NBA G League Showcase Cup Championship 2021: Blue Coats Defeat Blue to Win Tournament
Dec 23, 2021
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 22: Braxton Key #2 of the Delaware Blue Coats celebrates during the 2021 G League Winter Showcase Championship Game at the Mandalay Bay on December 22, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)
The No. 1 Delaware Blue Coats lived up to their seeding on Wednesday at the NBA G League Showcase Cup Championship, beating the No. 6 Oklahoma City Blue 106-98.
Delaware Blue Coats win the G League Winter Showcase Cup with 104-98 win over the Oklahoma City Blue. Winners split $100,000. Players split $90K and coaching staff, led by head coach Coby Karl, $10K. pic.twitter.com/CiQUanEQLb
Braxton Key went off for Delaware, putting up 28 points to go along with 11 rebounds, while Jarron Cumberland (24 points, eight rebounds, six assists) did a little bit of everything for the Blue Coats.
How in the world did Jarron Cumberland get this to fall?? 👀 @blue_coats
The Blue Coats are red hot, stretching out their win streak to 12 games on Wednesday. Their last defeat came on Nov. 14, a 113-108 loss to the Maine Celtics. They've won 14 of 15 games in total this season.
Like many of the other teams in the G League, the Blue Coats have seen plenty of roster turnover during the COVID-19 pandemic, with young players like Jaden Springer, Paul Reed, Aaron Henry and Charles Bassey, among others, spending time with both the Blue Coats and Philadelphia 76ers.
As The Ringer's Jonathan Tjarks noted, "Two G League teams didn’t even participate in the showcase because they didn’t have enough able-bodied players to field a team."
As COVID-19 affects the NBA, the effects trickled down to the G League Winter Showcase.
However, Wednesday was all about Key and Cumberland leading the Blue Coats to a title.
Love that the Blue Coats have been using Braxton Key as a five this season. I’ve always thought he was intriguing. As a switchable big? Love it.
The Blue Coats looked as though they were going to cruise to an easy win, heading into the fourth quarter with a 13-point lead. But Oklahoma City went on a 9-0 run to start the final frame, making things interesting.
Key's six points down the stretch paced the Blue Coats as they held off the Blue's rally, however.
NBA G League Showcase 2021 Results: Top Scores, Highlights and Stats from Tuesday
Dec 21, 2021
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 21: Scotty Hopson #32 of the Oklahoma City Blue grabs the rebound during the game against the Motor City Cruise during the 2021 G League Winter Showcase at the Mandalay Bay on December 21, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)
And then there were two.
The NBA G-League's Winter Showcase entered into the semifinal stage as it winds toward Wednesday's championship game.
Fresh off quarterfinal upsets, the Oklahoma City Blue and Motor City Cruise faced off Tuesday in the first of two pivotal contests. The top-seeded Delaware Blue Coats and South Bay Lakers were due to clash for the second championship berth.
G-League Winter Showcase Results
No. 6 Oklahoma City Blue 99, No. 7 Motor City Cruise 97 (semifinal)
No. 3 Rio Grande Valley Vipers 105, No. 2 Maine Celtics 98
No. 1 Delaware Blue Coats 122, No. 4 South Bay Lakers 108 (semifinal)
No. 8 Fort Wayne Mad Ants 155, No. 5 Wisconsin Herd 103
Oklahoma City Blue 99, Motor City Cruise 97
Zavier Simpson brought the Blue to within one point, 97-96, on a layup with 1:03 remaining. Cheick Diallo and Deividas Sirvydis both missed opportunities to widen the Cruise's lead before Scotty Hopson put Oklahoma City ahead on a jumper with 12.7 seconds on the clock.
After a made free throw from Simpson, Motor City had one last possession to tie or take the lead. Sirvydis came up short with a three-pointer, and Diallo's put-back opportunity somehow failed to find the bottom of the bucket.
Diallo was the game's standout performer, making his late miss all the more surprising.
The 2016 second-round pick hasn't appeared in an NBA game since the 2019-20 season and looked motivated to play his way back into the Association. Diallo got what he wanted inside, scoring 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting and hauling in 17 rebounds.
Cheick Diallo keeps his control for the tough finish! He's got 14 PTS and 8 REB for No. 7 @MotorCityCruise!
Not to be outdone, Jamorko Pickett (11 points, 15 rebounds) and Derrick Walton Jr. (14 points, 11 assists) both posted double-doubles for Motor City.
