 points in his G League debut with the Grand Rapid Golds. The franchise is missing multiple players due to health and safety protocols (Russell Westbrook, Dwight Howard, Talen Horton-Tucker, Avery Bradley, and Malik Monk). Because the Lakers are shorthanded with those absences, the League granted them a hardship exemption which they used to sign Thomas.

But Thomas came into his own with the Boston Celtics, where he averaged 28.9 points per game and turned in two All-Star campaigns before a hip injury reversed his fortune. Since then, he’s played for the Cavaliers, Lakers, Nuggets, Wizards, the Pelicans, and the Lakers again.

The post The Lakers Sign Isaiah Thomas to a 10-Day Contract appeared first on SLAM.

Chalmers joined recent veterans Isaiah Thomas over the weekend and Langston Galloway, who used his stint with the College Park Skyhawks to get a hardship contract with the Brooklyn Nets. Chalmers last played for the Aris Basketball Club in Greece back in 2020/21, where he averaged 10.5 points and 2.3 assists.

Mario talked about his intentions to end his career on his own terms.

“Finishing my career where I started would mean the world to me,” Chalmers says. “I first got drafted into the NBA. I never had dreams of walking away from the game of basketball overseas, so this would be a great way to end my career. Just being back at home in front of the fans that helped me get to where I am today.”

Chalmers was a second round pick back out of Kansas back in ’08. He is well known for hitting a three-pointer with 2.1 seconds left to force overtime that helped his team win the NCAA championship. He was the starting point guard for the Miami Heat during their golden era back in 2010-14. The nine-year veteran played also with the Memphis Grizzlies and in the BIG3.

Chalmers is on a mission to help out any team that gives him a chance.

“I have a lot left in the tank,” Chalmers said. “I have fresh legs, a fresh body and I’m ready for that full NBA grind again. A lot of teams are fighting for those 16 playoff spots, so at the end of the day, if someone gets hurt or COVID becomes an issue, I’m ready.

The post Mario Chalmers Signs G League Contract With Hopes of NBA Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

Two-time All-Star Isaiah Thomas has signed in the NBA G League and will play in the G League Showcase (Dec. 19-22) in Las Vegas, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Thomas is on the NBA comeback trail.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 11, 2021

While Thomas played for Team USA, he wanted to show that he could still play in the League via NBA.com.

“My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA as soon as possible,” Thomas, 32, told The Associated Press. “This allows me to compete against other professionals, represent my country at the same time — which is an honor and a privilege — and ultimately show NBA teams that I’m back to myself and I’m 100% healthy. That’s why I chose to come here. When Team USA brought it to me, it was a no-brainer.”

LET IT FLY, ISAIAH!!

IT with the clutch shot during the @FIBAWC qualifiers. (via @USABasketball) pic.twitter.com/zsjsI6ooAI

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 29, 2021

The G League Showcase invites eight teams to play in a single-elimination tournament. The NBA usually sends scouts and executives to evaluate the players. Several players have used the tournament to get back in the NBA, which Isaiah hopes will happen to him.

The past four seasons have been tough for Isaiah Thomas since his Boston Celtics tenure that nabbed him two All-Star appearances. Since being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017, he has played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards, and New Orleans Pelicans. He had two workouts with the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors this past offseason with no luck.

The post REPORT: Isaiah Thomas to Play in G League Showcase to Spur Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

The Chicago Bulls are signing forward Stanley Johnson out of NBA G League’s South Bay Lakers via hardship exemption, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Johnson went to training camp with the Bulls.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 8, 2021

Johnson was one of the Bulls’ final cuts in training camp just before the season, with averages of 3.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in four preseason games. Soon after, he was signed by the South Bay Lakers and had some success averaging 15.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.2 steals in six games. He also shot 40.5 percent from the field and 28.6 from the 3 point line.

BREAKING: The @chicagobulls have called-up Stanley Johnson from the South Bay Lakers.

15.3 PTS | 6.7 REB | 2.2 AST | 2.2 STL pic.twitter.com/hF80gjmOGp

— G League TV (@GLeagueTV) December 8, 2021

The Bulls currently have five players unavailable due to being in NBA’s Health and Safety protocols or injured, which made them eligible to make a move to add Johnson to the roster.

Matt Thomas (health and safety protocol)
DeMar DeRozan (health and safety protocol)
Coby White (health and safety protocol)
Javonte Green (health and safety protocol)
Patrick Williams out with an injury.

The Chicago Bulls currently have 11 players available for tonight’s game.

— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) December 8, 2021

Stanley Johnson was the No. 8 pick in the 2015 draft by the Pistons, where he played over three seasons before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2018-19 season. His most recent stint in the NBA was with the Toronto Raptors for two seasons.

The post Chicago Bulls Use Their Hardship Exemption to Sign Stanley Johnson appeared first on SLAM.

stockpiling talent from all over the globe@stockx is excited to welcome top international prospect Fanbo Zeng to #GLeagueIgnite. #NextIsNow

Read More: https://t.co/4BmGyD8zqV pic.twitter.com/83PD85Yjfz

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) October 13, 2021

Zeng is believed to be one of the top prospects to come out of China. During his sophomore year, he averaged 15.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 2.1 assists per game at Windermere Prep high school in 2019-20, garnering attention as a potential five-star recruit. He returned to China at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fanbo shined the light on his potential plans via ESPN.

“This is the best and fastest way to become a pro, and also get better every day,” Zeng told ESPN. “This was the best decision I could make while I was in China. I’m not saying the NCAA isn’t good — just that the G League is the best way for me.”

In the past 15 years, only two Chinese players have been drafted into the NBA. Since 2018, there have been no Chinese players in the NBA since Zhou Qi played with the Houston Rockets. League officials told ESPN that “increasing the visibility of the NBA in China is a major priority moving forward.”

The G League Ignite are coached Jason Hart, co-founder of the Black Coaches Association.

The post G League Ignite Sign Chinese Prospect Fanbo Zeng appeared first on SLAM.

Wade, known for his time at Sierra Canyon in California, was a 3-star recruit according to 247Sports. He then transferred to Brewster Academy in Wolfeboro, N.H in 2020, however, a torn ligament in his ankle ended his season. 

While he had received offers from multiple schools including Rhode Island and Toledo, Wade will now add to the growing list of high school athletes to pass a college career to go pro.

The post Zaire Wade Will Reportedly Sign G League Contract, ‘Expected to Join’ Utah Jazz Affiliate appeared first on SLAM.

The Denver Nuggets hired Terry as the head coach of their new G-League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Terry will take over as head coach of Grand Rapids after spending a full year as an assistant at his alma mater. Terry wanted to get on a path to becoming a head coach after an NBA career that included a championship with Mavs in 2011 and an NBA sixth-man of year award in 2009.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 19, 2021

Terry was also rumored to join the Dallas Mavericks’ coaching staff this summer. He elaborated on his coaching plans during a June 21 radio interview on The Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports.

“Don’t rule out me being on a bench here in the NBA. I also have aspired to give my 19 years of experience and knowledge to these young guys (at Arizona) and mentor these guys and show them the way. We’ll see what the cards hold but I’m enjoying my time at Arizona under the leadership of Tommy Lloyd and back at my alma mater, so I’m having fun doing what I do.”

Jason Terry’s won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in ’09 and won a championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. He also played for the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets and Milwaukee Bucks where he finished his career after the 2017-18 season.

The Grand Rapids will be changing its name from “Drive” to “Gold” and the team colors to a dark blue and yellow with their switch in NBA affiliation to the Denver Nuggets

The post Jason Terry Named New Head Coach of G League’s Grand Rapids Gold appeared first on SLAM.

The G League Ignite is finalizing a deal to hire Jason Hart as the program’s new head coach, sources tell ESPN. Hart has been the associate head coach at USC and played nine years in the NBA. He replaces Brian Shaw, who’s joining the Clippers as an assistant.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 28, 2021

Hart will replace Brian Shaw, who joined the Los Angeles Clippers staff as their top assistant under Tyronn Lue.

After dominating at Syracuse and leaving the program as their all-time leader in steals and second in assists, Hart was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 2000 NBA Draft. After nine years in the League and coaching stints at Taft High School in LA and Pepperdine, Hart joined the USC coaching staff in 2013 and has spent the last four years as the associate head coach.

The co-founder of the Black Coaches Association was very vocal on social media about the NBA’s recent number of new Black coaching hires. He responded to his own tweet about his hiring with “Spoke it into existence! #GodsPlan!”

Spoke it into existence! #GodsPlan! https://t.co/sGTz4Y0BZB

— Jason Hart (@JHart_1825) July 28, 2021

The G League Ignite has been making an impact by signing top basketball prospects to play with and against G League competition in an effort to prepare them for the NBA draft. This past season, their roster included two projected lottery picks in the 2021 NBA draft: forwards Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga.

SLAM has partnered with the Black Coaches Association on a content series that will spotlight Black coaches from every level. Read our exclusive feature stories here.

Register as a member of the BCA here.

The post Jason Hart Replaces Brian Shaw as Head Coach of the G League Ignite appeared first on SLAM.

Sacramento tabbed the 2003 Sixth Man of the Year after two seasons as an assistant and players development coach under Luke Walton. Now, Jackson will have the opportunity to head a team that hasn’t played a game since early 2020.

Jackson made stops in Denver, Minnesota, Memphis, New Orleans, Charolette and Houston in his 12-year NBA career, averaging 10.6 points and 2.2 assists with the Kings.

After opting out of the G League bubble in Orlando, Jackson will get started with his new group in Stockton next season.

The post Stockton Kings Hire Former Kings Guard Bobby Jackson as HC appeared first on SLAM.

As first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic, the newest high-caliber prospect to join the Ignite is five-star recruit Jaden Hardy. He’s one of the top players in the entire 2021 class. 

Before committing to play professionally in the G League, Hardy was the top player in his class that hadn’t yet committed. 

“I gave it a lot of thought,” Hardy told ESPN. “I always wanted to go to college, but I wanted to look at the G League. The more I could not make official visits or meet with coaches and players, it made my decision easier. I never got to interact with anyone on campuses or see things first-hand.”

A lethal scorer, Hardy is considered by many one of the best players in his entire class and projects to be a potential top-five pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He’s currently No. 2 in the ESPN Top 100.

The post G League Ignite Adds Future Star Jaden Hardy appeared first on SLAM.

For 2021-22 the G League will finally add the Mexico City Capitanes to the schedule, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The Capitanes were announced in 2019 with plans to play in the 2020-21 season, but the pandemic delayed their plans.

The Capitanes do not plan on having an NBA affiliate for this season or future seasons.

The general manager of the Capitanes will be the former director of basketball operations for the South Bay Lakers, Nick Lagios. Lagios spent five years with the Lakers before being announced as the new general manager for the Capitanes.

The G League has yet to announce the schedule for the upcoming season.

The post G-League Set to Expand to Mexico City for 2021-22 Season appeared first on SLAM.

On Tuesday, the Nuggets officially announced that they had acquired the Grand Rapids Drive, which will serve as Denver’s G-League affiliate moving forward.

Here's what makes Grand Rapids special #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/ZFxEEfDeyq

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) April 27, 2021

Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly showed his enthusiasm at their new acquisition in a statement released by the team on Tuesday afternoon.

“We are extremely excited about this partnership and look forward to what the future holds for our franchises,” says Tim Connelly. “We know that Grand Rapids is an excellent organization and the collaboration we can have with our own G League team is something that will be hugely beneficial to our players, staff and organization. It’s just a great situation for all parties involved.”

The Drive had served as the Detroit Pistons G-League affiliate since 2014, but the Pistons have since purchased the Northern Arizona Suns from the Phoenix Suns to be their G-League affiliate in the coming seasons.

Denver was just one of two teams in the NBA this season without a G-League affiliate, the other being the Portland Trailblazers. That duo has been the lone teams without an affiliate since 2018.

Heading into 2021-22, the Trailblazers and Suns are the only two teams in the NBA without an affiliate at the moment.

The post Denver Nuggets Set to Aquire G-League Affiliate Grand Rapids Drive appeared first on SLAM.

“We’ve made the determination that we will cease operations in the coming weeks due to not being unable to find another NBA partner, or other adequate opportunity, to keep G League basketball in Erie,” said Erie Basketball Management’s president Matt Bresee and sole managing partner, Owen McCormick. “This result is merely a reflection of the changing landscape of the NBA as many teams prefer their G League affiliate be located nearby, and Erie simply is not positioned geographically to provide that.”

“While we’re saddened by this for our fans and the Erie community, we are deeply appreciative of the tremendous support the BayHawks received over the past 13 years. The Erie region can be proud of the history the BayHawks made and the role that Erie played for the NBA during our years in the NBA Development League and NBA G League.”

The BayHawks played their first season in 2008-09 and have served as the NBA affiliate to the New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, New York Knicks and Washington Wizards.

In the G League’s most recent season, the BayHawks went 11-4 in the bubble, losing in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual champions (the Lakeland Magic).

The post G League’s Erie BayHawks to Cease Operations appeared first on SLAM.

A two-way signing by the Sixers, the DePaul product racked up both the G League MVP and the Rookie of the Year awards on Monday; an impressive feat even if Reed had started the season on everyone’s radar.

Playing for Philadelphia’s official G League affiliate — the Delaware Blue Coats — Reed made an immediate impact with his athleticism and versatility. The 21-year-old averaged 22.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 blocks while shooting .588 percent from the field and .444 percent from 3-point range while leading the Blue Coats to their first postseason appearance in franchise history.

Unfortunately, the Blue Coats fell just short of winning the 2021 NBA G League championship, losing to the Lakeland Magic (97-78) on Mar. 11 in a single-elimination tournament. Reed would tally a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds while adding three assists, three steals and three blocks, but shot just 1-8 from 3-point range.

After an outstanding campaign with the Blue Coats in the G League bubble, Reed could find himself significantly closer to a rotation spot with the 76ers should the opportunity arise.

