G League

Neither of the presumptive top two picks in the 2023 NBA Draft will be playing college basketball next season.

That's not stopping Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson from giving fans a head-to-head preview.

Jonathan Givony of ESPN reported Wembanyama's Metropolitans 92 will take on Henderson's G League Ignite in two exhibition games Oct. 4 and Oct. 6.

Wembanyama has long been viewed as a lock to be the top pick in next year's draft. The 7'3" Frenchman has been dominant over the course of his youth career, making his pro debut at age 15. He spent the last two seasons at ASVEL of Pro A, winning the league's Best Young Player Award in back-to-back years and helping lead his team to a title in 2022.

Wembanyama's combination of skill, size and defensive prowess puts him on the shortlist of the most coveted NBA prospects of this century. While nothing can compare to the hype around LeBron James when he came out of high school, Wembanyama is every bit on the same expectation level as Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson.

The fact that Henderson does, indeed, have an outside shot at unseating Wembanyama is evidence of how special the G League Ignite guard can be. An explosive athlete with a willingness to shoot anywhere off the dribble, Henderson is the prototype for the modern NBA point guard.

Originally a member of the 2022 high school class, Henderson reclassified to the 2021 class last year to join the Ignite. He averaged 14.7 points, 4.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds in 10 games.

NBA G League Ignite are reportedly adding the son of a Hall of Famer.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Shareef O'Neal, who is the son of Shaquille O'Neal, signed a six-figure contract with the team. This comes after the younger O'Neal played for the Los Angeles Lakers during summer league this offseason.

O'Neal appeared in four summer-league contests and averaged 4.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.3 blocks in 11.5 minutes per game.

The 22-year-old didn't dominate during his run, but he showed enough potential with his pedigree to earn an opportunity with G League Ignite.

"NBA teams were intrigued with O'Neal's athleticism and pedigree throughout the predraft and summer-league process," Charania wrote. "O'Neal has worked extensively with trainer Justin Zormelo in his continued development as a pro prospect, helping O'Neal navigate his basketball career on and off the floor."

It wasn't long ago that O'Neal was a 4-star prospect in the 2018 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. Yet he never lived up to the expectations that accompanied him given his recruiting status and famous father in part because of health concerns.

He appeared in 13 games as a secondary contributor for UCLA in 2019-20, transferred to LSU and then appeared in 24 combined games for the Tigers during the next two seasons.

He averaged just 2.6 points and 3.0 rebounds per game throughout his collegiate career but underwent open-heart surgery while at UCLA and endured multiple foot injuries, including a stress fracture, while at LSU.

O'Neal went undrafted after leaving LSU but continued his professional dreams in the summer league and will now do so in the G League.

French forward Sidy Cissoko, a projected 2023 first-round pick, has signed with the NBA's G League Ignite for the 2022-23 season.

"We explored several options with my agents, and I was convinced G League Ignite was the best opportunity to achieve my goals," Cissoko told ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

"The ability of this program to maximize the potential of its players on and off the court convinced me. Even more, the tailor-made development program and opportunity to start my transition to the U.S. game style, three-point line and off-court life is a key asset. I felt during our conversations with the staff that I was a priority."

Givony has Cissoko as the No. 25 overall prospect in the 2023 class. He's the third-ranked European player in the class behind projected No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama and Rayan Rupert.

The Ignite have produced four first-round draft picks over the last two years, with Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga just finishing their rookie seasons and Dyson Daniels and MarJon Beauchamp going in the first round of last month's draft.

Cissoko said Daniels' rise up draft boards following his season with the Ignite helped him make the decision to come stateside.

"Dyson shows the ability of the G League to get international players drafted high," Cissoko said. "It was interesting to see how he was used on the court, as we play the same position, even though our games are different. He had a great season and improved a lot during his year with Ignite. Improvements and hard work are what I am looking for."

Scoot Henderson, widely considered the second-best prospect in the 2023 class behind Wembanyama, has already committed to the Ignite.