On the other side, all five Blue starters scored in double figures. D.J. Wilson (20 points) was the team's leading scorer, and Hopson's 17 points off the bench were pivotal toward OKC coming away with the victory.
Rio Grande Valley Vipers 105, Maine Celtics 98
The Rio Grande Valley Vipers held off a late charge by the Maine Celtics to earn a 105-98 victory.
With a pair of made free throws by Chris Clemons, Maine trailed by three points with 48.6 seconds on the clock. The Celtics forced a stop on the other end of the court and Jaysean Paige had an opportunity to tie the game inside the final 20 seconds.
Trhae Mitchell collected the rebound off Paige's miss and a dunk by Marvin Smith was the final nail in the coffin for the Celtics.
Marcus Foster filled up the stat sheet for Rio Grande Valley, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
Clemons was electric in a losing effort, pouring in 31 points and winding up just short of a double-double with nine rebounds.
However, his 4-of-14 clip on three-pointers underscored one of Maine's biggest problems as the Celtics shot 37.5 percent from the field and 29.2 percent from beyond the arc.
Delaware Blue Coats 122, South Bay Lakers 108
The Blue Coats cruised past the Lakers to join the Blue in the title game.
Delaware jumped ahead by 11 points midway through the first quarter and didn't look back. The Lakers clawed their way back to make it a four-point game at halftime, only for the Blue Coats to drop 35 points in the third quarter to take control for good.
Haywood Highsmith had a game-high 30 points on 12-of-21 shooting, while teammate Jarron Cumberland had a triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Delaware was plus-22 with Braxton Key on the floor as the 6'8" forward posted 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks.
Nine players scored for Fort Wayne and only two failed to hit double digits. Keifer Sykes and Terry Taylor paced York with 22 and 20 points apiece.
Jalen Lecque had 26 points in 39 minutes for the Herd. Illustrating Wisconsin's night, the team was nonetheless minus-49 when Lecque was on the floor. Sometimes, there isn't much you can do when you run into a buzzsaw.
NBA G League Showcase 2021 Results: Top Scores, Highlights and Stats from Sunday
Dec 20, 2021
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 19: Jalen Lecque #0 of the Wisconsin Herd drives to the rim against Frank Mason III #1 and Nate Pierre-Louis #00 of the South Bay Lakers during the NBA G League Winter Showcase at Mandalay Bay Events Center at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on December 19, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)
Sunday marks the start of the 2021 G League Showcase Cup featuring the eight teams that qualified for the tournament.
Qualifiers were determined by the results from the regional pods that took place over the past six weeks across the country. The four teams with the best winning percentage in each region automatically qualified. The rest of the field was determined by winning percentage, regardless of region.
The Salt Lake City Stars won the inaugural tournament during the 2019-20 season. There was no tournament last season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tournament is a single-elimination format with the championship game scheduled to be played Wednesday.
G League Showcase Cup Results
No. 4 South Bay Lakers def. No. 5 Wisconsin Herd, 119-112
No. 1 Delaware Blue Coats def. No. 8 Fort Wayne Mad Ants, 126-101
No. 6 Oklahoma City Blue def. No. 3 Rio Grande Valley Vipers, 119-113
No. 7 Motor City Cruise def. No. 2 Maine Celtics, 116-103
South Bay Lakers 119. Wisconsin Herd 112
The South Bay Lakers rode two big quarters to earn a 119-112 victory over the Wisconsin Herd in the G League Showcase Cup opener.
Coming out of the first quarter with the score tied at 25, the Lakers held a two-point lead at the intermission after putting up 32 points in the second quarter. Cameron Oliver had the go-ahead bucket with a layup with 23.8 seconds to play before intermission.
The Lakers broke the game open with a 40-29 scoring advantage in the third quarter. Nate Pierre-Louis scored eight of his 19 points, including two three-pointers, in the period.
Wisconsin did make things interesting late in the fourth quarter. Trailing 113-100 with just over four minutes to play, the Herd went on a 12-2 run to get within three points.
The Lakers responded with Paris Bass scoring on a dunk assisted by Mac McClung to get the lead back up to five. Mason Jones made a pair of free throws in the final seconds to secure the win.
Jones finished with a game-high 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Bass was an unstoppable force in the paint with 23 points (10-of-15 field goals) and 18 rebounds in 32 minutes.
