Tag: 2022 nba draft

‘He should fit right in with that young core’: NBA scout Michael VandeGarde on Keegan Murray

Former NBA scout Michael VandeGarde says Keegan Murray “should fit right in with that young core” on the Sacramento Kings.

It seems like everyone has nothing but positive things to say about former Iowa Hawkeye and now No. 4 overall draft pick Keegan Murray of the Sacramento Kings.

Why not, right? After all, Murray just ironed down the NBA 2K23 Summer League’s Most Valuable Player award. In his four games in the NBA 2K23 Summer League, Murray averaged 23.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals. Murray also shot 50% from the field, and an impressive 40% from 3-point range.

Naturally, his performances picked up plenty of buzz from onlookers across social media. His summer has also caught the attention of a former longtime NBA scout as well.

Michael VandeGarde, who spent 18 years with the Philadelphia 76ers, caught up with Rutgers Wire to discuss where players landed in the 2022 NBA draft.

“I like where Keegan Murray landed. He is a great fit for the Kings although I would have swung for the superstar talent of Ivey. I like how he will fit into the new culture of the Kings. He will do well there,” VandeGarde said.

VandeGarde now works with CoachTube, a digital platform that provides online sports coaching and training from former college and professional coaches as well as players. He elaborated on his thoughts on Murray joining the Kings.

“The Kings need a multi-versatile offensive player who can score with some size next to (Domantas) Sabonis. I like De’Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell and Sabonis. He should fit right in with that young core. He is an elite worker and has improved immensely in the last few years. He has to continue that trajectory for his first few years in the NBA. I like the direction of the Kings since Monte McNair took over,” VandeGarde said.

Again, it’s more of the rave reviews we’ve seen and heard so far with Murray. Equally important, it seems like Murray is really satisfied with where he’s wound up.

“I, fortunately, in a positive way, fell to the Kings and it’s been a blessing for me. And I’ve just been blessed to be in this position. I think this is one of the best organizations I could have been a part of for my rookie year,” Murray said.

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Paolo Banchero says his head was in Houston prior to 2022 draft day

“I was a little surprised they called,” top NBA draft prospect Paolo Banchero tells Yahoo’s Chris Haynes, referring to the Magic. “Again, my mind was in Houston.”

It wasn’t just fans and media who were surprised by the draft-day switch of Paolo Banchero going No. 1 to the Orlando Magic and Jabari Smith Jr. going No. 3 to the Rockets. In a new interview with Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Banchero admits that he was caught offguard, as well.

“That’s kind of where my mind was at, and I was fine with it,” Banchero said of his anticipated selection at No. 3 in the first round. “In Houston, I would say that’s where my head was at that time.”

Banchero, who often spoke with longtime friends Jalen Green and Josh Christopher about potentially joining the Rockets, said he was unaware of Orlando’s interest until a Zoom call within 48 hours of the draft.

“I was a little surprised they called,” Banchero told Haynes, in reference to the Magic. “Again, my mind was in Houston.”

Since then, Smith has averaged 15.0 points (40.7% FG), 8.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 29.6 minutes over four games with the Rockets in summer league, while Banchero averaged 20.0 points (40.7% FG), 6.0 assists, and 5.0 rebounds in two games with the Magic before shutting it down.

Heading into the 2022 draft, Smith was widely viewed by scouts as the superior defender and shooter, with Banchero having the edge in shot creation and passing — and that’s generally how things played out in Las Vegas, albeit in an extremely limited sample size.

Smith and Banchero will inevitably be compared throughout their NBA careers due to the draft-day drama — which apparently surprised not only fans and media members, but even the players themselves.

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‘His teammates will love playing with him’: Fran McCaffery on Sacramento Kings’ Keegan Murray

Iowa’s Fran McCaffery raved about Keegan Murray’s fit with Sacramento, saying “his teammates will love playing with him.”

Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery was telling anybody who would listen that Keegan Murray would take a backseat to no player in this recent 2022 NBA draft class.

What others passed up was the Sacramento Kings’ gain with the No. 4 overall selection. Jacob Keppen immediately broke down why Murray was a great fit with the Kings from day one, and his 2022 NBA Summer League performances have done nothing to disappoint those proclamations.

Over three games in the 2022 California Classic Summer League, Murray averaged a league-best 19.7 points per game, shot 51.1% from the floor and 43.8% from 3-point range and grabbed eight rebounds per contest.

Through his first two games in the NBA 2K23 Summer League from Las Vegas, Murray averaged 21.5 points per game, shot 44.4% from the floor and 40.0% from 3-point distance and grabbed six rebounds per game.

Those numbers are set to go up after Murray dazzled in his most recent game with 29 points, seven rebounds and four steals in an 86-80 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Of course, that matchup featured Murray against No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren. In one Summer League game, it wasn’t close who the better player was on this particular night.

In short, he’s been as advertised. It’s no surprise to McCaffery who caught up with Jason Ross of Sactown Sports 1140.

Here’s everything McCaffery had to say about Murray’s Summer League showings so far.