Launched ahead of the 2020-21 season, the Ignite offers an alternative to college basketball and six-figure salaries for some top prospects.

There is no word on how much Cissoko will make next season. The 6'6" swingman played last season for Baskonia's second team in LEB Gold, Spain's second division, and starred for France in the FIBA U18 Championship last summer.

LiAngelo Ball is back in the NBA, at least for the summer.

The brother of LaMelo Ball and Lonzo Ball was announced as part of the Charlotte Hornets' NBA Summer League roster on Friday. It will be his second straight year suiting up for the Hornets in summer-league action.

Ball has not had the standout career that both of his brothers—Hornets star LaMelo Ball and Chicago Bulls veteran Lonzo Ball—have had.

Ball played high school basketball in Chino Hills, California, before committing to play college basketball at UCLA. However, he left UCLA during his freshman season in 2017 after he and two of his teammates were arrested on shoplifting charges in China and suspended.

The 23-year-old went on to play for Prienai Vytautas of the Lithuanian Basketball League and the Los Angeles Ballers of the Junior Basketball League in 2018 before declaring for the NBA draft in March 2018.

Ball went undrafted but returned to play professionally for the Hornets during last year's summer league. He then declared for the G League draft and was selected by the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets affiliate.

In 28 regular-season games with the Swarm, Ball averaged 4.6 points and 1.1 rebounds while shooting 39.5 percent from the floor and 35.7 percent from deep. He averaged 13.2 minutes per game.

Returning to the NBA Summer League allows Ball to continue working on his game with a Charlotte organization that clearly believes in his abilities. That said, the Hornets will likely be more focused on the development of Kai Jones, the 19th overall pick in the 2021 draft, and Mark Williams, the 15th overall pick in the 2022 draft.

The Hornets open up summer-league action with a matchup against the Indiana Pacers on July 8.

5-star forward Matas Buzelis has chosen to bypass college to commit to the G League Ignite for the 2023-24 season, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Brewster Academy (New Hampshire) star chose the G League Ignite over schools like Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina. Ranked as the No. 6 player overall and the No. 3 small forward in the 247Sports' composite rankings, he will have the chance to accelerate his development by playing professionally.

Buzelis quickly ascended on boards over the summer, going from a borderline top-50 prospect to a bona fide 5-star recruit with offers across the nation. Listed at 6'9" and 190 pounds, he still has a lot of filling out to do, but he boasts a versatile game that allows him to excel on the perimeter.

"My versatility is the biggest thing," he said, per Doug Bucshon of Rivals. "That's what they like to see. Sharing the ball getting everyone involved and shooting. Just doing everything on the court."

The Philadelphia 76ers signed undrafted free agent Michael Foster Jr. on Thursday night following the 2022 NBA draft, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

It was one of several moves the Sixers made after the draft:

While Philly didn't make a selection on Thursday night, they did trade the No. 23 overall pick and Danny Green to the Memphis Grizzlies for guard De'Anthony Melton.

The 19-year-old Foster spent the 2021-22 season playing for the G League Ignite, averaging 16.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game during the team's regular-season exhibitions. The Ignite did not formally participate in the G League regular season.

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman compared the young power forward to Patrick Patterson:

"[He] wasn't bothered by older G League competition. He showcased his inside and mid-range scoring with skill and strength, though his three-point shooting and defense have left scouts wanting more."

Foster didn't do much to improve his draft stock by taking the professional route, however. He left high school ranked as the No. 22 player in the country and wound up being undrafted.

Philadelphia likely views Foster as a slightly depreciated asset they can bring into the fold and continue to develop over the next couple of years. He has the size and mobility to play either forward spot, but he's going to need to improve his jumper significantly to have an impact at the NBA level.

Isaiah Thomas will join the Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League following the conclusion of the NBA All-Star break, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

Thomas made his G League debut with the Gold in a 131-127 loss to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants on Dec. 15. He finished with 43 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in 43 minutes.

The 33-year-old signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Lakers a day after that game.