Jelen Lecque led Wisconsin in scoring with 22 points off the bench.
Delaware Blue Coats 126, Fort Wayne Mad Ants 101
No. 1 overall seed Delaware had no problem in its tournament opener with a 126-101 win over the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
The Blue Coats came out on fire with 39 points in the first quarter. They made seven three-pointers in the game, and four came in the opening period.
Charlie Brown Jr. was excellent on both ends of the court in the win. He had 19 points (5-of-8 from three), grabbed five defensive rebounds and had four steals.
Delaware's defense had a good game overall. It held Fort Wayne to 17 percent shooting from behind the arc.
On the offensive end, this was a balanced effort for the Blue Coats. Brown led the team in scoring and was one of six players to reach double figures. Aaron Henry had 17 points off the bench.
Jarron Cumberland finished plus-28 in 22 minutes and scored 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting. Paul Reed outmuscled Fort Wayne's big men with 23 points and 19 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass.
Duane Washington Jr. led the Mad Ants in scoring with 22 points, but he only shot 7-of-17 from the field and committed five turnovers.
Motor City Cruise 116, Maine Celtics 103
Motor City used a 40-17 second-quarter
surge to take control and held on for an upset of the second-seeded
Celtics.
It was a balanced offensive attack from
the Cruise, who saw seven different players score at least nine
points. Cheick Diallo, Deividas Sirvydis and Derrick Walton Jr. each
tied for the team-high with 20 points. Diallo also grabbed a
game-high 15 rebounds.
Motor City knocked down 17 threes while
shooting 47 percent from beyond the arc in the win, which sends it to
the semifinals to take on the No. 6 seed Oklahoma City Blue on
Tuesday (2 p.m. ET).
Meanwhile, Jaysean Paige paced Maine
with 39 points on 14-of-33 shooting. He also recorded five rebounds
and four steals. Chris Clemons added 21 points for the Celtics but
they couldn't keep pace with the high-flying Motor City offense.
Maine will face the Rio Grande Valley
Vipers in a consolation game Tuesday (3 p.m. ET).
NBA Rumors: Former Heat PG Mario Chalmers Agrees to G League Contract
Dec 18, 2021
DALLAS, TEXAS - JULY 31: Mario Chalmers #15 of 3's Company looks on during the game against Tri State during BIG3 - Week Four at the American Airlines Center on July 31, 2021 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images for BIG3)
Former Miami Heat point guard Mario Chalmers has agreed to a contract with the NBA G League's Grand Rapids Gold and will play in the G League Showcase Dec. 19-22, per The Athletic and Stadium's Shams Charania.
Chalmers last played in the NBA during the 2017-18 campaign. He has since played in Italy, Greece and Puerto Rico, and has also played in the BIG3, a three-on-three pro basketball league founded by rapper/actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz in 2017.
Chalmers' decision to return to the United States stems from his desire to return to the NBA. The 35-year-old told JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors that he always wanted to return and end his career in the U.S.
"Finishing my career where I started would mean the world to me," Chalmers said. "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 added that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank and will be ready if and when another opportunity arises:
I have a lot left in the tank. 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.
I've been in the gym. I catch on fast and won't miss a beat. I've already been there before. At the end of the day, I know what it takes to help win a championship.
Chalmers' bid to return to the NBA probably couldn't have come at a better time. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Baxter Holmes, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are talking about implementing a rule that would force teams hit with significant COVID-19 outbreaks to sign replacement players.
Allowing teams to sign replacement players would limit potential game postponements and cancellations. So, Chalmers definitely has a shot at returning.
Chalmers spent the first seven-and-a-half seasons of his NBA career with the Heat before being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2015-16 campaign. He then suffered an Achilles tear in 2016 and was waived by Memphis, who re-signed him two years later, but he did not return to the NBA after the 2017-18 campaign.
In nine NBA seasons, the two-time champion averaged 8.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 41.7 percent from the floor and 35.1 percent from deep.
Isaiah Thomas Drops 42 Points in Debut with G League's Grand Rapids Gold
Dec 16, 2021
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - DECEMBER 15: Isaiah Thomas #6 of the Grand Rapids Gold shoots a free throw against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants during the second half of an NBA G-League game on December 15, 2021 at the DeltaPlex Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/NBAE via Getty Images)
Isaiah Thomas looks like someone who can provide a spark for an NBA team.