The post Sixers’ Paul Reed Collects 2020-21 G League MVP, Rookie of the Year Awards appeared first on SLAM.

That art, of course, is the underhand free throw. 

“My dad’s still automatic from the line,” Canyon said in a recent phone interview. All of Canyon’s practicing seems to have paid off, too. In March, he joined the Iowa Wolves, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ affiliate, in the G League’s Disney World bubble. There he connected on all 21 of his free-throw attempts, each one shot by gripping the ball on its sides, dropping it down towards his knees and then flicking it up toward the hoop. 

“I would like to think that’s the only time someone has shot 100 percent from the line in any sort of season while taking that many shots,” Barry said. He was proud of himself, and like his father, who hit 89.3 percent of his foul shots over 14 NBA seasons and has spent the forty years since proselytizing on behalf of the technique, Canyon is a true believer. He wishes more players would follow in his family’s footsteps.

He’s always felt that the underhand free-throw could offer a lifeline to struggling players. He still feels that way, but there’s another motive now, too: in a way, he’s fighting for the survival of his family’s legacy. 

“It’s such a good shot, and we’ve had so much success with it, I hope someone is willing to take up the challenge,” Barry said. “I’d hate to see the underhand free-throw just die.”

Barry understands the hesitancy. He himself didn’t change his technique until his junior year of high school, and in the years since he’s heard every joke. 

“Every time I shoot I get an interesting reaction,” Barry said. 

There was the time in high school when a referee, after seeing Barry shoot underhand, turned to him and asked in a mocking tone, “Who do you think you are, Rick Barry’s son?” There was the other time in high school when he missed a free-throw and opposing fans chanted that he was adopted. There’s a look he gets every time he joins a new team and steps up to the foul line for the first time.

“It’s the ‘What the fuck are you doing,’ look,” Barry said. “Which is why I get why people don’t want to try it. You have to be able to handle the criticism.” 

Barry, who will represent the United States in this summer’s FIBA 3-on-3 basketball tournament, didn’t start shooting his free-throws underhand until his junior year of high school. “And even with my background it still took four years to click.” He transferred from the College of Charleston to Florida before his senior year, and that season shot 88.3 percent from the line. 

“The science is proven,” said Barry, who has a masters in nuclear engineering. “The motion is more repeatable because the shoulders are the only joints that are moving. The ball lands softer on the rim, which leads to better bounces.

“The key,” he added, “is to bring the ball straight down between your legs, not to bring it back. And when you bring it up not to use your wrist but instead roll your hands together when you get around chest level so that your thumbs point down.”

It’s complicated, but he’s willing to offer his services. “IF YOU SHOOT LESS THAN 70% consider switching,” Barry recently wrote on Instagram. “Tag a bad free throw shooter who needs to switch.” He puts tutorials on YouTube. 

He doesn’t expect to receive many calls in the upcoming days, but he’s optimistic that, just maybe, his G League performance will help the cause. During one game he pump-faked a defender into the air, drawing a foul. 

“What the f— are you doing?” Barry heard the opposing coach shout at the player. “I told you he doesn’t miss foul shots.”

“Maybe people are noticing,” Barry said. 

—

Photos via Getty Images.

Yaron Weitzman is an NBA reporter and the author of Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Most Audacious Process in the History of Professional Sports. Follow him on Twitter, @YaronWeitzman. 

The post Canyon Barry Is Doing Things His Own Way In the G League appeared first on SLAM.

The Magic entered the G-League playoffs as the sixth seed with a record of 9-6, but with back-to-back wins over the Erie Bayhawks and Santa Cruz Warriors, the Magic found themselves in the finals.

Their opponent, the Blue Coats, entered the playoffs as the four seed with a record of 10-5. The Blue Coats had to beat the Austin Spurs, and the number one seeded Raptors 905 to make the championship game.

The Magic opened the game on an 8-0 run thanks to buckets from Robert Franks and Devin Cannady and never looked back, leading for the rest of the game. The Magic would eventually go on to win 97-78, with the game only ever coming within six points after the Magics’ initial 8-0 run.

Cannady—who went undrafted out of Princeton University in 2019—led the game in scoring with 22 points and chipped in six rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot. This effort earned Cannady the 2021 G-League Finals MVP.

The Magic also got solid contributions from Jon Teske and Tahjere McCall. Teske finished the game with 12 points, the second-highest total on the Magic, and McCall scored 11 off the bench and had a game-high three steals.

Antonio Campbell, Jeff Dowtin, D.J. Hogg and Robert Franks all finished with eight points each, and former Marquette man Andrew Rowsey finished with nine points.

Rayjon Tucker led the way for the Blue Coats, finishing with a team-high 20 points on 7-21 shooting. Philadelphia 76ers’ second-round pick Isaiah Joe wasn’t far behind, ending with 18 points on 5-13 from the field. Fellow second-round 76ers’ pick Paul Reed ended with a 13 point 11 rebound double-double.

This concludes the month-long G-League season, which started on February 10 and took place entirely within a bubble at ESPN’s World Wide Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida.

The post The Lakeland Magic Win The NBA G-League Championship appeared first on SLAM.

Grand Rapids’ previous affiliation was to the Detroit Pistons, where co-owner Ben Wallace played for nine seasons.

However, the Pistons purchased the Northern Arizona Suns from the Phoenix Suns last July, leaving the Drive open to new partnerships — including “a new team name and a logo.”

Located in Michigan, The Drive currently have no “imminent plans” to move to Colorado, per The Denver Post’s Mike Singer (subscription required).

With the G League becoming a more popular pipeline for top high school recruit and other NBA hopefuls, Denver’s ability to find a G League team to partner with bodes well for their prospect development.

In fact, the Nuggets entered the land of legitimate championship contenders following their run to the Western Conference Finals in 2020. As a result, having a development program of sorts for their young talent could make them a franchise comparable to the San Antonio Spurs when it comes to sustained dominance.

The post Nuggets Set to Add First Official G League Affiliate appeared first on SLAM.

To give more insight into what this journey has been like for NBA hopefuls, the League has partnered with Blue Cups Production and will be premiering Hoop Portraits, a documentary series that “provides intimate vignettes of hoopers during pivotal moments in their lives.”

Directed and produced by Taylor Sharp, as well as producer Holland Randolph Gallagher of Blue Cup Productions, the first episode, “Two Ways to the League” follows two North Carolina basketball standouts Ty-Shon Alexander and Josh Hall as they prepare for the 2020 NBA Draft.

The documentary also gives a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like for them to go through the extended pre-draft period, following them around for six weeks as they live together in Charlotte, train with former NBA player and Tarheel, Jeff McInnis, and try to make their dreams come true.

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“What attracted us to their story was the inherent tension that would remain present until the moment they received a call that would determine their professional fate. Hearing their name called on draft night was never guaranteed for these players, and that’s a story in sports that’s not as often told,” said Taylor Sharp, director of Hoop Portraits, via an official press release.

“This documentary will turn into something really valuable because they’re going to make it, they’re going to be big-time players in the NBA, so this will show people how they got there,” said McInnis.

Hall, a former Moravian Prep five-star recruit, was committed to NC State before he decided to forego college. He has signed a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, making him the first basketball player since Tracy McGrady in 1997 to go straight to the G League from a North Carolina high school.

Meanwhile, Alexander is a four-star recruit who suited up for Creighton University for three seasons before signing a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns. He’ll play for the Canton Charge this season.

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Many players who went undrafted have gone on to have successful careers in the League, from four-time Defensive Player of the Year and All-Star Ben Wallace to NBA Champion Fred VanVleet. As McInnis emphasizes, what matters most is how you prove yourself when you got onto the court.

“Your draft status doesn’t matter once the ball gets tipped. The opportunity in front of them is to play basketball in the NBA—no matter what the contract says, they got one. Now prove that you belong and that you’re there to stay,” adds McInnis.

A virtual premiere will be held via live stream on February 8th, which will host a screening of the film and a Q+A with Josh and Ty-Shon, a host from the NBA, and Sharp. The live stream can be accessed via NBA Twitch, G League YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch.

“The NBA G League is proud to play an important role in a player’s journey to the NBA,” said NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim. “The G League has long cultivated NBA talent, and we’re thrilled when we can help give players a platform to tell their stories along the way.”

The post ‘Hoop Portraits’: Follow Two Prospects As They Prepare For The 2020 NBA Draft appeared first on SLAM.

Initially a draft selection of the Philadelphia 76ers, Schofield was traded to the Washington Wizards and played 33 games with the club in his rookie season. However, despite being a well-built if undersized forward at 6’5″ Schofield averaged just 3.0 points and 1.4 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per game with the Wizards.

Schofield did average 16.0 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting .370 percent from the 3-point range with the G League’s Capital City Go-Go in 33 games.

These numbers, which are similar to his stats from his senior season with the Volunteers, are inspiring and give the 23-year-old Schofield a legitimate chance to make his way back to the NBA.

The G League will begin it’s 2020-21 season in February, playing at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista. Schofield’s Swarm are one of the 18 teams expected to opt into the impending season.

The post Admiral Schofield Selected 1st Overall In 2020-21 NBA G League Draft appeared first on SLAM.

18 teams, including 17 G League teams and the G League Ignite, will play in the G League bubble. The top eight teams will then advance to a single-elimination playoff.

Five-star high school recruits Jalen Green, Isaiah Todd and Jonathan Kuminga are among the players who will play for the Ignite — a developmental team that’s part of the G League’s program to develop elite prospects. Kai Scotto, a 7’2″ Filipino center who has been compared to Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, is also on the Ignite.

In the bubble, NBA veterans like Michael Beasley, Jeremy Lin and Lance Stephenson will be making comeback attempts. Meanwhile, LiAngelo Ball — the brother of lottery picks Lonzo and LaMelo Ball — has also signed a G League deal as he attempts to find an NBA home.

The G League teams that aren’t heading to Lake Buena Vista includes highly-respected clubs like the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Grand Rapids Drive and Maine Red Claws.

Capitanes, a Mexico City-based team from the top Mexican pro league, was scheduled to join the G League in 2020-21 for their inaugural season. Unfortunately, that plan has been delayed due to Capitanes opting not to send players to the bubble.

The post NBA G League Announces Plans to Start 2020-21 Season In February appeared first on SLAM.

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“Basketball is all I know,” Pryor, who averaged 7.5 points last season last season for the Utah Jazz’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, says over the phone. “I’m a professional basketball player,”

But not for the past nine months. It’s not that he’s given up on his NBA dream, or that he’s grown tired of the G League’s long bus rides and poor pay. The issue is that, right now, jobs for players like Pryor don’t exist.

“A lot of players are getting squeezed,” one veteran agent says.

The coronavirus has wreaked havoc on the professional basketball ecosystem, and no one in that world has felt the brunt more so than those players on the fringes of the NBA. The cancellation of Summer League robbed undrafted rookies and young free agents of a critical audition space. The uncertainty of the G League’s future (the plan as of this writing is to implement some sort of limited bubble, but with many NBA teams strapped for cash, some, reportedly, are uninterested in footing the bill for their G League squads) has thrust professionals like Pryor, who haven’t played a game since the league shut down in March, into a state of limbo. That many of these players were stretched financially even before the coronavirus arrived—last year’s average G League salary was $35,000—creates even more angst.

Going overseas would typically be an appealing option, but the virus has made doing so more difficult. Some international teams, agents say, weren’t interested in dealing with the quarantine periods that come with signing Americans, or the added expenses of finding them homes. Meanwhile, some players are hesitant to leave loved ones and others didn’t want to worry about adjusting to a new country amidst a raging pandemic.

“Our options are limited,” says Phil Booth, a guard who played last season for the Washington Wizards’ G League team.

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Pryor says that he speaks to his agent multiple times a day, seeking any sort of update. In the meantime, he keeps busy by staying ready, just in case the call comes. Wake up at 8, weights at 9, on-court work at 10. Finding an open gym was hard—until a good friend of his, an overseas guard named Rayshawn Simmons who happens to be close friends with Wizards All-Star Bradley Beal, offered Pryor the use of Beal’s half-court set-up, near Pryor’s Fairfax, VA, home.

It’s one of the many reasons Pryor says he’s lucky. Another is that his wife has a steady government job—meaning he doesn’t have to look for side gigs, like the teammate who recently began working at Chick-fil-A.

Still, the uncertainty of it all weighs on him. He and his wife married over the summer—they got their first place together, a one-bedroom apartment they were only able to afford because its price had been slashed—and would like to celebrate with a ceremony, so they’re saving up. They’ve talked about starting a family, too.

“Finances are a big concern,” Pryor says.

CJ Williams isn’t married, but he shares those worries. At 30, he’s older than most of his G League peers, so he thinks about the future in ways they don’t. He knows his career is winding down. “But I think a guy like me still has something to contribute,” he says. He’s played 53 NBA games, and traveled all over the country and world. Now he’s living in North Carolina, and thanks to a friendship with a local middle school coach he was able to secure time at a nearby gym. He spends most of his time training, but also calling his agent and scanning the latest NBA news. When he sees players like former All-Star Isaiah Thomas unsigned, he grows concerned.

“A team in the G League might take him over me,” Williams says. “Stuff like that is on my mind every day. It’s hard not to worry.”

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Undrafted players like Nate Pierre-Louis are facing different stresses. A 21-year-old guard out of Temple, Pierre-Louis declared for the draft early after graduating in three years. Had this been a normal year, he’d likely still be playing in college. Maybe he would have stayed at Temple, or perhaps he would have looked to transfer to another school. “But with the coronavirus everywhere, it didn’t seem like a good idea,” he said. Too much uncertainty, too many concerns.

Pierre-Louis knew it was unlikely he’d get drafted and that NBA scouts didn’t think he had the jump shot or handle to make the NBA. But he also thought his game would translate better at the pro level, no matter where that was, and that someone, somewhere, would give him a chance. He says money isn’t a problem, but he does worry about falling off the basketball map.