The Lakers, like many teams around the league, were struggling to fill out their roster as players entered the NBA's health and safety protocols.

Thomas made four appearances for L.A. before signing with the Dallas Mavericks. In five games this year, he's averaging 8.6 points and 2.0 assists in 22.8 minutes.

Simply getting to that point was an incredible comeback story for the two-time All-Star.

But his brief spells with the Lakers and Mavs showed the difficulty he had in carving out a regular role at this stage of his career. He wasn't the same player after a hip injury, and the decline became more pronounced as he aged.

Getting consistent minutes in the G League could help Thomas showcase his game as he looks to once again land on his feet in the Association.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo reportedly could team up with two of his brothers in the Skills Challenge as part of NBA All-Star Weekend.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Giannis, Thanasis and Alex Antetokounmpo are "strongly considering" joining forces. Like Giannis, Thanasis Antetokounmpo is a forward with the Bucks, and Alex is a guard with Raptors 905 of the G League. The revamped Skills Challenge will feature teams of three competing against each other.

The 2022 NBA All-Star Game is scheduled for Feb. 20 in Cleveland, while the Slam Dunk Contest, Three-Point Contest and Skills Challenge will take place Feb. 19.

Giannis was named a starter for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game, marking his sixth consecutive All-Star nod.

The two-time NBA MVP and reigning NBA Finals MVP undoubtedly earned it, as he is averaging 28.9 points, 11.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game this season, putting him in the thick of the MVP race once again.

Giannis' brothers aren't as decorated or well-known, but they have had successful careers in their own right.

Thanasis, who at 29 is two years Giannis' senior, has spent four seasons in the NBA. He appeared in two games for the New York Knicks in 2015-16 before playing professionally in Spain and his native Greece for three seasons.

He returned to the NBA in 2019-20 and has spent the past three seasons with Milwaukee, winning a championship with Giannis last season. In 31 games this season, Thanasis is averaging 3.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.0 minutes.

Alex, 20, is the youngest brother. He starred at Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, before playing in Spain last year and joining the G League this season.

In eight games for Raptors 905, Alex is averaging 3.0 points per contest.

Another Antetokounmpo brother, Kostas, 24, played sparingly in three seasons with the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers. He now plays for ASVEL Basket in France.

The Slam Dunk Contest and Three-Point Contest usually take center stage the night before the All-Star Game, but if the three brothers compete together, the Skills Challenge would be must-see TV for NBA fans as well.

The G League has reportedly postponed the resumption of its season until Jan. 5 amid the NBA's leaguewide COVID-19 outbreak leading to several callups.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported the decision was made in part because of the rise in COVID-19 cases nationwide and the NBA gutting G League rosters in recent weeks.

The G League was originally slated to return to play Monday after the conclusion of its showcase in Las Vegas.

Charania's report did not indicate whether any games will be canceled as part of the postponement.

The regular season is supposed to last through April 2, with 28 of the league's 30 teams participating. This is the first traditional regular season that the G League has conducted since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

NBA veteran Michael Beasley has been offered an NBA G League contract and can enter the G League player pool, according to Marc Stein.

Beasley has not played a regular-season game in the NBA since the 2018-19 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 7.0 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in 26 appearances.

The forward agreed to join the Brooklyn Nets during the 2020 restart in Orlando, Florida, but his contract was voided after he tested positive for COVID-19.

He played for the Portland Trail Blazers team during the NBA Summer League this past offseason.

Though Summer League is usually reserved for younger prospects, the 32-year-old appeared in five contests while averaging 11.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, shooting 45 percent from three-point range.

The 2008 No. 2 overall draft pick still couldn't get a new contract:

The former Kansas State star has averaged 12.4 points per game across 11 seasons with seven different organizations. The 6'9" forward was at his best in 2010-11 when he scored 19.2 per game with the Minnesota Timberwolves, starting all 73 games he played.

Beasley is now looking for another chance to return to the NBA and show what he can do.

With teams around the league limited because of COVID-19, he could fill a roster opening.