The former Boston Celtics star was dominant during Wednesday's G League game for the Grand Rapids Gold. While his team lost 131-127 to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, he finished with 42 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
A couple of NBA vets balled out tonight in the G-League 😤
Thomas looked the part of a two-time All-Star who was a member of the All-NBA Second Team as recently as 2016-17 when he averaged 28.9 points, 5.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game for a Celtics squad that reached the Eastern Conference Finals.
The 32-year-old has played for the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans and is working his way back toward a potential NBA return.
If Wednesday was any indication, he should be back in no time.
Isaiah Thomas Reportedly Agrees to Contract With Nuggets' G League Affiliate
Dec 13, 2021
New Orleans Pelicans' Isaiah Thomas (24) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets Wednesday, April 7, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Isaiah Thomas reportedly has taken another step toward a return to the NBA.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Monday the guard has signed with the Grand Rapids Gold, which is the Denver Nuggets' G League affiliate. Former NBA player Jason Terry is the head coach for the Grand Rapids.
There was a time when Thomas was one of the better offensive playmakers in the league.
The Washington product is a two-time All-Star who was a member of the 2016-17 All-NBA Second Team during his time on the Boston Celtics. He averaged 28.9 points, 5.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game that season and led the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals.
While that was his best individual season, Thomas has averaged better than 15 points per game in five different campaigns during a career that started in 2011-12.
The guard has played for the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans. He last appeared in three games for the Pelicans during the 2020-21 season.
While he is likely past his prime and hasn't played more than 40 games in a season since that All-NBA effort in Boston, Thomas is only 32 years old and could provide a spark off the bench for an NBA team with his outside shooting and ability to get into the lane.
Denver has dealt with a number of injuries throughout the season, and Jamal Murray still has not taken the court in 2021-22 as he recovers from a torn ACL. In theory, Thomas could provide important depth if he worked his way up from the G League by taking advantage of this opportunity.
At the very least, he could make an impression on other teams around the league if he plays well in the G League.
Isaiah Thomas Reportedly Signs Contract to Play in NBA G League Showcase
Dec 12, 2021
Washington Wizards guard Isaiah Thomas (4) dribbles the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Former All-Star Isaiah Thomas is taking another stab at getting back to the NBA.
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Thomas has signed with the G League and will take part in the G League Showcase from Dec. 19-22.
The G League Winter Showcase features eight teams in a single-elimination tournament. Team scouts and executives will be in attendance to evaluate players.
The 32-year-old played three games for the New Orleans Pelicans last season after signing a 10-day contract on April 3. He averaged 7.7 points on 33.3 percent shooting coming off the bench.
As he continued to keep his hopes for an NBA comeback alive, Thomas joined the Crawsover Pro-Am Basketball League this summer. He made headlines after scoring 81 points in an Aug. 8 game.
ISAIAH THOMAS DROPPED 81 POINTS IN A PRO-AM GAME 😱
Thomas' career took a steep downward turn after he finished fifth in MVP voting for the 2016-17 season. He suffered a hip injury during the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.
After the Cavs traded for Thomas as part of the Kyrie Irving deal, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic reported the veteran point guard had multiple hip problems and that "a loss of cartilage and some arthritis, are complicating his healing process."
Those health concerns briefly held up the trade before the Celtics included an additional second-round draft pick as part of Cleveland's return.
Before the hip issues, Thomas was one of the best scoring guards in the NBA for two seasons from 2015-17. He averaged 25.5 points, 6.1 assists and shot 44.6 percent from the field in 158 appearances for the Celtics during that span.
Since the trade went down, Thomas has struggled to stay on the floor and has been largely ineffective when he does play. The University of Washington alum has only appeared in 87 NBA games over the past four seasons. He averaged 12.6 points per game with a 38.4 field-goal percentage in those appearances.
Warriors Security Guard Jonathan Amey Jr. Receives Tryout for GSW's G League Team
Oct 31, 2021
SANTA CRUZ, CA - APRIL 26: A shot of the center logo prior to the game between the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and Santa Cruz Warriors in Game Two of the NBA D-League Finals on April 26, 2015 at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
A Golden State Warriors security guard received an incredibly rare opportunity to make his basketball dreams come true.
Jonathan Amey Jr., who ushers Warriors players into their parking garage before games, tried out for the team's G League affiliate Santa Cruz Warriors last month, according to Janie McCauley of the Associated Press (h/t NBA.com).
