Category: Sooners in the NBA

Sooners legend Blake Griffin officially announces retirement

Blake Griffin, a generational athlete and former Oklahoma Sooner announced his retirement after a 14-year NBA career.

An Oklahoma basketball legend called it a career on Tuesday. Sooners basketball legend Blake Griffin announced his retirement in a post he shared via social media on Tuesday morning.

Griffin ended his NBA career after 14 years. The bulk of his career came as a member of the Los Angeles Clippers after he was drafted in 2009 as the first overall pick. He also spent time with the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics.

Griffin retired as a six-time NBA All-Star, three-time All-NBA Second Team, two-time All-NBA Third Team, and the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2009.

 

As a high schooler from Oklahoma City, Griffin won multiple state championships. He signed with the Sooners and went on to earn selections on the Big 12 All-Rookie Team and to the first-team All-Big 12 after posting 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds and ranking ninth in scoring, fourth in rebounding, and third in field goal percentage in the Big 12 Conference.

Instead of bolting for the impending NBA Draft, he stayed for one more year. He cemented his status as an Oklahoma basketball legend. During his sophomore season, he became the first player in Big 12 history to record back-to-back games of at least 20 points and 20 rebounds. He dropped 40 points and 23 rebounds against Texas Tech, becoming the only player in Big 12 history and the third player in the history of the University of Oklahoma men’s basketball program to record at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a game, joining [autotag]Wayman Tisdale[/autotag] and [autotag]Alvan Adams[/autotag].

He led Oklahoma to a regional final that saw them lose to eventual national champion UNC. That year, Griffin averaged 22.7 points, 14.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game during the regular season and earned All-American first team honors. He also swept every major player of the year award. He’s the only Sooner to win the Naismith Award, Oscar Robertson Trophy, Adolph Rupp Trophy, John Wooden Award, and the Associated Press Player of the Year in the same season.

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Lifelong Sooner Trae Young stops by Norman to run with Oklahoma Basketball

Forever Sooner Trae Young stopped by campus this week to hoop with Oklahoma’s men’s basketball team.

College hoops are steadily creeping closer. While college football is and will be all the rage for the next few months, it won’t be long before the two sports intersect.

For now, teams across the country are conditioning, doing skill work, scrimmaging, and putting in the necessary work to be as cohesive as possible. So when November comes, they can hit the ground running.

Outside of the daunting Big 12 schedule, the Oklahoma Sooners most significant hurdle this season may be the men in the mirror.

They’ll be taking on some of the best basketball teams in the country while being a virtually brand-new team. There’s little production returning and even less chemistry than they had the year before. Porter Moser and his staff have added eight new players after a mass departure at the end of the 2022-2023 season.

The time in the gym this offseason couldn’t be more valuable for Oklahoma. The Sooners got a major surprise as one of the program’s best of all time came through Norman, laced up his kicks, and put the youngsters to work on the court.

Two-time All-Star and 2022 All-NBA third-team member Trae Young stomped by his old stomping grounds and hooped with the team on Wednesday. This was a day after Blake Griffin stopped by to chat with Porter Moser’s crew.

As one would expect, Young did Trae Young things.

One of the best clips in the highlight put together by the Oklahoma Basketball media team was what looked like Young giving some advice to Sooners transfer Javian McCollum.

McCollum is Oklahoma’s de facto point guard this year. He’s a talented player that has a lot of potential. He’ll have the keys to the offense after transferring in from Siena.

It’s good to see Oklahoma’s point guard soaking up knowledge from one of the NBA’s best facilitators. Unlocking and opening up Oklahoma’s offense is a major key to raising this season. It all starts with your lead guard.

Since being drafted in 2018, Trae Young has led the NBA in assists. If Trae Young is talking to you about facilitating, running an offense, or passing, it’s probably important to be all ears.

 

With Trae and Blake stopping by to visit with OU’s squad, it would be nice to see Austin Reaves stop by this offseason for a little pickup with the current Sooners. Reaves is currently a key cog for Team USA as they look to win the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Still having a player like Trae Young stop by is great for a program looking to improve off of Porter Moser’s first two seasons. There’s a lot of talent on this year’s squad, it just needs to mesh for the Sooners to make a tournament appearance.

Working against one of the NBA’s best is fantastic experience for roster looking to put the last two years in the rearview.