‘His talent level is a 10 but …’ NBA rookies try a hoops version of the viral TikTok meme

Players at the NBA Draft gave absolutely fascinating answers.

NEW YORK — Now that they’ve turned pro, NBA rookies are adjusting to their life with new teammates. No matter the team, it’s a major transition.

Some of their new teammates will be easier to adjust to than others. As for what qualities each player is looking for, though, that depends on the individual. How frustrating would it be to play with someone who never passes you the ball? Is it all right if your new colleague is hard to be around if he is still very good at basketball?

For The Win was invited to attend the red carpet of the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. While there, we had the unique opportunity to ask several players these questions.

To do this, we tried a hoops-specific version of the viral TikTok trend that uses a 1-to-10 rating scale to start conversations about dating standards. The original idea stemmed from two sisters having silly discussions comparing characteristics and traits.

With our version of the game, for example, we asked rookies how much they would enjoy playing with someone if their talent level was 10 out of 10, but they never passed the ball. What would their teammate rating be?

Below, you can read and watch the best answers from the 2022 NBA Draft rookie class:

Why the summer Rockets may consider experimenting with more Tyty Washington usage

Second-year guards Daishen Nix and Josh Christopher have fared well. With that in mind, could the Rockets give more reps to TyTy Washington as summer league play winds down?

We are three games into the five-game Las Vegas summer league, and the young Houston Rockets are in the middle of what has to be described as a successful campaign. The team is 2-1, most recently with victories over the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

The 2022 first-round rookies have come exactly as advertised. Jabari Smith Jr. has flashed elite defensive potential, Tari Eason has been explosive and scrappy on both ends of the floor, and TyTy Washington looks like the balanced guard Houston hoped for when they drafted him.

In addition to the rookies, much of the group’s scoring and narratives have come from their second-year guards. Specifically, that’s 2021 first-round draft pick Josh Christopher and 2021 undrafted free agent Daishen Nix. Christopher has served as the team’s alpha engine on the offensive end, and Nix has started at point guard in all three contests.

With only two games left, it may be time to wonder if Houston should shut down their “veteran” guards in one or both of their last two games, starting Thursday versus Portland. It can be argued that they’ve seen everything needed from both Nix and Christopher, and teams often sit veterans late in summer league to guard against potential injuries.

Christopher has shown a diverse offensive skillset and aggression that could be pivotal on the team’s second unit during this upcoming season. Nix, after a slow start in the summer opener, has used his basketball IQ and patience at the point guard position to bring out the best from Smith while making the offensive a more cohesive unit. Both players scored 18 points, and Nix chipped in 6 assists during Monday’s victory.

As summer league winds down, this could be an interesting time to see what other guards have to offer in a low-stakes situation.

Washington, in particular, could be the benefactor of less infrastructure at the guard positions. He’s flashed excellent vision, along with a quickness that allows him to attack the paint easily when the court is properly spaced. The vacuum created from the loss of Nix or Christopher would not only give the coaching staff time to see these skills in a more featured role, but it could present an opportunity to Washington to further display what kind of talent he’s bringing to the NBA level.

Washington is already showing excellent chemistry with his fellow first rounders off the court. It feels only deserving that Washington sees every opportunity to flash that same talent in competition.

There are, of course, arguments against it.

Houston is finally winning some games here in the summer league, and there’s certainly a thought it may be best to leave the formula alone. Confidence is pivotal in young players, and the coaching staff may believe that the continued development of Nix and Christopher is a greater priority than anyone behind them on the depth chart.

After all, they’re both guaranteed to be factors in the Rockets upcoming regular season campaign. The depth chart at guard on the current roster, beyond Washington, is promised essentially nothing.

In addition to their own development, it’s hard to argue that Nix isn’t aiding in the development of Houston’s wing players. Smith, in particular, looked at his best on Tuesday when Nix was taking time to find him in the right spots on the court and allowing sets to develop that most benefited him. Elsewhere, Christopher’s volume on the offensive end is allowing players like Tari Eason better 3-point looks, along with more energy to spend on defense and second-chance offensive baskets.

Ultimately, this is a good problem to have for Houston. Their second-year players have shown development and are capitalizing against the inexperienced summer competition. Now, they just have to decide what’s best for the development of the group and the team at large.

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TyTy Washington enjoys Arizona reunion with Jalen Williams

Rockets guard TyTy Washington enjoyed Saturday’s reunion with fellow Arizona native Jalen Williams of the Thunder, and he really enjoyed shaking Williams on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer.

LAS VEGAS – As time was ticking off the clock in the first half of Saturday’s Houston Rockets summer league game versus Oklahoma City, Rockets guard TyTy Washington received a cross-court pass from teammate Daishen Nix right above the 3-point line.

With Josh Christopher open in the corner, the Thunder defender had to quickly decide who he would guard, and he followed his instincts and closed out on the shooter. From there, Washington pump-faked a shot, took one hard dribble to the right, and hoisted up a 24-foot 3-point shot over the outstretched arm of a second defender. Washington’s shot hit nothing but net, giving his team a 45-40 halftime lead.