Amey didn't make the cut, but he enjoyed the experience regardless.
"It was just a great experience to be able to play at a pro level," Amey said, "and be able to also just to have an opportunity to get a chance to do something most people wish they had the opportunity to do. I didn't think I was going to get an opportunity, so I just felt like, 'Hey, if the offer's there, just go for it.'"
Warriors star point guard Stephen Curry even lauded the 26-year-old before a Saturday night matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder:
"It speaks about how encouraging, motivating and unifying basketball is for him to go put himself out there, go out for a tryout," Curry said. "He said his jumper needed some improvement. He's a little self critical, but we gave him the confidence to keep trying and keep his attitude high. I like the fact that he put himself out there because it's no easy task. So, shoutout to Jonathan."
Warriors coach Steve Kerr didn't know about the tryout, but admitted he'll absolutely be talking to Amey about the experience:
"I've got to ask him about it," Kerr said. "Good for him, just to fulfill a dream and to go for it. I love it, that's great."
Amey previously played intramural basketball at Cal State East Bay.
NBA G League Draft 2021 Results: Complete List of Selections for All Teams
Oct 23, 2021
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - AUGUST 09: LiAngelo Ball #8 of the Charlotte Hornets passes the ball up the court against the Sacramento Kings during the 2021 NBA Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on August 9, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Kings defeated the Hornets 80-70. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Rosters for the 2021-22 G League season are likely set for all 28 teams after Saturday's draft.
There were 99 players eligible, and several had previous NBA experience, including Lance Stephenson and Brandon Knight.
This season will mark a return to normalcy for the league. The previous two years were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2019-20 campaign was canceled in June after play was stopped in March.
Only 18 teams took part in the monthlong 2021 season at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex outside Orlando, Florida.
The 2021-22 season will tip off Nov. 5.
Here are the results from the draft.
First Round
1. Delaware (From South Bay): Shamorie Ponds
2. College Park: Tyler Hagedorn
3. Fort Wayne: Gabe York
4. Westchester: Justin Turner
5. Agua Caliente (From Stockton): Nate Darling
6. Sioux Falls (From Grand Rapids): Brandon Knight
7. Texas (From Raptors905): Eddie Stansberry
8. Motor City: Jaylen Johnson
9. Iowa (From Wisconsin): Michael Gbinije
10. Salt Lake City: Zaire Wade
11. Texas (From Austin): Loudon Love
12. Santa Cruz (From Memphis): Alan Griffin
13. Grand Rapids (From Sioux Falls): Lance Stephenson
14. Greensboro (From Delaware via WES): LiAngelo Ball
15. Lakeland (From Texas via AUS): TJ Haws
16. Cleveland: BJ Taylor
17. Windy City (From Lakeland): Scottie Lindsey
18. Maine: Isaiah Ross
19. Iowa (From Birmingham): Ruot Monyyong
20. Lakeland (From Long Island): Marlon Stewart
21. Stockton (From Agua Caliente): Joe Young
22. Iowa: Samir Doughty
23. Greensboro (From Santa Cruz via SBL): Chudier Bile
24. Capital City: Rodney Pryor
25. Windy City: Tim Bond
26. Greensboro: Tyree White
27. Cleveland (From OKL via RGV): Montell McRae
28. RGV: Cullen Russo
Second Round
1. Memphis (From South Bay): Karim Mane
2. College Park: Kalob Ledoux
3. Memphis (From Fort Wayne): Gerard Tarin
4. Delaware (From Westchester): Barra Njie
5. Raptors 905 (From Stockton via CTN and RGV): Tahj Eaddy
Shamorie Ponds, PG, Delaware Blue Coats (Philadelphia 76ers affiliate)
Since he was undrafted out of St. John's two years ago, Shamorie Ponds has spent the bulk of his professional career in the G League. He had a summer league stint with the Houston Rockets in 2019 before signing with the Toronto Raptors on a two-way contract.
Ponds appeared in four games for the Raptors during the 2019-20 season. The 23-year-old averaged 2.3 points per game in 11 total minutes. He had a brief run with Spars Realway of the Bosnian League earlier this year, shooting 37.5 percent from three-point range in five games.
When he was coming out of college, Ponds drew praise for his scoring ability.
Glen Willis of Peachtree Hoops wrote Ponds "might be one of the very best offensive prospects in the 2019 NBA draft class."
The biggest knock against Ponds is size. He's listed at 6'0" and 175 pounds.