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Austin Reaves agrees to 4-year deal to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers and restricted free agent Austin Reaves agree to terms on a four-year $56 million deal to keep Reaves in L.A.

Austin Reaves is $56 million richer this Sunday. After his best season in the NBA, Reaves earned a payday.

In the early stages of NBA free agency, the former Oklahoma Sooners guard agreed to a four-year deal to keep him in Los Angeles as a critical cog in the Lakers’ operation as they pursue a championship in the twilight of LeBron James’ career.

Reaves entered the free agency period as a restricted free agent, meaning the Lakers would have a chance to match any offer Reaves received.

Fortunately for general manager Rob Pelinka, it never came to that as Reaves was set on staying with the Lakers and accepted a max extension for a four-year $56 million deal, according to Shams Charania.

According to Charania, the contract includes a player option for the fourth season of the deal, meaning Reaves could enter unrestricted free agency ahead of the 2026-27 season.

The Lakers had no option but to bring back Reaves after the season he put together. GM Rob Pelinka outlined that intention following the conclusion of L.A.’s season. “I would say this resoundingly clear: Our intentions are to keep our core of young guys together.”, Pelinka told reporters before exit interviews.

The core mentioned above consists of Reaves, who had his breakout season in 2022-2023, including a fantastic stretch in the playoffs.

From the last 11 games of the regular season thru the entire Lakers’ playoff run, Reaves was the Lakers’ third-best player behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis. In 64 games last season, the 25-year-old posted averages of 13 points on .529/.398/.864 shooting splits, 3.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.5 steals.

Across 16 games in the pressure cooker of the NBA Playoffs, those numbers jumped to 16.9 points on .464/.443/.895 shooting, 4.6 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 0.6 steals a night.

Reaves showed up nightly and was tasked with closing games for the Lakers in the regular season and the playoffs.

Reaves went undrafted out of Oklahoma in 2021. The Lakers initially signed him to a two-way deal in the summer before converting his contract to a guaranteed roster spot shortly before training camp.

Now he’s earned the trust of his coaches and, most importantly, the trust of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The two superstars willingly deferred to him in the playoffs against Steph Curry and the Warriors dynasty.

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With Reaves locked up for the long term, the Lakers are well-positioned to at least make it back to the Western Conference Finals this upcoming year. Part of the equation for helping them to do that is the continued growth of Austin Reaves. With how much he’s improved from season to season in the NBA, his ascension could help LA get over the hump and get back to the NBA Finals.

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Grant Sherfield signs to play with the Phoenix Suns for NBA Summer League

Former Oklahoma guard Grant Sherfield signs with the Pheonix Suns to join their Summer league roster.

Former Oklahoma Sooners guard Grant Sherfield is looking to make his way in the NBA the same way former Sooner Austin Reaves is doing it.

After going undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft, Sherfield signed a deal with the Phoenix Suns to play with their Summer League team to fight for a two-way contract.

Sherfield declared for the draft after playing one season at Oklahoma. He previously had played at Wichita State and two years at Nevada before arriving in Norman. Under Porter Moser, he averaged a team-high 15.9 points with Ā 2.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Sherfield shot 40.3% from the field and 39.4% from the three-point range. He was an integral part of Oklahoma’s squad this past season.

Sherfield’s journey to the NBA won’t be easy, but using the Summer League to showcase to the Pheonix Suns that he can play is a start. Sherfield’s best traits include playmaking, being adept in the pick and roll, and shooting off the dribble. He also has a good size for a would-be point guard at 6-foot-2 with a wingspan of up to 6-foot-6.

With the Suns’ current configuration, they are thin at the lead guard position after trading former All-Star point guard Chris Paul to the Washington Wizards for a package centered around Bradley Beal.

Ultimately, with the combination of Beal, Devin Booker, and future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant all on payroll, the Suns will need cheap and productive bench players to surround their three stars if they truly plan to contend in the Western Conference.

This scenario allows draft picks and undrafted free agents like Sherfield to earn valuable minutes in a championship-contending rotation.

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Austin Reaves set to join Team USA for 2023 FIBA World Cup

Oklahoma alum Austin Reaves set to play for Team USA in upcoming FIBA World Cup.

Fresh off the best season of his professional career, Austin Reaves continues his ascent. While his Los Angeles Lakers team bowed out in the conference finals to the eventual NBA champion Denver Nuggets, Reaves, will join Team USA for the 2023 FIBA World Cup in the Philippines.