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“I just want an opportunity to prove myself,” he says. “I haven’t been seen for nine months. That’s literally two college off-seasons I’ve had to work and to get better. One thousand shots a day. Things like that.

“I’ve gotten better, but I haven’t gotten a chance to show it,” he adds. Even if he did, it’s unclear where a player like him would find a home. As one prominent NBA agent puts it, “If there is a G League bubble, I’m not sure how much emphasis from the teams there will be on developing young guys versus trying to find players to immediately add to the NBA roster.” He and others bring up Duncan Robinson—the Miami Heat sharpshooter who became a revelation after spending a season with the Heat’s G League unit—and say they’re dubious his story could be replicated under the current realities.

Recently, Pryor has taken the plunge and begun planning for life after basketball. He’s working on an apparel company. He wants to leverage his contacts across the sport and supply gear for athletes at schools that can’t afford Nikes or Jordans. He also wants his company to provide those schools with a curriculum “to help athletes find their identities on and off the court.” He has a logo already and is calling the company ID.

Pryor’s excited, but not ready to give up basketball yet. He believes in what he brings to a team. He’s heard the news about the bubble setting the G-League is hoping to set up in the winter and thinks there will always be a place for players willing to let others do the scoring, who want to pick up full court and don’t care about their individual stats, who care about winning the way he does. And if not?

“I heard Puerto Rico might be doing a league,” Pryor says. “I can check that out.”

The post What It’s Like to Be a G League Player During COVID appeared first on SLAM.

The NBA G League Ignite is a new team this season that many of these recruits are playing for. On Tuesday night, they lost their first scrimmage of the season 113-107 against a team that was comprised of G League veterans. 

Among these young stars was Jonathan Kuminga, who produced 26 points and 8 rebounds. Additionally, Jalen Green scored 22 points on 15 shots.

Both Kuminga and Green should be lottery picks in the 2021 NBA Draft. As the NBA continues to look at ways to incentivize players to go straight to the G League out of high school, the success of these new teams is crucial.  

The post G League Ignite Fall Short in First Scrimmage appeared first on SLAM.

The G League has also been making headway as an alternative for high school prospects — such as the highly-touted Jalen Green — who want to bypass college on their way to the NBA Draft. It’s been used for coaches and front office executives as a way to hone their craft.

Frankly, it would be a major blow to the league if the G League was unable to continue, especially with the league just scratching the surface of the possibilities their ‘minor league’ provides. Yet, that just may be the case.

According to the New York Post’s Marc Berman, there may not be a 2020-21 for the G League due to the Coronavirus crisis.

According to industry sources, there have been discussions of various scenarios for a G-League campaign, including not holding one at all and expanding NBA rosters instead.

One plan could feature having a handful of week-long G League showcases in a bubble setting to ensure young players stay active. If a more normalized G League season is attempted, sources said it would have to be with a regionalized schedule to reduce travel.

Whether it’s regional bubbles, a set number of G League showcases within a bubble, or further expansion to NBA rosters to incorporate what would have been G League players, all are plausible options for the league looking forward.

In fact, they’re likely to be more appealing scenarios than cancelling the 2020-21 G League season altogether (although the concerns about travel and the G League’s budget are legitimate).

Despite the shadow of doubt that’s been cast over the NBA’s immediate future, one has to hope that they find a way to preserve as much normalcy as possible while they maneuver around pandemic-related restrictions.

The post The NBA G League May Not Have a 2020-21 Season appeared first on SLAM.

Miller will assume the primary gig in the team’s front office after she was hired as assistant general manager last summer. Prior to that she was a manager of basketball operations with the franchise, dating back to the organization’s time in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Miller’s Skyhawks went 20-23 before the G League was abruptly cancelled due to the coronavirus. The roster featured multiple NBA talents, including the team’s two-way players Brandon Goodwin and Charlie Brown Jr., as well as veterans like R.J. Hunter and Tyrone Wallace.

Outgoing general manager, Derek Pierce, will remain with the organization in a scouting capacity.

The post Tori Miller Makes G League History as First Female GM appeared first on SLAM.

Sotto, 18, will join five-star 2020 prospects Jalen Green—who is of Filipino origin—Isaiah Todd and Daishen Nix on the new G League “Select Team.” All of those players will reportedly earn six-figure salaries.

Sotto spent this past season training at The Skill Factory in Atlanta.

The post Four-Star Prospect Kai Sotto Commits To G League Pro Path Program appeared first on SLAM.

Wall, 29, continues to recover from a ruptured Achilles tendon injury he suffered 14 months ago, but looks good back on the floor.

The five-time All-Star was routinely abusing G Leaguers with his trademark explosiveness.

Per The Athletic:

[Wall] threw down a lefty slam glorious enough that its release today should quench any fans’ thirst for the sports world’s first new highlight in weeks.

“I tried to catch up with him and jump with him, which was a bad mistake because he put it on my head. It was bad,” [Garrison] Mathews said between chuckles. “I heard it from everybody in the gym.”

[Go-Go coach Ryan] Richman believes the Go-Go’s final practice of the year, the one when he robbed Mathews of a little piece of his dignity, “was the best I’ve seen him (play).”

“He looks slim. He looks really good,” Richman said. “If we didn’t take him out, he’d just go the whole time.”

Related Wizards: John Wall Not Returning This Season

The post Rehabbing John Wall Was ‘Playing the Way He Was Playing Before the Injuries’ appeared first on SLAM.

LiAngelo Ball is expected to sign a G League offer soon, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports. The 21-year-old’s varied basketball career has been well documented but it hasn’t included a stint in the NBA or G League to this point.

Ball has been practicing with the Oklahoma City Blue, the affiliate program of the Thunder. If he signs a G League deal, he’d remain eligible to eventually join an NBA squad but the Thunder or any other big league squad wouldn’t hold any formal rights to him.

Ball is the middle brother between Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball and lottery prospect LaMelo Ball. He played college basketball at UCLA and professionally in Lithuania.

Ball worked out with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 and has practiced with the Oklahoma City Blue since December of 2019.

The post LiAngelo Ball Expected to Sign G League Deal appeared first on SLAM.

According to Jabari Young of NBC Sports, Simmons had multiple 10-day offers on the table but opted to join the Santa Cruz Warriors instead. There it’s likely he’ll get more repetitions and more of an opportunity to show that he’s capable of hanging in the big league. He hasn’t played at all in 2019-20.

If Simmons gets back into the league, it wouldn’t be the first time he beat the odds to do it. Simmons’ initially landed in the G League after winning a spot in an open tryout.

From there he went on to serve as a rotation piece with the San Antonio Spurs for two years, ultimately parlaying that into a two-year pact with the Orlando Magic. He was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in the Markelle Fultz deal last February and logged time with the Sixers in the postseason.

Simmons averaged 13.9 points per game for the Magic during the 2017-18 campaign. While it’s unlikely he’d shoulder that much of a scoring load for any team interested in picking him up this late in the season, he’s a scrappy perimeter defender whose value could be on display in a playoff series.

The post Jonathon Simmons To Sign With G League Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

Memphis acquired Jackson from the Suns as part of the Kyle Korver deal this past offseason. Phoenix added several young wings since drafting Jackson back in the 2017 draft, so the team was comfortable moving on from the former Kansas Jayhawk.

Jackson’s time in Phoenix was uninspiring, as he shot just .415 from the field during his two seasons in the Pacific Division. Now in Memphis, he’ll have an opportunity to address his shooting woes and turn his career around. The 6’8″ forward is only 22-years-old.

The post Josh Jackson To Start Season With Memphis Hustle appeared first on SLAM.

Jonathon Simmons is arguably the greatest success story to come out of G League tryouts. The former Spur paid the $150 entry fee to attend the Austin Spurs’ workout in 2013 and found his way onto the NBA roster just a few seasons later.

Not every session has a future NBA baller, but many past workouts have had future successful G Leaguers and every workout has a collection of passionate players looking to fulfill a dream of playing the NBA. The Capital City Go-Go’s recent open tryout was no exception. Roughly 100 G League hopefuls showed up to the Entertainment and Sports Arena this past weekend with an eye on making the Wizards’ affiliate’s roster.

The participants included a 34-year-old AAU coach, who appeared in 15 games for the G League’s Erie Bayhawks a decade ago; a former second-team All-Ivy League baller; the Peach Sun Belt Conference’s all-time leading scorer; a bevy of former NCAA athletes ranging from Division I to Division III; a pair of seven-footers and a handful of men who couldn’t pass for near 6-foot on Tinder.

One former NCAA athlete, who previously worked out for the Clippers’ G League affiliate, took a redeye from Los Angeles to D.C. with a two-hour layover in Denver only to arrive at his hotel three hours before the start of the competition. One prospect said he quit his day-time job months ago to focus on training for the event. One fellow media member said he recognized a few guys from L.A. Fitness. A pair of local college students who didn’t make the team declined to split an uber with me across D.C. afterward because their mother was on her way to pick them up. It seemed like nearly every prospect had a unique path that brought them to Southeast D.C.

When participants first arrived, they were put into teams of five and remained with those squads for three scrimmages over the roughly four-hour session. The Go-Go staff gave each team a few “basic” plays to see which players could “take instruction and implement it on the court,” General Manager Pop Mensah-Bonsu told a small group of media members, including SLAM Newswire.

“We did that just to have some structure on the court,” Mensah-Bonsu said. “It’s not just like they’re out there playing pickup. We gave them a few plays to see how that worked and it looked pretty good.”

Scouts and coaches look for players willing to play a role. Scoring on every play during the tryouts won’t necessarily put a player in a good light; G League teams are not going to run their offense through someone walking in off the street. Excelling at a skill while playing off the ball is more likely to get a prospect further than simply getting buckets.

The first cut at the Go-Go tryout came after the morning session, which was open to the public for anyone who paid $200 to attend. While there was a talent disparity among the approximately 100 participants at the Entertainment and Sports Arena, Capital City was pleased with the turnout and level of play.

“We only anticipated picking five or six but we felt compelled to add a few more guys to give them a second look, so this one was pretty good in that regard,” Mensah-Bonsu said.

Make it past the first cut and get ready for an afternoon with prospects that were invited to the training facility. Over a dozen players did just that, competing with invited prospects (and their fresh legs) during the afternoon. First-year head coach Ryan Richman said the team may look to add three or four players from the second session to the Go-Go’s roster, though there was no timeline for making that call. The Wizards have an open two-way roster spot and while it’s unlikely, the spot could go to a player who participated in the tryouts.

Mensah-Bonsu, who played for five different NBA franchises from 2006-2011, empathizes with those who did not make it past the first session. The George Washington product has been cut from NBA clubs as well as organizations abroad, telling SLAM Newswire and other media members in attendance that on one occasion, his pink slip came five minutes before his contract was guaranteed.

His memories of being released stick with him as he shapes his approach for leading the Go-Go organization. “There is a way you can do business with honesty and integrity,” said Mensah-Bonsu, who had to deliver the message of being cut to over 80 participants this past weekend.

For many players, a G League tryout may be the last opportunity to showcase skills and work toward playing in the NBA and it may force some to shift their goals to a different career. For those who remain intent on playing in the league, next offseason will provide another opportunity to chase a dream.

The post NBA G League Open Tryouts: An Inside Look appeared first on SLAM.

According to the L.A. Sentinel‘s Lauren A. Jones, the Los Angeles Lakers are signing the 33-year-old to a 10-day contract on Monday.

Ingram dropped 19 points in his NBA debut against the Rockets last season. In January, he become the G League’s all-time leader for games played.

The post Lakers Sign 33-Year-Old Andre Ingram To 10-Day Contract appeared first on SLAM.

Abdur-Rahim will oversee all of the G League’s business and basketball operations, its professional path program, testing of experimental rules and expansion efforts.

Abdur-Rahim, 42, worked with the Sacramento Kings as an assistant general manager and assistant coach for five years. He was also the general manager for the Reno Bighorns (now Stockton Kings) during the 2013-14 season.

The former third overall pick in the 1996 Draft averaged 18.1 points per game throughout his 12-year career.

The post Shareef Abdur-Rahim Named G League President appeared first on SLAM.

Story on ESPN: The NBA has hired Rod Strickland to manage the professional path program that'll pay $125K to elite high school prospects to join G League. https://t.co/aJ0I3yOA7t

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 20, 2018

Strickland’s duties will be to evaluate elite prospects and educate and mentor them on the program that offers HS prospects an option to skip college and accept the G League’s five-month, $125,000 salary.

Former WNBA player Allison Feaster, who will oversee a group of prospects that are eligible for the pro path initiative, will work closely with Strickland.

Via ESPN:

Every graduating high school player is already allowed to make himself eligible for the G League draft, but those non-elite prospects would still come into the minor league on a lower, traditional salary – if they made a roster.

“First and foremost, we want to make it clear that they won’t be searching out any player already committed to school,” Feaster told ESPN. “We will focus on players who are undecided. As Rod moves into the market, he’ll have interactions with organizations and potential parents. Initially, it’ll be those who reach out to us and want more information on the professional path.”

Strickland, 52, played over 17 years in the NBA and averaged 13.2 points during his career.

The post NBA Hires Rod Strickland for G League Professional Path Program appeared first on SLAM.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the New Orleans Pelicans will have an affiliate in Birmingham, AL. The team will play in Erie, PA next season before renovations for an arena in Birmingham are complete.

New Orleans is launching a G League affiliate in Birmingham, Ala., league sources tell ESPN. Team will start play in Erie, Pa. next season until renovations are complete on arena in Birmingham.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 23, 2018

The G League was established in 2001 and currently has 27 total teams. It tips off on November 2nd.

The Pels are off to a hot start this season, winning their first two games by double digits. They retake the court Tuesday night at 8pm ET against the Clippers.

