Marial Shayok wanted to ‘dominate as much as possible’ in the G League

76ers two-way rookie Marial Shayok reflected on his rookie year in the G League in an interview with Rookie Wire.

Marial Shayok recalled a conversation with his veteran teammates last summer that helped pave the way for a successful first season as a professional.

The Philadelphia 76ers rookie knew as a player signed to a two-way contract that he would spend much of the 2019-20 season in the NBA G League with the Delaware Blue Coats. Shayok also knew that he wanted to leave his mark and establish his name early in the year.

Shayok did just that, and more with the Blue Coats.

He finished third in scoring among all qualified players in the G League after posting 23 points per game. Shayok added 5.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 35 games played, while he shot 45.4% from the field, including 35.6% from 3-point range.

“I really wanted to come out and make a big, big impact,” Shayok told Rookie Wire. “I wanted to come out hot and be aggressive and put up some big numbers.

As the season went on, I started to get a lot more double teams and a lot more attention. It was kinda cool just learning how to play through that and still be effective as a player and help win games. I try to come out every game and dominate as much as possible and help the team win.

Shayok started that dominance as soon as the G League season began.

The former Iowa State forward scored 34 points in his debut game with the Blue Coats and followed that performance up by recording a season-high 42 points on Nov. 11. He was one of 14 players to reach that mark in a game this season.

Shayok scored in double figures each time he stepped onto the court and topped the 30-point mark four different times this season.

After his stellar season, Rookie Wire named Shayok the No. 1 player in the G League for the 2019-20 season. Shayok quickly became the top-scoring option for the Blue Coats and had them in the playoff race prior to the G League suspending play due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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The Sixers selected Shayok with the 54th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. He proved at Iowa State that he could score at all three levels after averaging a career-high 18.7 points as a senior.

Shayok picked up where he left off with the 76ers in the Las Vegas Summer League, averaging a team-high 14.5 points per game in his first action against NBA competition. He looked to be an early steal in the draft based on where he was selected.

With several players ahead of Shayok on the depth chart, Shayok projected to have a difficult time finding playing time in the NBA. While some players may see playing the G League as a demotion, Shayok embraced it and saw it as an opportunity to improve.

“Coming into the season, I wanted to go out there and show what I could do,” Shayok said. “I’d much rather prefer to have the opportunity to really showcase my whole game rather than just be [with the Sixers] and not really have an opportunity. I really used the whole G League season to my advantage and made the most of it.”

Prior to joining the Blue Coats, Shayok sought after some advice from the veteran players on the 76ers. He singled out Tobias Harris as a player that really stepped up and helped him and fellow rookie Matisse Thybulle in the early going.

(Photo by Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports)

Harris has been highly regarded for his character on and off of the court over his nine seasons in the NBA. Along with Al Horford, Harris has been one of the veteran leaders in the Sixers’ locker room this season and his presence has been calming for Shayok.

“He kinda really took me under his wing when I first got here in the summer,” Shayok said. “I went [to the G League] at peace and just ready to work.

It slows everything down for you because you’re the rookie and he went through everything I went through, especially at this stage. It makes you feel a lot more confident hearing everything about what he went through and he probably went through the same exact thing. It slows everything down and kinda puts you at ease.

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Shayok, like most, is trying to stay busy during his time away from basketball. Practice facilities around the NBA are closed to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. As a result, players have had to resort to staying active on their own.

Fortunately, Shayok has a stationary bike with him in Philadelphia.

“I actually have a bike here. I have just been biking, got a few dumbbells and medicine balls,” Shayok said. “I’m just trying to get a routine going. I’ve been doing yoga, working out and trying to find stuff to keep me busy. It has been crazy.”

The NBA suspended the regular season until further notice on March 11 after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, 13 other players and individuals in the NBA have tested positive for the coronavirus.

“It was crazy. I had a game that morning the day the Rudy Gobert news came out,” Shayok said. “It started to feel real then, you know what I mean? I was immediately just shocked and then I figured that the NBA was going to shut down.”

The growing belief around the NBA is the regular season will resume no sooner than June but commissioner Adam Silver says the league will look at all of the options on the table for returning to play.

In the meantime, Shayok will try to stay busy during his downtime and stay ready for his next opportunity, whenever that may with the NBA season in limbo.

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