Reaves is one of 10 players already confirmed for the roster. He joins Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans, Jaren Jackson Jr (Memphis Grizzlies), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets.

Reaves figures to be an effective option off the bench for Team USA, and he’s a natural fit as with his ability to fill various roles. He can play on and off the ball as a scoring option and be the initiator like he was alongside LeBron James with the Lakers. He’ll be able to do the same thing for Team USA, with guys like Haliburton and Brunson playing as primary playmakers for the first unit.

The 25-year-old is coming off a career year, averaging 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists a night on 53 percent shooting from the field, 40 percent from three, and 86 percent from the charity stripe.

He also had a big postseason run, solidifying himself as the Lakers third best player, which included 21.2 points per game in the Lakers’ matchup against the Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.

In addition to his Teasm USA selection, Reaves will be the focal point of significant contract discussions as he enters unrestricted free agency. Reaves could command just under a $100 million contract somewhere in the range of a four-year deal worth a maximum of just under $98 million. The Lakers could match it, or they could pass. On top of that, Reaves and Chinese company Rigorer are finalizing a signature shoe deal that is expected to reach well over seven figures per year per Stadium’s Shams Charania.

For now, Reaves will focus on his role for Team USA and let[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1368] everything else to fall into place.

Contact/Follow usĀ @SoonersWireĀ on Twitter, and like our page onĀ Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Social Media Reacts: Austin Reaves pours in 23 points, Lakers upset Grizzlies to start NBA playoffs

Austin Reaves helps lead Los Angeles Lakers to a pivotal road Game 1 win versus the Memphis Grizzlies after scoring 23 points. Social Media was loving it!

Austin Reaves is transforming into a household name in front of our very eyes. Sunday’s performance for the Lakers in the first round of the NBA playoffs in front of a national audience is starting to cement his place in the league.

The Los Angeles Lakers fought back from a horrid 2-10 start to make the NBA play-in tournament. They defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, lock themselves into the No. 7 seed, and face the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies.

Despite having two top-25 players in LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers are the underdogs in the series. On Sunday, they didn’t look the part as the Lake Show reeled off a 128-112 victory on the Grizzlies’ home court.

Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura shined so bright for the Lakers.

Reaves was magnificent in the fourth quarter, ending the night with 23 points in his 31 minutes of action. He did so on a perfect 5 of 5 shooting from the field with two 3-pointers and two free throws for 14 points in the fourth quarter.

Reaves’ performance was impressive because it was his first playoff game on the road against the team in the NBA with the best home record during the regular season.

The fourth quarter was highly contested until the last two minutes when the Lakers blitzed the Grizzlies after going up 108-101 with under 4 minutes left. Reaves was given the keys to the offensive operation by LeBron and Anthony Davis and delivered as they let the offense run through the former Sooner in crunch time.

Here’s a look at some of the best reactions on Twitter to Austin Reaves’ performance.

Austin Reaves drops career-high 35 points in pivotal Lakers win

Former Sooner Austin Reaves had the NBA world buzzing after his career-high 35 points helped propel the Lakers to a big win.

Despite his small-town Arkansas roots, Austin Reaves is shining bright in one of the world’s most visible cities playing for the most iconic basketball franchise in the world.

The former Oklahoma Sooner is a natural hooper and has become a big-time player for the Los Angeles Lakers.

In a frustrating season that has had its ups and downs, the Lakers are still pushing for the playoffs. The Lakers’ playoff hopes will come down to the final few games of the regular season.

One of basketball’s greatest players, LeBron James, suffered an injury that has had him sidelined for a few weeks. With James out, other Lakers have been pushed into the spotlight. When the Lakers entered the waning moments of yet another must-win game Sunday evening, the undrafted second-year guard dubbed “Hillbilly Kobe” had the ball in his hands instead of a top 25 player like Anthony Davis.

And he delivered.

Reaves went deep into his bag, scoring the Lakers’ last 10 points over the final 1:33 of a 111-105 win over the Orlando Magic. The win kept LA’s head above water in their pursuit of a playoff spot.

Reaves finished with a career-high 35 points, and chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P!” could be heard through Crypto.Com Arena. To go along with his 35 points, Reaves tossed in six rebounds and six assists. He was nails from the charity stripe going 16-for-18.

His craftiness was on full display as drives to the basket, floaters, spot-up threes, and fadeaway jumpers were all ways he got buckets against Magic defenders.