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Bazley, 18, originally decided to forgo an athletic scholarship to Syracuse to play in the G League.

But now, Bazley says he will instead focus on improving his game on his own.

“[…] There’s no upside in the G League. If you play well, it’s expected. If you don’t play well, you’re not NBA-ready. That’s what they’ll say. For me, working out and preparing is the best route.

“The G League is the only league where winning might not be everything. Development is the most important aspect, but guys are playing for the team and at the same time trying to play for themselves. That’s not the type of guy I am.

“For me in those settings to just get mine, I’ve never been brought up that way. I feel basketball is a team sport and everybody is supposed to eat. In the G League, that’s not the way it is. Everyone is trying to get an opportunity to go to the NBA.”

Why and how first top high-schooler-to-G League prospect, Darius Bazley, is now focusing on individual workouts and preparation this season ahead of NBA draft. Video Essay on @WatchStadium: pic.twitter.com/hBidAwlhTr

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 27, 2018

RELATED:
Darius Bazley Is Riding His Own

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The Skyforce have been in business since 1989, eluding the graveyard that is minor league basketball, and Heineman has sat shotgun for nearly the entire trip. He remembers the days, pre-sports drink sponsors and NBA-team partnerships, when Skyforce players and staff would celebrate the delivery of a box stuffed with free Pony shoes. And so, looking at the three pictures he held in his hand that day, Heineman couldn’t help but smile.

Each photo was of a Skyforce team. One from 1996 featured 12 players and three coaches. Another, from 2006, the Skyforce’s first year in the D-League, also had three coaches bracketing the team’s 10 players.

Then he looked at the most recent photo, of the Skyforce team that the previous year had captured its first ever D-League title. Heineman counted 11 staff members posing alongside 10 players.

“I’ve been around a long time and seen a lot,” Heineman says today (the team partnered with the Miami Heat in 2013). “To see where we’ve come to, it’s quite remarkable.”

Once viewed as a basketball purgatory, the G League has in recent years morphed into a springboard towards greater basketball heights.

You can find examples all across the League. Trey Burke, the former lottery pick who, in September, turned down a contract with the Thunder so that he could play with the Knicks’ G League affiliate, and then balled out when called up. Quinn Cook, who, after proving himself on the Warriors’ G League team in Santa Cruz, just won an NBA championship with the Dubs. Former lottery pick Brandon Jennings, now 28 years old, spent a season in China before leveraging an audition with the G League’s Wisconsin Herd into a multi-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. And then there’s the Toronto Raptors, whose franchise-record 59-win season was partially built on the backs of an explosive bench consisting of graduates from their G League team, the Raptors 905.

“I think our second unit is a testament to the work we do with the 905,” says Dan Tolzman, a Raptors executive who also serves as 905 GM.

According to data provided by the NBA, 53 percent of players on NBA rosters at the end of the 2018 season spent time in the G League. Every NBA team this year had at least six one-time G League players on their roster.

“If you’re a player trying to get into, or back into, the NBA, the G League is now your best option,” Craig Robinson, the Knicks’ vice president of player development and G League operations, says.

For years this had been the plan. But reaching this level of legitimacy took some time.

“When I played, when a scout or someone from the NBA came to your game, you noticed it,” says Kasib Powell, a 37-year-old assistant coach for the Skyforce and former D-League MVP. “We used to feel so much pressure whenever an NBA scout came. Now our guys assume the NBA is watching.”

The G League’s been gradually growing since its inception in 2001. But this injection of resources is a recent development, one tied to NBA franchises recognizing the myriad ways in which adopting a minor league team could benefit them on the NBA stage.

The first NBA franchise to purchase a G League team was the Los Angeles Lakers in 2006. Before that, most either ignored minor league development or outsourced the work.

Today, all but three of the NBA’s 30 franchises own and operate their own G League affiliate (the Nuggets, Pelicans and Trail Blazers are the lone holdouts). But, in an e-mail, G League commissioner Malcolm Turner wrote that he expects those three franchises to join the fray “within the next 12-to-18 months.”

Turner also pointed out that the NBA doesn’t solely view the G League as a breeding ground for players. As Robinson puts it: “We see our mission at the Westchester Knicks to develop players for the New York Knicks, but also employees, from coaches to scouts to administrators.” Scour the directories of G League teams and you’ll recognize the names of dozens of former players.

Of course, there are still areas where the league can grow. Player salaries is one, though the NBA, which pays all G League salaries, is taking steps towards addressing that issue.

In April, it was announced that G League salaries would be bumped up to $35,000 over the five-month season (plus housing and insurance benefits). Previously, salaries were either $26,000 or $19,000. This comes just one year after the league instituted the two-way contract—a hybrid deal where players split time between the NBA and G League—all of which will now allow G League players to earn up to $385,000 a year.

But perhaps the greatest testament to the G League’s rising prominence was the decision of Darius Bazley, a five-star recruit out of Ohio, to renege on his commitment to Syracuse so that next year he could play in the G League instead.

That, Turner says, is a move he expects to see replicated.

“The competition in the G league is tough,” he says. “The coaching is NBA-caliber and the exposure to life as a professional athlete is valuable.”

—

Yaron Weitzman is a writer living in New York. Follow him on Twitter @YaronWeitzman.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post From Basketball Purgatory to NBA Springboard: The Evolution of the G League ⬆️ appeared first on SLAM.

The Toronto Raptors interviewed Jerry Stackhouse, head coach of G League affiliate Raptors 905, last week in Chicago for the team's head coach opening, league sources tell Yahoo.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 21, 2018

Stackhouse was an assistant coach for the Raptors in 2015 and has led Raptors 905 to back-to-back G-Leauge Finals appearances, winning once in 2017. He was awarded the 2017 G-League Coach of the Year after finishing the regular season 39-11 and downing the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the Finals.

Stackhouse is no stranger to the NBA — he scored 16,409 points with eight NBA teams over his 19-year playing career.

The post Report: Raptors Interviewed Jerry Stackhouse 👀 appeared first on SLAM.

It paid off. On April 10, Cook signed a guaranteed, multi-year deal with the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

Starting for the injured Stephen Curry, Cook has proved that he belongs in the NBA. This time, he’ll be there for good.

RELATED:
Quinn Cook To Sign Multiyear Deal With Warriors

The post Quinn Cook’s Journey To the Warriors Captured In Mini-Documentary appeared first on SLAM.

Two-way players will earn $77,250 in the G League, or as much as $385,000 in the NBA next season.

The #NBAGLeague has announced player salaries for the 2018-19 season: https://t.co/UtnQi0NZQB pic.twitter.com/cUKGWGPrcv

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) April 17, 2018

RELATED:
Five-Star Recruit Darius Bazley To Enter G League Draft

The post NBA Raising G League Base Salary From $26,000 to $35,000 appeared first on SLAM.

Cook, who led the Santa Cruz Warriors with 25.3 points per game shot 52.4 percent from the field, 43.7 percent from 3 and 95.0 percent from the free throw line in 29 games in the G-League this year.

Injuries to Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry resulted in Cook being called up to Santa Cruz’s NBA affiliate where he’s averaged 8.8 points per game on 48.7/42.5/89.5 shooting splits in 28 contests.

The NBA’s 50/40/90 club is an exclusive one with only Curry, Kevin Durant, Mark Price, Reggie Miller, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Larry Bird having made the cut since the addition of the 3-point line in 1979.

The post Quinn Cook Becomes First G-League Player to Shoot 50/40/90 in a Season appeared first on SLAM.

In a story by Yahoo’s Shams Charania, the 17-year-old forward said the G League “will have the most to offer” for his development.

Yahoo Sports story: McDonald’s All-American Darius Bazley decommits at Syracuse, becomes first top high school prospect to choose turning professional in the NBA G League. https://t.co/aM7VW2GF9M

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 29, 2018

“The G League will have the most to offer, considering that is the development league for the NBA. I will get more out of that than going overseas. The G League is the closest thing to the NBA.

“I see most guys now are spending time in the G League even after they went to school and the draft, so this gives me the chance to accelerate the process.

“There have been a lot of successful guys who have been brought up in the G League, and I’m confident that I will be one of them.”

The post Five-Star Recruit Darius Bazley To Enter G League Draft appeared first on SLAM.

According to the Associated Press, Cohle observed some “cardiac abnormalities” and “is working to determine the exact type of heart disease.”

Upshaw, who was in his second season with the Grand Rapids Drive, tumbled to the floor with about 50 seconds remaining in a game against the Long Island Nets on Saturday. He was taken to Spectrum Health and passed away on Monday at the age of 26.

RELATED
Zeke Upshaw Dies After Collapsing During G League Game

The post Autopsy Determines Zeke Upshaw Suffered A “Sudden Cardiac Death” appeared first on SLAM.

The Wisconsin Herd of the @nbagleague have claimed former Bucks draftee Brandon Jennings, according to league sources

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 13, 2018

Earlier today @AdamJ_NBAGL reported that Brandon Jennings had signed with the @nbagleague and entered its player pool. Wisconsin sat No. 1 in the waiver order

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 13, 2018

Jennings most recently played for the Shanxi Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association. The 28-year-old guard spent time with the Knicks and Wizards in 2016-17 and has career numbers of 14.3 points and 5.7 assists.

RELATED
Brandon Jennings Agrees to 1-Year, $1.5 Million Deal in China

The post Report: Brandon Jennings Joins G League Team appeared first on SLAM.

The new Nike NBA G League uniforms were created with special attention to enabling agility and range of motion while also paying tribute to the NBA parent teams.

 

The most significant design advancements are to the scapula line of the jerseys where Nike designers altered the construction for a vastly improved fit. Additionally, the hemlines on the bottom of the shorts were modified to allow for greater range of motion.

 

Visible updates to the uniforms also include:

 

The addition of the NBA G League logo on the left chest and back neckline of the jerseys as well as the right hip of the shorts.

 

Team-colored neck trim and side inserts that highlight the unique identities of each NBA G League team.

 

To further the connection between NBA teams and their NBA G League affiliates, Nike incorporated the following elements:

 

Player name and number fonts from the NBA parent teams, with the shorts also featuring the NBA team’s logo on the left side of the shorts – opposite the NBA G League team logo positioned on the right short insert.

The uniforms go on sale in November at NBAGLeagueStore.com for $70.

Video courtesy of NBA

The post G-League Unveils Official Nike Uniforms for Upcoming Season appeared first on SLAM.

Video courtesy of G-League

The post Jerry Stackhouse Stars in New G-League Commercial appeared first on SLAM.

The game-worn, autographed jerseys will later be available to fans in an auction, which will benefit March of Dimes. The first 2,000 fans will receive a Nickelodeon Night commemorative poster featuring the Power Rangers, will enjoy thematic in-arena music and trivia throughout the evening and have a chance to kick it with the Pink Power Ranger, who’ll be at the game in full costume.

Tickets for the game start at $14 and are currently on sale.

Images courtesy of Darren Rovell and 87ers

The post Delaware 87ers Wearing Power Rangers Uniforms Tomorrow appeared first on SLAM.

The former Duke star and reigning D-League Rookie of the Year dropped 18 points (on 7-10 shooting) with 12 assists.

Last year's Rookie of the Year is this year's #DLeagueAllStar MVP! Congrats to @QCook323! pic.twitter.com/EghBJDLNzp

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) February 18, 2017

RELATED:
WATCH: Quinn Cook’s Crossover Puts a Kid on Skates

The post WATCH: Quinn Cook Wins D-League All-Star Game MVP appeared first on SLAM.

The former IU star scored a perfect 50 on his semifinal dunk to advance to the final where he faced John Jordan of Raptors 905.

.@troywilliams_ lives above the rim!

Congrats to the @iowaenergy star on winning the 2017 #DLeagueDunk competition.#DLeagueAllStar pic.twitter.com/KKpra2ezUJ

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) February 18, 2017

The entire contest featured plenty of insane arial artistry.

If you thought Williams’ work was nice, you’ll want to check out the best throwdowns from the field that included Jordan, Derek Cooke Jr, Alfonzo McKinnie and Trahson Burrell.

The post WATCH: Troy Williams Wins 2017 D-League Dunk Contest appeared first on SLAM.

Jerry Stackhouse sits behind the scorer’s table in a gym in Mississauga, Ontario, reflecting on how he got here. From his seat, he watches CJ Leslie, a forward with the Toronto Raptors D-League affiliate, Raptors 905, shoot jumpers from the left elbow. Practice ended 15 minutes ago and Leslie is one of the last players still out on the court. Now it’s the extra work, the shots that fall outside the scope of the cameras and headlines and social media. Now it’s the grind.

“I just kind of transitioned toward it,” Stackhouse says, shifting forward in his chair. “If you’d asked me in the first 10 years of my career, did I see myself being a coach afterward? I mean, nah. Probably, at the time, I would have had the mindset of a player. I would have thought I was going to play forever.”

In 1995, in a draft held in Toronto, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Stackhouse third overall out of the University of North Carolina. Expectations swelled. He came from the same school, was the same size, played the same position, as Michael Jordan. He was the next great hope, a high-scoring, high-flying phenom. Stackhouse joined a team that lost its star—Charles Barkley demanded a trade after eight seasons in Philly—and as a rookie, he led the Sixers in scoring, averaging nearly 20 points a game. He scored most of those points in the same way: soaring to the basket like he was trying to get up and out of the gym, above the noise, beyond the hype and expectations and demands that can sink a young player.

In the end, Stackhouse would play for eight teams over 18 seasons. His game, and what was asked of him, evolved at each stop, from aerial assaults to dependable jumpers and veteran leadership. But the hustle was always there, and so was the chip on his shoulder. Stackhouse waited his turn and constantly modified his game, but always played with an edge. It worked. He became a two-time All-Star, reached the Finals and, in 2001, he would have led the League in scoring if it weren’t for the brilliance of Allen Iverson, whom Stackhouse used to wake up for practice during their brief run together in Philadelphia.