Willis did note that Ponds is an average athlete who "graded out very well both in pick-and-roll action and in isolation opportunities" during his final college season.
The Philadelphia 76ers, who should be in the market for all the help they can get at point guard, will be able to work with Ponds to develop his skills. He may not make a major impact on the organization this season, but there's plenty of upside to make him worth watching in the G League.
The saga of LiAngelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets had a happy ending for both parties.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported Friday that "procedural issues" caused Ball to be entered into the G League draft instead of going straight to the Hornets.
Per ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Ball was waived by Charlotte on Oct. 15 after signing a nonguaranteed contract one day earlier.
Bontemps noted the move was "a precursor" to Ball's ending up with the Greensboro Swarm.
One week later, Ball joined the Swarm after being selected with the No. 14 pick. The 22-year-old will remain in the Hornets family after appearing in five games for the team during summer league.
LiAngelo Ball scored 16 points and made five 3-pointers in his Summer League debut with the Hornets.
Ball has had a winding path to reach this point. He began his professional career in 2018 with Prienai of the Lithuanian Basketball League, and the California native shot 41.5 percent from three in 14 appearances.
LiAngelo's next stop was in the Junior Basketball Association, founded by his father, LaVar Ball.
Early scouting reports on Ball weren't kind about his chances of making it to the NBA:
Ball will struggle to find a serious job playing pro basketball, including the G-League. @Mike_Schmitz projected him in high school as a small-ball stretch 4-man at the mid-major college level. Would make sense for Ball to find a scholarship at a lower level and stay in school.
It's certainly possible he has improved over the past four years, but whether that will be enough to get him to the NBA has yet to be determined.
This will be Ball's first significant exposure to the G League. He did have a brief stint with the Oklahoma City Blue in March 2020, but the season was canceled before he appeared in a game.
Joe Young, PG, Stockton Kings (Sacramento Kings affiliate)
It's perhaps a bit unfair to highlight Joe Young since he already has three years of NBA experience. The Oregon product appeared in 127 games with the Indiana Pacers from 2015-16 to 2017-18.
The 2017-18 season was his best, as he averaged 3.9 points per game with 37.9 percent shooting from behind the arc.
On Dec. 31, 2017, Young dropped 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting in the Pacers' 107-90 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
After the 2017-18 season, Young played in the Chinese Basketball Association. The 29-year-old spent two years with the Nanjing Tongxi Monkey Kings before moving to the Beijing Royal Fighters for the 2020-21 campaign.
He averaged 36.1, 38.3 and 25.2 points per game in those three seasons.
LiAngelo Ball Selected No. 14 Overall by Greensboro Swarm in 2021 NBA G League Draft
Oct 23, 2021
LiAngelo Ball speaks with the media at a pre-draft workout at the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA basketball facility in El Segundo, Calif., Tuesday, May 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
After some unusual roster maneuvering that didn't pan out, LiAngelo Ball is officially a member of the Charlotte Hornets' G League affiliate.
The Greensboro Swarmselected Ball with the No. 14pick in the 2021 G League draft on Saturday.
It wasn't initially clear that Ball would even be part of the draft. He signed a nonguaranteed contract with the Hornets and was waived last week, but the intention was to have him play for their G League affiliate.
On Friday, though, ESPN's Jonathan Givony reported that Ball was draft-eligible after "procedural issues" prevented him from joining the Greensboro Swarm.
Ball did appear in five games for the Hornets during summer league. He averaged 9.6 points on 37.5 percent shooting.
This marks the second G League draft of the year. The first one took place in January after being delayed two months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That draft set up the 2021 season that ran from February 9 to March 11 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida.
Saturday's draft set the stage for the 2021-22 season, which will return to a traditional format. The regular season will run from Nov. 5 to April 2, followed by the postseason.
Ball will get his first significant NBA exposure on a G League roster. The 22-year-old does have professional experience from his time with Prienai in the Lithuanian Basketball League in 2018. He averaged 12.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 14 games with the club.
The Oklahoma City Blue, G League affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder, signed Ball in March 2020. He didn't appear in a game with the team before the season was shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ball did sign with the Detroit Pistons during training camp prior to the start of the 2020-21 season, but he was released before playing in a game.
Now that he is a member of the Swarm, Ball will get his first real opportunity to showcase his skills over the course of an entire season. He will attempt to parlay that into a chance to play in the NBA.