Anthony Davis, one of the Lakers’ superstar players and the man responsible for carrying the load nightly in the absence of LeBron James, was in awe after the game. “He carried us tonight with his play,” Davis said. “He got whatever he wanted, pick-and-rolls, 3s, got to the line 18 times. We know what we have in Austin. We’re very confident in him,”

As things currently stand, LeBron James won’t be back until the end of the regular season at best. That means more opportunities for Reaves to to be the Robin to Anthony Davis’ Batman. But on this night, Reaves played the role of the caped crusader.

He’ll be a restricted free agent after the season. The Lakers can match any contract offer given to Reaves. With the blessing from the team’s superstars, LeBron and Anthony Davis, Reaves is more than welcome to rejoin the team next year.

Shams Charania, the big-time NBA insider from The Athletic and Stadium, believes that his marketplace is the Lakers’ maximum possible offer of four years and $50 million.

He could be offered more on the market, but the Lakers will have the right to match. Reaves would be a valuable and appreciated player on a roster with only four players on the books for next season: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Max Christie.

Reaves is the only guard with meaningful NBA experience in that particular scenario. This season he’s averaging 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 54 games. He’s shooting 51.8 percent from the floor and 38.0 percent from deep. He’ll not only be a priority free agent re-signing for the Lakers, but NBA teams needing guard help will look to lure the rising star away from Hollywood.

Check out how social media reacted after [autotag]Austin Reaves[/autotag] big-time performance.

Oklahoma hoops legend Buddy Hield sets Pacers single season record for made 3’s

OU Hoops legend Buddy Hield broke the Indiana Pacers’ single-season three-point record, passing NBA legend Reggie Miller.

Oklahomaā€™s had one heck of a perplexing season on the hardwood. Theyā€™ve struggled with consistency and have fallen victim to having to play in the hardest conference in college basketball. They’re currently off the bubble for the NCAA tournament, even after a win over No. 12 Kansas State.

The last Oklahoma team that made a meaningful run in the NCAA tournament was led by Buddy Hield. He capped off one of the programā€™s best careers with a trip to the Final Four. Hield is now a starter for the Indiana Pacers and just passed an NBA legend for a significant single-season milestone.

Hield became the Pacersā€™ single-season leader for three-pointers, passing one of the best shooters in NBA history, Reggie Miller.

Miller was and will always remain one of the NBAā€™s premier shooters. He helped redefine basketball with his ability to shoot from distance. It helped paved the way for the long-range snipers we see across the basketball landscape today.

Hield has been a threat from distance since becoming a Sooner, where he left Norman as its all-time leader in three-pointers made and attempted with 349 three’s made.

Indiana has 22 games remaining and is in position to fight for a playoff spot, meaning Hield will continue to play starter minutes. Heā€™ll have the chance to add to his already franchise-leading single-season record while helping his team push for a playoff berth in just his first year in Indiana.

While the Pacers begin their All-Star break, Hield and his Pacers teammate Tyrese Haliburton (former Iowa State Cyclone) will participate in the 3-point contest at All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Hield is no stranger to the contest, as he won it in 2020 while a member of the Sacramento Kings. He could put himself into rare air by winning it twice.

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Former Sooner Trae Young leads Hawks in blowout win over the Hornets in NBA Play-in game

The 9-seed Hawks won their play-in matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, led by former Sooners Point Guard Trae Young’s double-double performance.

The Atlanta Hawks were simply the better team on Wednesday night as they cruised to a 132-103 victory over LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA Play-In Tournament. The Hawks were led by former OU point guardĀ [autotag]Trae Young[/autotag]’s double-double performance with. 24 points and 11 assists

Young struggled to get anything going from 3-point range against Charlotte, going 1-7, and didn’t have the best night shooting the ball. Young shot 33% from the floor. It didn’t seem to matter, however, as Young seemed to have eyes everywhere on the floor making ridiculous passes all over the place.

I mean this is just ridiculous:

That was the one three-pointer he made all night by the way. Go figure.

Should the Hawks go on a little bit of a run in these playoffs, I need Trae Young freshman season highlights playing 24/7 on every OU related social media account. We’re trying to rebuild a program here. This could be an amazing opportunity.

Paging, Coach Moser.