Stackhouse saw it all, from being the star and calling the shots, to redefining his game just to get on the court. He became a mentor, drawing from his playing experience and what he learned from a long line of legendary coaches—Dean Smith, Doug Collins, Rick Carlisle. When he played in Dallas for Avery Johnson, who logged 16 seasons in the League, that’s when he began to consider coaching for himself. It wasn’t a sudden realization, there was no prophetic moment, but over time he got there and now that he’s made the leap, he’s sure of it.

“You get a real gratification out of seeing guys get better,” Stack says. “Watching them break down processes and bad habits, and building new, good basketball habits. That’s the beautiful thing about it for me, just seeing them get it. Seeing that light bulb flash on.”

The sound of a ball hitting hardwood fills the gym now, the brief rhythm of a dribble before Leslie launches another shot skyward. Stackhouse’s eyes follow the arc of the ball. It’s been a little more than three years since he last played, but as the leather falls through the mesh, he finishes the thought.

“I feel like this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”

In the winter, it can be difficult to read the banners that billow outside Mississauga’s Hershey Centre, the arena the 905 call home. Some days, snow can cake onto the fabric, rendering everything white, or blizzards can roar and blind, or the wind can reduce anything pliable to an unreadable writhe. But on calm days, the words are clear: The Road To The Six Starts Here.

In the D-League, the goal is impermanence. Players, trainers, coaches, referees. Everyone is trying to move up, trying to move on. The line between the NBA and the D-League is both impossibly thin and endlessly vast. And beyond the requisite talent, it often takes the right timing, opportunity, and a little bit of luck to bridge that gap. Not everyone will reach the next level. Not everyone gets this close, either.

In the basement coaches’ office, there’s a Dean Smith quote painted along the top of the wall of white brick with exposed pipes: “A leader’s job is to develop committed followers.” Just below that are the whiteboards, the gathering space for Stackhouse and his staff, where he stands or sits, in silence or with music blasting, and figures out his next move, like a mathematician working through an equation. This is where he plies his craft now.

The setting isn’t new, but the role has changed. That’s one of Stackhouse’s strengths. Whatever the situation, he’s seen it before. He knows how to relate, the demands of the job, the mental and physical grind. That’s important in the D-League, where nothing is guaranteed and everything happens quickly. Stackhouse is unaffected by the uncertainty. He’s lived through it, found success in it.

At practice, he’s animated, bouncing on his toes, pacing the sidelines, a whiteboard grasped in one hand, a basketball tucked under his other arm. He shouts instructions, demonstrates what he wants to see. Sometimes, during scrimmages, he leans back when a play unfolds and draws in a deep breath that fills his chest, then he holds it until the play is over, like he’s trying to slow down the moment. He’s invested in this, that much is clear.

“Not everyone figures it out early,” he says. “I never figured it out early. There are guys here that have been overlooked, I’ve been there. I know there are guys on NBA teams that are no better than the guys I’ve got on this team, 1 through 15. They would be on somebody’s team right now but for whatever reason, it didn’t happen.”

That could change at any minute. Last season 32 players were called up. There’s no telling when that window will open, or how long it will be until it inevitably closes. That’s why “stay ready” is a message Stackhouse preaches. He brings up Leslie. “For whatever reason, he’s got all the talent, all the tools, he just hasn’t been able to put it together,” Stack says. “Now he’s one of the last guys to leave the gym. What does that translate to production-wise? He’s probably been our best player.”

Stackhouse is a demanding coach, he says, but balanced. He knows not to push too hard without first building relationships, until it’s understood that everyone is in this together. Time helps with that, but so do extracurricular activities. Stackhouse organizes team outings, bowling, cards, movies. In November he hosted Thanksgiving at his house. Over the smoke of the barbecue, he talked basketball, but beyond basketball, too. “I know how important that is,” he says. “We do things to keep the vibe light, but whenever we’re between lines and we need to get better they know I’m serious and they know I demand a lot.”

And if he doesn’t like what he sees, he doesn’t hesitate to get back on the court. Stackhouse—who once soared for a reverse dunk with so much power and grace that on the replay, Dick Vitale frantically bellowed “Look at this, America!” like a historic moment was unfolding—well, he still has some life in those legs.

“It’s still in me man. I hope I never lose that.”

And the trash talk? That’s still there, too.

“I tell ’em, they won’t see nobody in the D-League like me,” he laughs. “They hate that.”

The next day, the 905 play a game at the Air Canada Centre, the Raptors’ home, and one of two games they will play in the NBA arena this season. An hour before tip-off, Stackhouse speaks with reporters in a media scrum in the basement. Behind him, playing on a large TV screen, is a montage of his career. He watches it for a moment and then laughs. “Where’d they find that?” he says. “That microfilm or something?”

He’s loose, but the same can’t be said for his players. It’s early in the morning, just after 10, but it feels like any other primetime game. There are more than 15,000 people in the stands, the largest single-game attendance in D-League history, and when the players come off the court, in that brief moment after warm-ups and before tip off, they snake through the tunnel and the cameras and lights follow them, and in that instant they are as close to the dream as they can be. That’s a nerve-racking thing.

Nerves are temporary, though, and in the second quarter, there’s a play that stands out. Leslie fakes a jumper from outside the elbow, then takes two spring-coiled steps, cradles the ball like a running back and launches himself into the air. On the sideline, Stackhouse watches with his arms pinned to his sides, his chin lifted, eyes wide. For a moment Leslie hangs there and everything seems to stop, but when he flushes the ball through and then swings forward on the rim, his momentum carrying him, everything roars back into focus.

Soon after, Stackhouse calls a timeout. He high-fives his players as they stream into the huddle and then grabs his whiteboard and takes a seat. His team surrounding him, he draws up a play, waving his hands, shouting, trying to overcome the noise. He tells the players where he wants them to be and then, as they lean in closer to hear this next part, he shows them how to get there.

Photos via Getty Images

The post Passion Project appeared first on SLAM.

Bynum’s professional journey has taken him to places that were unfathomable to him as a youth. Now 34, with eight years of NBA experience and all the necessary attributes needed from a reliable floor general, he’s showcasing his value each time he takes the floor for the Chicago Bulls’ D-League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls.

There were opportunities for Bynum to head overseas once again and earn a substantial payday. It would have been easy to take the money, but the Chicago native’s decision to go the D-League route was made in part to remain close to his family and to attempt to fulfill his desire to finish his career in the NBA. From the moment, he put on his uniform, he stepped right into a leadership role and easily became one of the team’s most dynamic playmakers.

As he flashed in the annual D-League showcase in January –where he dropped 43 points on 13-20 shooting, including 4-7 from 3 – there’s still lots of game left in his 6-0, 185 pound frame. While remaining hopeful for a call up from a team that could use his services, Bynum has kept his focus by looking at the positive of his situation, in being blessed to still play the game that’s given him so much at a high level.

We caught up with Bynum to discuss how he’s approached his second go-around in the D-League, 11 years after winning the D-League Rookie of the Year. We also talked about the frustration of watching NBA teams that could benefit from his services, how he’s staying prepared and just what life will be like after he calls it a career.

—

SLAM: You could’ve gone overseas and made some good money, but you choose the D-League route. What was your reason for choosing that path?

WB: My main focus was to get back in the NBA and finish my career there. That was my focus. I’m still really good. I feel like I could help a team right away, when it comes to my experience, helping to tutor the young guys and just being ready to play at anytime. I see a lot of what I’m good at is needed for a lot of teams right now.

SLAM: When you see teams now in need of the things you offer, is it at all frustrating that you haven’t gotten a call because of the experience you have and what you’ve proven?

WB: You know, sometimes it is [frustrating] from a competitive standpoint and knowing that you’re really good and can help teams. You just have to continue to have faith, keep working and hopefully the chips will fall where they may. Things that I can’t control, I try not to harp on or think too much into. I just try to focus on things that I can control and that’s myself, my work habits, the things I do on a daily basis to improve and trying to stay prepared.

SLAM: You’ve always been a guy of strong faith and you’re still a guy that a lot of former and current players seek out for advice. With how frustrating this process can be, is there a person that you turn to to keep you motivated?

WB: It’s not a particular person, but it’s my upbringing. Me being from Chicago and me seeing the things that are going on now in the community. That’s motivation enough to do things the right way. It’s so easy for a lot of kids, especially now, to do the wrong things, that it makes it difficult to be that different person. I’m living proof that you can be different, have a different outlook on life and be successful and still get things done.

SLAM: Even though you’re not playing at the level you want to right now, has it been good to be playing back at home?

WB: It’s been great, but I’ve played all over. I’ve played in China, Israel and pretty much everywhere. As long as the rim is 10 feet, that’s fine with me. It doesn’t matter where I am.

SLAM: There’s this misconception amongst a lot of people that the D-League is lesser competition, but with guys fighting for a shot every night to be noticed, you could argue that there is a heightened level of competition. You’ve been through the D-League before, but now being more mature, is there any part of this experience that has been different for you?

WB: Nothing has been surprising. It’s a tough situation, though. In the D-League, teams send their guys down and it’s for them to develop. You have guys who are around all year [on the roster] and they really have no control over their opportunities when a guy gets sent down and needs to play that night. It’s just different playing the game that way. Normally, it’s like you’re all in and you’re trying to win, no matter what the scenario or the situation is. In the D-League, depending on the team, it’s more so about the development and not necessarily the wins. In that aspect, it’s different. To play the game that way, when you’re conditioned to doing things a certain way can be difficult sometimes.

SLAM: The Bulls have sent a lot of their younger players down to practice and get playing time. Have you had a chance to pull a guy like Jerian Grant or Denzel Valentine to the side and give them some of your knowledge on staying prepared?

WB: Most of the Chicago guys have either came down just for practice or the games, so I haven’t really ever gotten a chance to spend much time with them because they’re not traveling with us. The guy I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time with and have gotten to know is Tim Quarterman from the Portland Trail Blazers. I’ve talked with him about the ins and outs of the League, having a consistent routine and just never getting too high or too low. That’s what it’s about. It’s about staying prepared and not taking anything that happens in this league too personal. What I do mean by that is what you do take personal is your improvement. Don’t have an emotional response to anything, but have more of a business approach and a professional approach to develop your game and get better.

SLAM: I always say there’s guys that like the game, love the game and live the game. In knowing you and how competitive you are, you’re obviously a guy that lives this. With knowing you can still compete on the NBA level, is watching games now anymore difficult than in years past?

WB: Not at all. The way that I watch a game is different. I’m looking at tendencies, footwork, play calls and sets. I don’t really look at the game from a fans standpoint. I look at it from a technical standpoint. I’m looking at what sets a team is running, what type of tendencies certain guards have and that’s because I’m looking at them as competition, or I could learn something from them. I do see a lot of teams that need experience and a spark off the bench, though.

SLAM: When that opportunity comes, is there a preferred situation for you?

WB: It doesn’t matter because I’m able to adjust. I’ve been in so many different situations and I’m able to adjust pretty easily because of the way I play. I’m going to come in and change the pace of the game, pick up full-court, talk to guys on offense and defense, be aggressive in the pick and roll and make plays. So my game is pretty simple and the NBA game is pretty much all pick and roll now. That’s pretty simple for me and I feel I could fit with any team and be a spark.

SLAM: What’s your typical schedule now, as opposed to how it was when you were in the league?

WB: Say if we had a game on a Friday and we’ve been in Chicago the entire week; Monday, we will practice in the morning and then at night, I’ll work out again on my on at UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago.) I’m doing two separate workouts a day. The team stuff, I don’t really count that as a workout and that’s me, personally. I will do two-a-days through Wednesday and then do my work with the team, get my shots up and prepare for the game on Friday.

SLAM: So you’re still going hard?

WB: [Laughs]. That’s the only way to go.

SLAM: From my time in watching you at Crane, seeing you in Detroit and even the Chi-League, you’re constantly always pulling someone to the side or providing some type of guidance. Coaching seems like it would be an easy transition for you once you’ve decided that you’ve given the game all you can from a playing standpoint. What are your aspirations for when that time does come?

WB: To serve and to give back. I definitely have to give back with everything I’ve learned and where my experiences have taken me. With basketball, you can translate so many of the principles you learn into everything that you do. Me just giving that back to the younger generations who are trying to do the right things, no matter what field they’re in, is something that I’m very passionate about. With those principles you learn from basketball, it’s going to take the same hard work and you having to live it – whatever it is – to be the best you can. You’re going to have to live it 24-7 in order to be the best in it. If you’re aiming that high in the beginning, there’s no way you can fail.

—

Christopher Cason is a contributor to SLAM. Follow him @C4DUNK. 

The post Will Bynum Talks Playing In The D-League As A Vet, Mentoring Younger Guys and More appeared first on SLAM.

Legend has it—according to former NBAer Roshown McLeod, anywhow—that Mike used to belt out Anita Baker songs while torching Stack and the Philadelphia Sixers in the mid-to-late ’90s.

Stackhouse, who is now a D-League coach, says the story is pure fabrication.

Anyhow, here’s a fun look back at MJ dropping a season-high 48 points during the Chicago Bulls’ historic 1995-96 campaign in response to Stackhouse’s ill-advised offseason yapping.

Per The Chicago Tribune:

Jordan scored a season-high 48 points, shooting 18 of 28 from the field. And with Jordan, Scottie Pippen (20 points, 10 assists) and Ron Harper (11 points) taking turns dogging him, Stackhouse ended up with just 13 points. He was 4 of 11 from the field.

“I know he said a lot of stuff, but that was a motivational factor from a competitive standpoint,” Jordan said of Stackhouse’s comments that not too many people could stop him. “I really didn’t want to make it ‘one on one’ or ‘mano a mano.’ I did all my work within the concept of the team. He had a lot of pressure on himself.”

Pippen thought Jordan could have had 60 points if he hadn’t sat out much of the fourth quarter.