What made the shot so special wasn’t that Washington made a good basketball play. It was the fact that he had pump-faked his old high school nemesis, Jalen Williams, who was selected at No. 12 overall in the 2022 NBA draft by Oklahoma City. The two Arizona natives grew up playing against each other and are good friends off the court.

“It felt really good,” Washington said about his buzzer-beater over Willams. “When he was running at me, I looked at him, and once I pump-faked him and moved to the side, I heard him screaming, ‘That’s off.’ So, after I made it, I looked at him like, come on Jalen, you know I got this.”

Washington, who scored 9 points in 22 minutes, was a standout high school player at Ceasar Chavez and Arizona Compass Prep. Meanwhile, Williams shined at Gilbert Perry. The two have known each other for a very long time, but they hadn’t played against each other in a while.

“Me and Jalen started playing against each other when we were like babies, like eight or nine years old,” Washington said postgame. “From middle school to early high school. This is my first time playing against him since then. It’s been a long time, but just seeing us out there on the biggest stage out there competing was really cool.”

Williams echoed the same friendly sentiments towards Washington in his post-game press conference.

“It is kind of rare, especially in Arizona, to play against someone you grew up with,” said Williams, who finished with 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting (58.3%) in 28 minutes. He also had 5 rebounds and 2 steals. “I have known TyTy (Washington) since we were like six. So, it was a really cool experience and he played well, too, so that was dope.”

Arizona became a hot spot for NBA talent in this year’s draft. In all, six players from the state were drafted, including Washington, who was selected by Memphis at No. 29 and traded to the Rockets.

“I feel like Arizona is slept on, but this year we had six people who went to high school in Arizona get drafted,” said Washington, who put Houston in front for good with a floater in the final 30 seconds of Saturday’s win. “Arizona is not a bummy state. We got a few hoopers out there.”

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JD Davison signs two-way contract with Boston Celtics

JD Davison is officially a member of the Boston Celtics organization!

Former Alabama Crimson Tide hoops star, [autotag]JD Davison[/autotag], was selected by the Boston Celtics with the No. 53 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft. Davison was the Celtics’ lone selection in the draft.

Now, Davison is officially a member of the Celtics as he signed a two-way contract and will also be a part of the Maine Celtics, the franchise’s G-League affiliate.

Davison, a former five-star recruit, only spent one year with the Crimson Tide and has loads of untapped potential at only 19 years old. Davison averaged 8.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game in his only collegiate season.

Roll Tide Wire will continue covering JD Davison and other former Alabama basketball players now in the NBA.

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OKC Thunder officially sign Jaylin Williams, per The Athletic

The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed Jaylin Williams to a four-year deal.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have officially signed their entire 2022 rookie class.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Saturday that the Thunder signed Jaylin Williams to a four-year, $8.2 million deal.

Williams was drafted No. 34 overall in the second round of the 2022 NBA draft. First round picks Chet Holmgren, Ousmane Dieng and Jalen Williams all recently signed their rookie scale deals.

Williams spent two college seasons at Arkansas, where he averaged 7.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 46.1 percent shooting in 63 games. Williams led the country in charges last season at 54.

Williams has been a Summer League participant so far in the team’s games and is expected to continue to play in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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B/R analyst rates Boston Celtics camp invitee Trevion Williams 5th-best undrafted 2022 prospect

Is the big man’s unorthodox passing game a good fit for the Celtics?

There is a palpable buzz building around the NBA potential of undrafted big man Trevion Williams, who is likely hours away from making his Las Vegas Summer League debut with the Boston Celtics‘ Sin City squad. The Purdue product’s passing and court vision is already earning him praise from fellow Summer Celtics and Boston assistant coach Ben Sullivan, the team’s head coach for the annual Nevada exhibition series.

And that is not so surprising to established scholars of the NBA prospect game like Bleacher Report’s Ben Wasserman, who rates Williams as the No. 5 undrafted prospect from the 2022 draft — it seems Boston may very well have stumbled onto some found gold in the Purdue product.

“Scouts have had trouble picturing a fit with Trevion Williams, a 265-pound big who doesn’t shoot or offer much defensive value,” wrote Wasserman, acknowledging how he managed to slip out of the second round and into Boston’s camp rotation.

WATCH: JD Davison talks about being a member of the Boston Celtics

JD is already figuring out what he can do to help his new team win!

Former Alabama men’s basketball guard JD Davison was drafted No. 53 overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA draft. When first joining Alabama as a five-star prospect, many had high hopes that he would be a first-run selection following his first season of college basketball.

Instead, Davison left after his first year and was selected deep in the second round by the Celtics. The reigning Eastern Conference champions had only one pick in the draft and used it to select Davison.

The young star is already with the team and practicing. He recently sat down during meditation availability to discuss the team and his role on the Celtics.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to cover Davison and other former Alabama basketball stars in the NBA.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

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