With Wednesday night’s victory against the Hornets, the Hawks will travel to Cleveland to face the the Cavaliers on Friday night. The Cavs are coming off a 115-108 loss to Kevin Durant’s Brooklyn Nets in Brooklyn. Whoever wins Friday night’s contest will earn the 8-seed in the East and a matchup with Jimmy Butler’s Miami Heat.

Here’s the thing about Cleveland: they’ve been missing all-star Jarrett Allen since March 6 due to a broken finger. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Allen will attempt to play on Friday night.

If Allen plays, that adds a new layer to this play-in matchup, but I still expect the fast-flying Hawks offense to claim the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

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From undrafted to role player, Sooner to Lakers guard Austin Reaves closes out rookie season on a high note

After going undrafted, former Sooner Austin Reaves made a name for himself playing for the prestigious Lakers franchise as a rookie.

[autotag]Austin Reaves[/autotag]’ college basketball journey started at Wichita State in 2016 before he transferred out and forever became a member of the Oklahoma Sooners family.Ā  He sat out a year before being able to play because the transfer portal had not been created in 2018.

His Oklahoma career saw him average 16.3 points per game in two years for the Sooners and he started all 56 games during his tenure. He chipped in 4 assists and 5 boards a game as well. He made plays against tough teams and future pros.

After his redshirt senior year in Norman, Reaves waded into the NBA waters with no guarantee he’d be drafted. That’s exactly what would happen too. Reaves went undrafted and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-way contract. In the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League, Reaves played well averaging 6.6 points, and 3.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 steal in 22.2 minutes.

Reaves’ summer league performance earned him a two-year contract. One with partial guarantees for year one and a team option in year two.

The former Sooners guard made his NBA debut on October 22, 2021 for a Lakers team in need of a spark and considerable help in the backcourt. The Lakers were dealing with injuries and unproductive rotation players for a struggling Lakers team expected to contend for the Western Conference, led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

He’d post 8 points in his debut against the the Pheonix Suns. In December, after getting comfortable with his role at the NBA level, Reaves began to stand out.

Reaves dropped 15 points, on 5-of-6 shooting from three, grabbed 7 rebounds, and hit a game-winning 3-pointer in a 107ā€“104 victory over Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

For the remainder of the season, Reaves battled inconsistent minutes despite his steadying presence for a Lakers team that was broken mentally and physically. Los Angeles suffered a number of injuries to star players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis in addition to Kendrick Nunn who projected to start for the Lakeshow.

Lakers head coach Frank Vogel seemed to trust Reaves at times and other times it was as if Reaves never existed. As it became more apparent the Lakers were going to be unable to wheel and deal for outside help to right the ship, an uptick in Reaves minutes saw positive results.

Despite the Lakers’ inability to make the playoffs with their plethora of future hall of famers, Reaves cemented himself in the final game of his rookie season. The former Sooners guard exploded for a triple-double against the Denver Nuggets. He put up a career-high 31 points, along with 16 rebounds and 10 assists, in a 146ā€“141 overtime win over the Denver Nuggets.

That was the first time in NBA history an undrafted rookie dropped a 30-point triple-double and only the second player ever to record a triple-double in their rookie season after going undrafted.

He also joined an elite Lakers list of Lonzo Ball, Elgin Baylor (NBA Hall of Famer), Jerry West (Hall of Famer and the man the NBA Logo is modeled after), Magic Johnson (widely considered one of the 10 best players ever and Hall of Famer) as the only Lakers players ever to post triple-doubles as rookies.

With that win, the Lakers season ended and Reaves spoke to Lakers media about his rookie year.

It’s an accomplishment to play with one hall of fame player in an NBA career, but six at one point is incredibly insane and was a massive opportunity for Reaves. The ability to learn from their ability and their talent could prove invaluable as he heads into his first full offseason with the Lakers.

For Reaves, his future seems a lot more secure and straightforward than it was at this point last year. He’s on an NBA team and he’ll be returning next year as a great rotational piece for whoever the Lakers hire to replace one-time NBA championship-winning coach Frank Vogel.

For Reaves, that means a fresh start and a fresh opportunity to prove himself as he’s done so many times before. From his leap of faith from Wichita State to Oklahoma and his success in the Crimson & Cream to posting 30 point triple-doubles like his teammates LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have done so frequently, Reaves has made a name for himself. Now he has a perfect opportunity to build on that and become an even bigger and more integral part of what will be a new-look Lakers team next year.

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