“If I could have had 40, I know he would have scored 60,” Pippen said with a laugh.

The post Jerry Stackhouse Says Michael Jordan Never Sang Trash Talk to Him appeared first on SLAM.

Check out what some of his friends and colleagues—all big basketball names you should be familiar with—had to say about Chris:

•Craig Hodges, NBA Champ with Bulls and Three-Point Shootout Champion: “When I first saw Chris shoot I knew he had put in the necessary practice to make his jumpshot pure and consistent.”

•Quinn Cook, Cleveland Cavaliers rookie: “Chris is one of the best shooters in the world, hands down. I’ve seen how much time he puts into his craft. Seeing his hard work showed me that work is what it takes to get to another level.”

•Moochie Norris, DC and Houston Rocket legend, thanks to his high socks and gritty point guard play: “Chris is one of the most efficient shooters I’ve ever come across. Having played at every level of the game I can guarantee you that he would give any shooter in the game—today or the past—a true challenge. His passion for his craft is what separates him from the crowd. I’m a fan of his amazing ability to stroke the ball from anywhere on the floor—or really, the gym!”

•David Vanterpool, assistant coach for the Trail Blazers: “Chris has one of the purest-looking shots I’ve ever seen! His shots always look effortless, and his mechanics insure that he gives every shot the best chance to go in.”

For more, read our q&a with Chris below to learn how constantly chasing your dreams can bring you international success, even if the path there you take is less than traditional.

SLAM: Tell us your path through college and into the D-League and playing overseas?

CM: My first two years out of high school I played at Washington State University for Tony Bennett, who is now the head coach at University of Virginia. Then I transferred to St. Bonaventure University in New York to be closer to home, where I broke almost every shooting record, including setting a program single-season record with over 100 3-pointers in a season. My senior year I was one of 18 players in the nation with 100 or more 3-pointers, ranking me 1st in the A-10 and 7th in the nation in 3-pointers per game. After college, I felt discouraged that I wasn’t drafted for the NBA. I had to do some soul searching and determine what my life purpose was.

As I perfected my craft and began to realize the influence I had over young aspiring athletes, that feeling of being lost subsided. I grew to appreciate my career because it gave my life a meaning, led to traveling the world and learning different cultures. I learned that the NBA is not the final destination for all great players. I’ve mastered my craft and I use my unique gift to help other people at all levels reach their full potential. I hope to be an influential community leader that the youth can look up to.

SLAM: What’s your goal now?

CM: Success isn’t just about what you accomplish in your life; it’s about what you inspire others to do. Basketball opened so many doors for me that many people thought I would never walk through due to where I grew up, and I want to make sure others have similar opportunities. My goal is to help inspire the next generation of leaders to achieve their full potential in life by using basketball as a vehicle for social change. I am devoted to empowering and motivating the next generation. I want the youth to know success is possible if they make a commitment to work hard to accomplish their goals.

Starting this summer, I’m leading multiple camps in low-income areas in Washington, DC focused on sports and health, but also life skills, how to handle peer pressure and social-emotional development. I want to bring the best out of every kid that I work with to build their skills and self-confidence. I want all kids to have the same access to opportunities regardless of race and social status. Every kid should know that through hard work and determination anything is possible and to never allow their current circumstance to define their future. There are a few key organizations and people who will help me make this a reality: Plates by D. Swinton, HoopCulture and BodyArmor.

In the meantime, I’m helping remove the social barriers that prevent young people from being successful. Three times a month I go to areas in DC where the homeless youth typically hangout and provide them with meals. In the past weeks, I’ve donated clothing to low-income families. Shoe City’s Stokey Cannidy has been a major supporter in my community engagement efforts and they have done other great community work in Baltimore. This organization caught my eye when they brought an 18-wheeler truck full of water to Flint, MI. Things like that inspire me to keep giving back to the community.

SLAM: How did your childhood influence the work you do with the community?

CM: As a youth in Washington, I was able to take advantage of a lot of opportunities to follow my dreams, but there is another side of the city that made it very difficult to make the right choices to become successful. People know DC for the White House, national monuments, cherry blossoms and beautiful museums. However, to every beautiful city there’s an area avoided by tourists where drugs, injustice and violence are normal. I’m from that part of the city most people don’t see or talk about.

Growing up, I witnessed a lot of my friends losing their lives due to the violence that resides within a lot of DC communities. My neighborhood was one of the many that has violence, drug addiction, poverty, and high unemployment. I was fortunate that basketball was popular in my community. My love for the game kept me away from all of those things. Basketball was my outlet to understand there is a life outside of selling drugs and the violence of the city streets. I still take my basketball everywhere because it took a kid from the inner city to places I’ve only dreamed of going. I want to help the next generation achieve their full potential too.

SLAM: Why do you think it is important for athletes to invest in the youth within inner-city neighborhoods?

CM: Sometimes in life, a kid does not know their full potential until someone is willing to work to help them find it. I hope athletes and celebrities start investing more time and resources in empowering and mentoring the youth because some youth don’t have enough positive role models in their own environment. Things like sports, music, art and dancing are sometimes kids’ only outlet and the only role models they look up to are athletes, artists and celebrities. Imagine if these people were sending positive messages to youth and youth were listening to that positivity. Kids need to be encouraged by role models they could relate to with messages to keep working hard, never give up, and reminding them that you are who you choose to be.

SLAM: What advice do you give younger athletes?

CM: Don’t allow your current circumstances to determine your future because you are capable of being great. No matter how good or bad I think my life is I still smile through life challenges. I wake up every day thankful for another chance to inspire others. Focus on developing your own gift and being the best version of yourself. Use your passion as a tool to build lifelong friendships, to interact with different cultures, as a platform to impact lives, to earn a college degree, to travel the world, and to escape from the reality of your surroundings but don’t let your passion rule you. Many kids focus solely on practice and becoming better players. However, don’t forget to focus on your education as well. Education is the key to a successful future and life before, during and after sports.

SLAM: Are you still playing basketball professionally?

CM: Yes, I’m currently on teams that are going to China, Dominican Republic and Russia for basketball tours. But my main focus right now is helping other basketball athletes reach their full potential with their shooting ability and overall skills. For the summer 2016, I will be training NBA and professional athletes overseas. I’m also going to work with college teams to help their players reach the potential in their game.

SLAM: What has kept you motivated?

CM: The thing that motivates me most about the game of basketball is that I can encourage and influence the youth. The last six years I’ve been pro, I endured numerous injuries and minor setbacks. I haven’t let the injuries or obstacles deter me from my long-term goals.

Last year, while playing overseas in South America I had a near death experience. I had pulmonary edema which is a condition caused by excess fluid in the lungs, making it difficult to breath. My condition was caused suddenly by living at a high elevation and required me to stay in the hospital. I couldn’t feel anything pass my belly button and I couldn’t walk. My ability to walk and move my legs was essential in my career as an athlete but as a laid in the bed for over three weeks I was never worried or afraid of not being able to use my legs again because of my relationship with God. Even though there was a chance I could die, all I could think about was finding ways to give back to the youth and getting back on the court to play the game I love. I grew spiritually as I learned to live by faith because God never makes a mistake. This experience taught me to never give up because God didn’t give up on me.

SLAM: Who have been some of your mentors along the way?

CM: For me, it’s important I never forget where I came from and the people that helped unlock my potential. Some of the best advice that all of my mentors have given me is to use basketball as a way to influence other people’s lives and not just use basketball for myself or let basketball use me. Everyday, I focus on how I can use my platform as an athlete to positively impact other people’s lives.

My very first mentor was my father; he passed away five years ago. He was a big inspiration in my life both on and off the court. He showed me what it took to be a man in a city where it was easy to become distracted and stray off the right path. At a young age my father would take me to Rudolph Elementary School to shoot every morning before school. My dad would make me make one hundred shots every morning. He would have me spending endless hours perfecting my shot. That’s what led to my hunger to perfect my jump shot.

My step-father and former NBA player, Delonte Taylor, also had a huge impact on my shooting ability. He showed me things that were priceless for my game. Another person that has a great impact in my life is former NBA player Craig Hodges. For the past two years, our talks have encouraged me to stay focused on my goals, both on and off the court. Dave Hopla is another shooting specialist who has also impacted my life. He inspired me as a child when he was the shooting instructor at a camp that I attended.

—Interview by Ashley Blackwell 

—Photo by Sana Ullah

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DJ Stpehens was acquired for a 2016 fifth round D-League draft pick on March 5. In the 10 games since, Stephens has averaged 16.3 and 7.6 rebounds and is said to be drawing interest around the NBA.

He’s also thrown down perhaps the two best dunks of the year (at any level). In case you missed Stephens’ monster jam from last week, here you go:

https://vine.co/v/ipIwPXmlZL3

The post WATCH: DJ Stephens Throws Down Ferocious Dunk appeared first on SLAM.

Former Memphis forward DJ Stephens is currently balling out with the Iowa Energy of the D-League.

While he’s averaging just a pedestrian 9.9 points and 5.6 boards per contest this season, he is anything put pedestrian when he gets near the rim.

In addition to this out-of-this-world slam, Stephens contributed 26 points (11-15 FG, 4-6 3PT) and 9 boards in the 108-105 win.

The post WATCH: DJ Stephens Soars For Monster Slam appeared first on SLAM.

Thank yall for the love.. This is going to be fun …Get to hoop again Another step in a long journey. #humbled #blessed #stillgrindingtho

— Baron Davis (@BaronDavis) March 2, 2016

B-Diddy last hooped in the League four seasons ago.

The popular, and once-explosive guard was the third overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft.

Per Yahoo!:

In the 2012 NBA playoffs, Davis emerged as a starter for the Knicks before suffering complete tears of the ACL, MCL and patellar tendon in his right knee. He has been out of the NBA ever since, but has worked to elevate his fitness to return to pro basketball and signed in the D-League in January.

 

No D-League team had signed Davis until he planned to join Delaware, which has lost guards Jordan McRae (Cleveland) and Sean Kilpatrick (Brooklyn) to NBA call-ups. As long as Davis reports in shape, Delaware will move forward with the signing, sources said.

 

Davis is expected to debut for Delaware in Friday’s home game against Iowa, sources said. […] Davis averaged 16.1 points, 7.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds while playing for Charlotte, New Orleans, the Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland and New York.

The post Baron Davis is Joining the D-League appeared first on SLAM.

All of the threads were designed by Patrick Hunter. Hunter is a native of Detroit. At halftime, he’ll paint an Alvin Ailey inspired piece, in collaboration with the Idaho Dance Theater.

Here’s more from the Stampede:

During the game, Idaho will honor the late NBA player Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in an NBA basketball game. He would later become the first African-American to win an NBA Championship for the Syracuse Nationals (now known as the Philadelphia 76ers). There will be a special presentation during the game to honor Lloyd, and his son will be in attendance.

 

Including Lloyd, other influential figures on the Stampede’s jersey will be Maya Angelou, George Washington Carver, Ray Charles, Frederick Douglass, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King, President Barack Obama, Jackie Robinson and Harriet Tubman. All of Hunter’s original artwork featured on the jerseys will be on display at the game.

 

All jerseys and shooting shirts will be available for fans to bid on through an online auction. The auction is live now at www.idahostampede.afrogs.org and all proceeds will benefit the Idaho Black History Museum.

The post D-League’s Idaho Stampede to Host Black History Night (PHOTOS) appeared first on SLAM.

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Morrison’s exploits in his freshman campaign as the NBA Development League Coach of the Year and an appearance at the D-League’s All-Star game in Brooklyn, easily qualify as the sweetest honeymoon an aspiring NBA coach could ask for. For point of reference, he also set the D-League record for best start to a season (16-4). Earlier in January, he became the winningest coach in the Red Claws history.

“I’m starting to notice him more,” says NBA analyst Leo Rautins when asked about Morrison’s reception among Canadian media. “I’m a big fan of Scott’s, he’s a tremendous coach and has done a lot of great work to get where he is.”

“As is the case with a lot of great coaches, sometimes the path you take isn’t out there for everybody to see, he’s had a quieter path. I talk with NBA people, people around the Celtics…Everybody speaks extremely highly of him. Everybody.”

A proud Canadian and Prince Edward Islander, Morrison has played a part on the world stage with some of the most talented players We The North calls home. As an assistant with the Junior Men’s National Team, Morrison coached the likes of Trey Lyles (Utah Jazz) and Andrew Wiggins (Minnesota T-Wolves).

“I think he’s proven himself to be a quality young coach, and that better days are ahead for him and for Canadian Basketball,” Raptors’ commentator Jack Armstrong said in a recent interview.

While Morrison continues to succeed with the Boston Celtics and the NBA hopefuls he’s training in Maine, one has to wonder, when might Scott get his own call-up to the Association?

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on an NBA bench in the near future,” Rautins adds.

“Why wouldn’t he get a chance?” offers Armstrong when posed the same question. “The opportunities are there, it’s whether you’re willing to pay the price, and Coach Morrison’s an obvious example of someone who’s willing to do that. He’s already with a great organization in the Boston Celtics.”

Morrison’s enjoyed success so far—in a league that can drive a coach crazy with the ever-changing rosters that are rarely the same week-to-week.

Last month, Morrison’s Red Claws were victorious in the first ever D-League game played on Canadian soil, 109-104, over the Raptors 905 on November 19 at the Hershey Centre.

“That game certainly had some significance for Canada and the Toronto franchise, and it was nice to stick it to them a little bit and get the win,” said Morrison. “We still had to play them five more times, so you can’t get too excited, but it was nice.”

Morrison has continued to get the better of the 905 this season, splitting a pair of games in Portland, Maine, and then squeaking out a 96-95 win on December 11 at the Air Canada Centre. The sample size is small, but Morrison is undefeated on Canadian soil, with his one remaining game north of the border slated for March 5 in Mississauga.

Two things that made the Dec 11 win impressive:

1. Morrison had only one NBA player, Jordan Mickey available on his roster, while the 905 had the benefit of two NBA-tested players in Bruno Caboclo and Delon Wright. (The 905 also had Ronald Roberts Jr, who was a beast on the glass—16 points, 15 rebounds).
2. After Bruno Caboclo put the 905 ahead by 1 point with 4.3 seconds to play, Morrison drew up the play that won the game.

On top of drilling four threes in the game, Caboclo was key for the 905 in the final minutes. The long-armed Brazilian blocked a three-pointer and followed that with a deflection on an inbounds pass that forced a shot-clock violation. Caboclo also put the 905 up, 95-94, with 4.3 seconds remaining by grabbing an offensive rebound and making an impressive 12-foot baseline fade-away.

Brazen, unshaken, Morrison called a time-out and drew up the winning play. Levi Randolph got the ball on the left wing and drove for the winning layup, which he made easily against a 905 defense, spread out to defend Maine’s sharp outside shooters. Was it rocket science? Maybe not, but Morrison made it happen. Under pressure.

The fast-improving coach reached another milestone January 2, becoming the winningest coach in the Red Claws history (46 wins). Two previous coaches both took 100 games to get to 45 wins. Morrison got to 46 wins in 67 games.

—

Hugh Mullally is a freelance writer and the Sports Information Director for Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He played five years of varsity basketball for Dalhousie (4) and Lakehead (1), in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport league (CIS).

The post Canada’s Maine Man appeared first on SLAM.

Davis has designs on inking a D-League deal later this month.

B-Diddy’s NBA career came to an end after his right knee blew up during the 2012 Playoffs.

Per Yahoo! Sports and Bleacher Report:

Davis, 36, decided over the weekend that he would sign a contract to join the D-League after contemplating the move for two years. (Agent Todd) Ramasar said that Davis’ wife recently gave birth to their second child, which pushed his hopes of joining the D-League until after Jan. 20. The Dallas Mavericks, who have been known to add NBA veterans to the roster of their D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, worked out Davis in Los Angeles last Sunday, Ramasar said. […] “He is looking forward to playing in the D-League and showing teams what he is capable of,” Ramasar said. “He feels that the timing is right. More than anything Baron has put in the training and is confident in his body. He feels he is ready to return to the NBA.”

 

“Every pro athlete wants to retire on his terms,” said Ramasar, who also played with Davis at UCLA. “His current last game wasn’t the way he wanted to go out. He is very excited about the D-League.” […] Davis could make as much as $25,000 playing in the D-League and as little as $13,000. He made $147 million during his NBA career. Since departing from the NBA, Davis has been involved in acting and also producing a documentary about the Drew League.

 

“When someone asked me [when I’d make my comeback] before, I didn’t want to answer,” Davis says. “If I make it in the NBA or wind up playing overseas, I will be at peace. I know the NBA is the place for me because I have the game and now I have the confidence in my body. The last six years I was hurt and in pain and I wasn’t myself. I’m moving a lot faster and better than I did then.” […] “I’m looking at a lot of the guys I came in with,” he says. “Pass the ball, cut through, spot up. Get 10 [points] and six [assists] off the bench? I’d be in heaven. I don’t have to start or save the world, be the guy I had to be before. I can just come in and be a key component. How many teams have a true point guard, a real playmaker coming off the bench?”

The post Baron Davis Plans to Sign a D-League Contract appeared first on SLAM.

A top-10 draft pick isn’t supposed to playing in front of only a few thousand fans in places like Fort Wayne, Indiana and Mississauga, Ontario.

But that’s exactly what Jimmer Fredette is doing.

“I just want to have a great time playing basketball. I think it’s a fun place to be. I have great teammates and I’ve had a really great time,” Fredette, now of the D-League’s Westchester Knicks, says before a Saturday afternoon game against the Delaware ‘87ers at the Westchester County Center in New York.

“But obviously, everyone in the D-League wants to move forward with their career, be it in the NBA or Europe or wherever it is. Everyone’s goal is to have that happen, so mine is the same. I’ve just got to continue working and obviously I do want to show people what I can do and try to get better while I’m here.”

It might seem like ages ago, but Fredette was once college basketball’s answer to Tim Tebow. He led BYU to the Sweet 16. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He owns almost every scoring record for both his school and the Mountain West Conference. In 2011, President Obama called him “the best scorer in the country” while Kevin Durant one-upped that:

Jimmer Fredette is the best scorer in the world!!

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) January 27, 2011

At that time, it seemed unthinkable that Jimmer would a few years later be in the D-League just trying to prove himself. But time has a way of changing things.

Jimmermania followed him to the NBA. His jersey sales single-handedly increased the popularity of Kings’ gear by 540%—a few of those impossible-to-miss purple jerseys still pop up in Westchester as a reminder of what could have been.

He scored 21 in his pre-season NBA debut with Sacramento. Then, pretty much nothing happened. Despite playing nearly 19 minutes a game in his rookie year, Fredette averaged just under 8 ppg.

His numbers decreased over the next two seasons. The “best scorer in the country” wasn’t scoring. And his subpar defense—which wasn’t great to begin with—was being totally exposed. Two and a half seasons after Jimmer was supposed to take the NBA by storm, the Kings bought out his contract.

The teams changed—he spent the rest of 2013-14 with the Bulls, before spending a season and a few games with the New Orleans Pelicans—but not much else did. What once seemed unimaginable was now the norm: Jimmer Fredette wasn’t playing and he certainly wasn’t scoring.

“Just not the right things at the right time, you know,” Fredette says of his NBA struggles. “That’s kind of what happened, but you’ve got to continue to fight. I have to continue to work on all aspects of my game to get better. But at some point, I’ll get the right fit. “

And when the Westchester Knicks selected him No. 2 overall in the D-League Draft, he was ready to take the step down in order to revive his career.

Was it a tough moment for him?

“Definitely,” Fredette said. “You take a lot into consideration before making a decision like that; I mean it’s your life. It’s not something that you mess around with and you try to take everything into consideration. We felt like this was the best place for me to be.

“I definitely talk to my agent a lot and family was a big part of my decision. There are coaches from my past—my college coach [BYU’s Dave Rose], I’ve talked to him a lot—and other guys like that,” Jimmer says. “Everyone is encouraging, knowing that this is an opportunity for me to go out and play and show what I can do and see what happens in the future.”

Systemically, the difference between the NBA and the D-League is night and day for the guard. Rather than being a bit part player at best—the 26-year-old was briefly recalled by the Pelicans this year under an injury hardship exemption and averaged three minutes a night before being waived—Fredette is Westchester’s biggest threat. More often than not, the offense runs through his hands. For a player trying to get his groove back, being the guy with the ball in his hand again is a great feeling.

“Yeah, the reps are a big part of it, hopefully being able to go out there and get into a rhythm,” he says. “I’m obviously trying to work on a lot of different things while I’m down here continuing to progress and trying to get better as a basketball player while helping the team as much as I can. I think those are the biggest things that I’m focusing on.

Those reps are paying off on the score sheet. Since joining the team, Fredette has averaged 24.4 points and almost 37 minutes a night; the team is 4-3 in that span. He scored 37 in his D-League debut.

“Once I’ve got the rhythm, I can feel the game out and take a shot if I’m open,” he said. “And, if I’m not, get the other guys involved.” (Fredette has averaged 4.9 assists per game with the W-Knicks.)

The challenge of being the guy can also help Fredette improve on both ends of the floor. Not only is he the target of every scouting report, but he’s also called upon to stop the other team’s top guard.

“I think the good thing for him on the other end is that he gets a chance to play against a legitimate scorer every night on defense,” says Westchester head coach Mike Miller. “[Delaware 87ers guard Sean] Kilpatrick had a 45-point game last week. He’s getting to play, so he’s working at both ends of the floor and getting a chance to extend his minutes. He’s obviously a very good player and he’s helping our team a great deal.”

His defensive prowess notwithstanding, one thing no one can debate is that Jimmer comes to work every day. “I’ve said this a number of times and it’s the only thing that comes to mind: he is a professional. He handles himself and his business in such a professional way that it helps all of us. He’s a great guy to have on the team,” Miller says.

On the whole, Jimmer Fredette’s life isn’t that much different in the D-League. Sure the crowds are smaller and the he’s not playing on the biggest stage anymore, but basketball is basketball. And if there’s one place he feels comfortable, its on the court whether that court is Westchester, Sacramento, or anywhere in between.

“I feel good, feel confident. It’s great,” Fredette says. “I know that I can play at the NBA level; I’ve shown it before. I’ve had some really great games and some really good runs in the NBA. But sometimes it doesn’t work out for you right away how you want it to. You’ve got to fight and work hard. I have confidence in my ability and that if I play in the NBA I can be really successful.”

—

Photos via Getty Images

The post Jimmer Fredette: The Re-Up appeared first on SLAM.

Head coach Stan Van Gundy won’t guarantee the 25-year-old minutes following an 11-month layoff due to an Achilles tendon rupture.

Jennings sounds prepared to compete with veteran guard Steve Blake for burn.

Per the Detroit Free Press:

And one day after his first action in 11 months — Saturday night’s Development League stint with the Pistons’ affiliate in Grand Rapids — Jennings said he’s cool with competition. […] “If I’ve got to earn my second spot, then let’s practice for it,” Jennings said Sunday after practicing with the Pistons. “Let’s go play for a spot. I’m with it. I’m up for it.”

 

Quietly, veteran Steve Blake has played well since a poor start. When starting point guard Reggie Jackson was plagued by foul trouble in the first half of Friday night’s four-overtime victory at Chicago, Blake did a great job keeping the team afloat. […] He is shooting 38% from three-point range since a 1-for-11 start to the season. And the team has won eight of 11 games.

 

“I don’t think at this point I would play him ahead of Steve,” Van Gundy said.

The post Brandon Jennings Ready to Battle for Minutes in Detroit appeared first on SLAM.

The 22-year-old volunteered to join Raptors 905, Toronto’s D-League affiliate, for a game and then raced back for a tilt with the visiting Sacramento Kings.

RAPTORS 905 WIN. Norman Powell with 905 season high 30 points. Bennett with 13 in debut. #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/pkfE3RYxGO

— Raptors 905 (@Raptors905) December 20, 2015

Bennett sat and watched the Raptors lose 104-94 to the Kings.

Per the Toronto Sun:

With the Raptors home and the 905 playing the Delaware 87ers earlier in the day, Anthony Bennett approached management and asked to be sent down in order to take advantage of the double-header and get some reps in.

 

The former number-one draft pick, who had only seen 48 minutes total for the Raptors this season, scored 13 and played 24 minutes in the 105-94 D-League win.

 

“He wanted to play, he came to us,” said (head coach Dwane) Casey. “Saves us from having to go and ask them. It’s great that the guys have the foresight to go and do that. Bennett being from here is a big plus to. Going down, giving the local fans a chance to see him.”

The post Anthony Bennett Asked to Be Sent to D-League for a Game appeared first on SLAM.

"I just want to hoop," – Brandon Jennings on his voluntary assignment to @grdleague for an injury rehab stint pic.twitter.com/pykaTgLyP2

— NBA D-League (@nbadleague) December 17, 2015

Jennings says he simply wants an opportunity to play.

The 26-year-old lost his starting spot to Reggie Jackson last season, and has expressed a willingness to come off the bench upon his return to action.

From the Pistons’ team website:

“I don’t think there’s a lot of guys with Brandon’s status in the league, even coming off an injury, who would do that,” said Stan Van Gundy, who’ll board a bus with Pistons staffers and Jennings well-wishers to Grand Rapids for the game. “But Brandon just loves to play basketball. I asked him, ‘Do you want this publicized or kept quiet.’ He said, ‘I don’t care. I just want to hoop.’ That’s Brandon. He truly loves to play basketball.

 

“Number two, I think it shows how important the commitment Tom was able to make to have a D-League team and putting money into it. We’ve already gotten a value of last year sending Spencer and Quincy Miller there and this year sending Spencer and Darrun down. Now you’ve got a guy who can be a big part of what you do and you’ve got somewhere close by where you can send him and he can play. Those kinds of things seem minor when we’re talking about ownership commitment, but that’s a big one. We can send Brandon there to get significant minutes. […] That’s a tremendous advantage and it’s great Tom made that commitment and it’s great that Brandon is willing to do what he’s doing.”

 

“Not a lot of guys (would),” Van Gundy said. “But from our standpoint, how well Brandon plays is absolutely meaningless from my standpoint. I don’t have an expectation one way or another. It’s a matter of him getting minutes and getting up and down the court. I’m not judging him at all. I just want him to get minutes and I think that’s more important – how much he’s able to run up and down.”

The post Brandon Jennings Volunteers for D-League Assignment appeared first on SLAM.

Reno Bighorns guard David Stockton, son of Hall of Famer John Stockton, was absolutely posterized by UCSB’s all-time leading scorer, Orlando Johnson, on Tuesday.

Stockton was called for a blocking foul, which only added insult to injury.

The post John Stockton’s Son Gets Posterized With Knee-To-Chin Dunk (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

Fredette spent training camp with the Spurs, but didn’t make the squad. The former college superstar at BYU has never found a steady home in the NBA, and now will have to work his way back into the League.

Details, from Ian Begley of ESPN:

Jimmer Fredette, a former NBA draft lottery pick, was selected by the New York Knicks’ D-League team, the Westchester Knicks, with the No. 2 overall pick Saturday in the D-League draft.

 

Fredette, the 2011 National Player of the Year and NCAA scoring champ out of BYU, hasn’t found a steady role in the NBA. He’s been with three NBA teams since being selected by the Sacramento Kings with the 10th overall pick in the 2011 draft.

 

Fredette was most recently with the San Antonio Spurs on a partially guaranteed contract. He was waived on Oct. 21.

 

Fredette remains an NBA free agent and will be eligible to sign with any team over the course of the season. If he chooses to remain with Westchester, he will have to make it through training camp to earn a spot on the regular-season roster, essentially a formality in Fredette’s case.

 

Fredette has played in 229 games over the past four seasons, averaging 6.1 points in 13 minutes per game.

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His scoring instincts, defensive mindset and athleticism were on full display against 64 of the nation’s top seniors. For Randolph, the PIT proved to be a step toward eventually signing with the Maine Red Claws of the D-League for the 2015-16 season.

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After playing in an NBA Summer League game in Orlando, FL, in the morning, he picked up his belongings and travelled to play in The Basketball Tournament in Atlanta, GA, on the same day. He made it to the first game with 45 minutes to spare, and was immediately thrown into the action.

Without Bader on Overseas Elite, his team wouldn’t have been able to compete. Say goodbye to winning $1 million.

His agent said he was the “hardest sell,” but after the team had almost a complete roster, his agent spoke with him again, and Bader agreed to compete.

“Honestly, it was kinda just surreal. I never really heard of this tournament last year, so when [my agent] hit me up about it, I didn’t really know what to expect,” Bader said. “I thought it was just a lot of teams competing for money, a lot of high-quality competitive teams, so I came in there with no expectations.”

“I told everybody when [my agent] picked me up, I still didn’t know if I was going to be playing,” Bader said. “He picks me up and he kinda lets me know, ‘You’re gonna have to play a little bit.’ I was thinking I’ll play 5 minutes, and shake off this jet lag. And he took me, and said, ‘You’re our fifth guy, you’re going to have to play every minute of the game.’ So, it was kind of funny, I didn’t mind.”

Playing for ASVEL Basket in France last season was a similar experience for him. Bader was thrown into the action, and still he didn’t mind. Taurean Green, a former star for Florida in the mid-2000s, and David Lighty, who won an NIT championship with Ohio State in 2008, were a few of the Americans on the team that helped him out. Bader came away with an excellent experience, as he was able to compete with one of the best teams in Europe.

Laughing, he admitted, “I missed Chipotle, a lot.”

He spent last year in the eastern section of France, but his adolescent years were in Okemos, MI—population 21,369, suburb of Lansing, and home to small time vibes and the 2012 Class A state champions in high school girls’ soccer.

Bader was named the Lansing State Journal Player of the Year in his senior year of high school, but only received one offer from a DI school. That offer came from Oakland University in Rochester, MI, a little over an hour from his hometown.

Bader seized the opportunity, and started his career with Oakland in 2010.

Education was equally important in his college career as athletics. As a full-time athlete at Oakland, he put his all into the academic arena, receiving his Bachelors and Masters in Communications in a mere five years. He was named academic all-league honoree four times.

“As a freshman we would workout every morning, except Sundays and some Saturdays, with our GA (Graduate Assistant) James Hellakjaer,” said Drew Valentine, who was Bader’s roommate and teammate for four years in college and is now a coach for Oakland. “He was such a great shooter, and I wasn’t right away, that the fact that he could already shoot so well motivated me to just be able to keep up with him.”

His unparalleled work ethic propelled him to finish his career at Oakland as a two time All-American, and the all-time leader in made three-pointers in NCAA history.

Graduating in 2014, he went undrafted in that year’s NBA Draft. Despite that, he played in the NBA Summer League, and then opted to play professionally in France. He is currently on the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the affiliate of the Houston Rockets.

Last summer, he starred for the Philadelphia 76ers in the Orlando Summer League, where he scored 9.4 points per game. In Vegas Summer League, he notched 2.33 points per game with the Warriors. While he didn’t play much in Vegas, Bader learned from Steve Kerr about shooting and other facets of basketball. Before signing with the Vipers this summer, he played with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Orlando Summer League.

While Bader is grateful to consider himself a professional basketball player because of his background and hometown, he said, “I definitely believe that I can play in the NBA. I think I have the skill set that not everybody has, to knock down shots.”

“Now with me moving into the coaching side of the business, I’ve had the opportunity to push him and help him get better at his skills,” Valentine said. “I think if he continues to hit the weight room hard, he’ll keep developing into a good defender—like JJ Redick has become. I think there is a spot for him in the League. He’s got size, smarts, work ethic and abilities that few others have.”

“Travis is one the most hardworking, selfless guys you will ever meet,” says his agent. “Always has a smile on his face and goes with the flow. On this team (Overseas Elite) full of personalities and accomplished players, Travis was the easiest of the bunch. It’s all about winning with him, and he has absolutely no ego.”

Bader is ready for the NBA. Waiting for the call, just like the one he got to play in The Basketball Tournament. That came to fruition, and he’s waiting for the next. It continues in Hidalgo, TX, with the Vipers.

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Kings sign @SimBhullar2 to 10-Day Contract. #SacramentoProud Read » http://t.co/bfzzFCIgIf pic.twitter.com/WgEOWwaIVA

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) April 2, 2015

According to multiple reports, the Sacramento Kings are expected to ink Sim Bhullar to a 10-day deal, making him the first player of Indian descent to play in the NBA.

The big guy currently hoops for Sacramento’s D-League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns.

The Kings will have a roster spot opening up Thursday once David Wear’s 10-day contract expires.

Per the AP:

The 7-foot-5, 360-pound Bhullar is being called up from the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns. The 22-year-old center will be on the roster Friday when the Kings host the New Orleans Pelicans.

 

Sacramento is intrigued by Bhullar’s size and heritage. Kings owner Vivek Ranadive is the NBA’s first Indian-born owner and is trying to expand the league’s presence in his native country.

 

When the Kings announced in August that Bhullar would compete for a roster spot in training camp, Ranadive called India the NBA’s “next great frontier.” He said Bhullar “represents one of many that will emerge from that region as the game continues to garner more attention and generate ever-increasing passion among a new generation of Indian fans.” […] Bhullar was born in Toronto to Indian-born parents and played AAU basketball with two recent No. 1 overall picks from Canada — Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett. He played two seasons for New Mexico State, twice winning Western Athletic Conference tournament MVP and leading the Aggies to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.

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H/T: Ballislife

The post Dar Tucker Ties D-League Single-Game Scoring Record With 58 Points (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

The desperately short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves inked Kilpatrick to a 10-day deal, and had him rush to their 95-92 overtime road win against the New York Knicks.

The newcomer got 10 minutes of burn in his NBA debut, going scoreless and grabbing one rebound.

Per the AP:

Sean Kilpatrick went from practicing with the Delaware 87ers of the NBA Development League to playing for the Timberwolves with a 10-day contract about 3 ½ hours later. He arrived in time to give them the league-mandated eight players in uniform for their game against the New York Knicks. […] “We had practice today to get ready to play one of the other D-League teams,” Kilpatrick said after the Timberwolves’ 95-92 overtime victory. “I didn’t think I was going to end up here. It’s kind of a blessing.”

 

Listing eight players on their injured list, the Wolves didn’t just need a player. They needed one who wouldn’t take long to get here. […] “We had to fulfill our rules, so we had to go find somebody that was within a train ride away,” Wolves coach Flip Saunders said.

 

Kilpatrick actually drove, arriving in the Wolves’ locker room at Madison Square Garden about 45 minutes before the start. He quickly introduced himself to guard Ricky Rubio, who joined the injured ranks Thursday with a sore right ankle. […] Kilpatrick is from New York — his parents, brother and sister were at the game — so he had no problem navigating his way in what took about 3 hours.

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H/T: The Score

The post 7-5 Center Sim Bhullar Notches Triple-Double in D-League (VIDEO) appeared first on SLAM.

As a Clevelander, the former Virginia Cavalier has scattered 99 points over 35 NBA appearances. He’s shooting 38 percent from three-point range, and logged at least 19 minutes for the Cavs during nine games. The 23-year-old sharpshooter from Chelan, WA, has also made one start for a Cleveland team that continues to appear like an NBA championship contender in the Eastern Conference.

Two nights before the win over Philly, Harris continued his professional voyage in Canton during a game with the Cavaliers D-League affiliate. Playing 29 minutes for the Charge, Harris offered a well-rounded performance while competing at the defensive end throughout the contest. He finished with 13 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds, while helping Alex Kirk (game-high 14 rebounds, 2 blocked shots) and Stephen Holt (team-high 18 points, 3-6 from three) lead Canton to the 101-84 victory over Seth Curry and the Erie Bayhawks.

“I’m coming down here with the goal of just trying to help the team win games,” Harris told SLAM following the victory over Erie. “That’s the main priority. The league itself is used for developmental purposes to help guys get to the next level, or get opportunities elsewhere. But overall, it’s for us to come down here and win games. That’s what gives everybody down here the best opportunity to go and play somewhere else. Winning teams is the common denominator, whether it’s college, high school or whatever, guys get picked up to go to the next level when they win. So that’s what I’m coming down here to help the team do, win games and try to improve on all aspects of my game in the process.”

In addition to the 35 NBA appearances, Harris has also made four more D-League starts for the Canton Charge this season. He’s averaging 18.8 points and 6 rebounds, while helping push Canton (15-14) over the .500 mark with the Bayhawks victory. After starring at Virginia for four seasons, Harris has welcomed the opportunity to continue developing his game while adding what he’s learned thus far from practicing alongside LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving during live-game situations.

“What’s beneficial for a rookie in my position is that I’m also able to get into a rhythm of actually playing full games,” Harris said. “As of late, up in Cleveland, I haven’t had the opportunity to actually play more than 10 minutes or anything like that. So for me to come down here and have a chance to play 35-40 minutes, and actually get into a rhythm of a basketball game—you can’t simulate that in a practice. You can’t simulate that in one-on-one drills with your coaches, or with your player development guys. So this is the best workout or practice I can get when I’m not able to play significant minutes for the Cavs.”

Harris may be playing 75 minutes south of Cavaliers headquarters on the nights he suits up for the Charge, but he’s far from an afterthought in the NBA locker room. Following the Cavs’ 101-90 win over the Sacramento Kings, Brendan Haywood could be heard over the scrum of media inquiring about how ‘Joe’ did in a D-League game for Canton to anyone within earshot. From a few feet away, as a collection of reporters and recording devices surrounded Kevin Love’s locker and all adjacent space, Damon Jones offered a response.

“He scored 26 and had a tough cover defensively,” the 38-year-old shooting expert who spent 10 years in the NBA told Haywood. The 35-year-old 7-footer from North Carolina, who won a Championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, nodded in approval upon absorbing the news.

“There’s close ties between Canton and Cleveland,” Harris said. “It’s not like just because we’re the D-League team there’s a separation between the two. They mesh well together; there are guys who have been affiliated with Canton that are now with the Cavs and vice versa.

“Brendan [Haywood], he’s a little bit more aware because I spent a lot of time with Brendan during training camp and with our pre-game workouts. And just from our time on the bench, too, joking around about being the bench mob, that sort of stuff. So it makes sense that he’d be asking. And Damon, DJ has come down here a couple times with me. My first couple games that I had he was accompanying me back and forth to Cleveland. So it’s like, even though I’m coming down, the guys up in Cleveland with the Cavs are very cognizant of what’s going on. But it’s been like that well before I started playing here.”

On the same night of the highly anticipated college basketball matchup between Duke and Virginia, two proud alums of each program crossed paths at the Canton Civic Center. Neither Harris, nor Curry, guarded each other at any point in the contest. But the competitive respect is shared by each of the ACC legends currently in pursuit of their first big job after college.

“I don’t really know him too well off the court,” Curry said of Harris. “But we knew it was always going to be a challenge playing against them (Virginia) and him (Harris), specifically, every time we played them. They got us once when I was there, but it’s always fun to play against him. I always respected his game, and still do.”

Seth Curry, younger brother of Steph—the leading vote-getter for the 2015 All-Star game—and son of accomplished pro Dell Curry, has spent time with the Memphis Grizzlies and Cleveland Cavaliers at the NBA level. He has also played for the Santa Cruz Warriors and Erie Bayhawks since beginning his professional career in 2013.

During the loss in Canton, Curry finished with a game-best 27 points on 10-19 shooting from the floor. He also connected on five of the 10 three-pointers he attempted, and averages 24 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists on the season. Curry is also shooting 49 percent from three-point range, while ranking second in the D-League overall in total threes made (102).

“Offensively, I’m working on just creating different shots with and without the ball. Finding different ways to get my shot,” Curry noted. “Then the main thing is defensively, just trying to make plays with my hands. Being very active defensively, and just trying to be the best defender I can be. I’m focusing on the small things we do every day to win games, just playing hard and getting better in every practice.”

While signing on for the duration of an NBA season is every D-Leaguer’s eventual goal, it isn’t a thought that Curry keeps in top-mind status. His focus is on taking the necessary steps each day to become the best player possible, and then allowing the proverbial chips to fall out wherever from there.

“The getting signed part, I don’t even focus on that,” Curry admits. “I just focus on what I need to do every day to help my team win basketball games and keep getting better. I feel good right now, defenses are keying on me so my thing is to find different ways to get open looks. I’m trying to get the best shot possible for my team on a consistent basis and not take bad shots. But I feel good, whenever I let it go, it feels like it’s going in. The biggest thing is just trying to find good shots.”

Superstar lineage aside, every player who steps on to the D-League court is under constant scrutiny from NBA talent scouts, coaches and general managers. Among those in the house to watch Harris clash with Curry was Cavs GM David Griffin.

“For me, individually, I know that part of the reason my minutes went down in Cleveland was just little things,” Harris added. “Mental miscues, being in the right position defensively. There are a lot of different nuances and things you’re not familiar with transitioning from college to the NBA right away. It takes a little bit to get a grasp on some of those details, to fully pick them up. So coming down here really gives me a chance to improve those areas, play continuously through mistakes. That’s what’s going to give everybody in this league a chance to play elsewhere, focusing on the little things.”

Photo credit and special thanks to Tammy Henry for all images featured in this article. For more from Henry, check out her website tammy-henry.com and follow on Twitter @Tam_Henry.

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