Tag: Adama Bal

Rumor: Santa Clara guard Adama Bal to withdraw from 2024 NBA draft

Adama Bal will reportedly withdraw from the 2024 NBA draft and return to Santa Clara for his senior year.

Adama Bal will reportedly withdraw from the 2024 NBA draft and return to Santa Clara for his senior year, according to Jacob Myers on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Bal announced on April 6 that he would declare for the draft while maintaining his remaining college eligibility. He recently participated in the G League Elite Camp and worked out with the Golden State Warriors on May 9.

The 6-foot-7 guard was named to the All-WCC first team after averaging 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists on 35.4% shooting from 3-point range this past season. He registered nine 20-point games, including a season-high 28 points on Jan. 6 in a win over Pepperdine.

Bal took advantage of his increased role with the Broncos after playing sparingly over his first two years at Arizona. He started every game for the first time and ranked seventh in the conference in scoring and eighth in assists per game.

He will have the opportunity to return to school and work on his overall game based on the feedback received from team executives in interviews. He projects to be on several player award watchlists next season with the Broncos.

His return figures to be a big addition to the Broncos’ roster next season. The team is expected to retain much of its roster while adding transfer Carlos Stewart from LSU.

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Projected first-round pick Jared McCain headlines Warriors’ first draft workout

Projected first-round pick Jared McCain is among six prospects who will work out with the Warriors on Thursday.

Projected first-round pick Jared McCain is among six prospects who will work out with the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, according to Danny Emerman of the Bay Area News Group.

McCain was named to the ACC All-Rookie team after averaging 14.3 points, five rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals on 41.4% shooting from 3-point range in 36 games. He ranked 16th in the country among freshmen in 3-point percentage.

In addition to McCain, the Warriors will also host Boise State guard Chibuzo Agbo, Santa Clara guard Adama Bal, Northwestern guard Brooks Barnhizer, Weber State guard Dillon Jones and Grand Canyon forward Gabe McGlothan in the workout.

The Warriors have one draft selection this year, the 52nd pick from the Milwaukee Bucks. They owe their first-round pick to the Portland Trail Blazers but will keep it if it falls within the first four selections in the draft lottery.

Golden State is slotted 14th in the draft lottery and has a 0.7% chance of landing the top pick and a 3.4% chance of making the top four. The pick, in all likelihood, will convey to the Trail Blazers, leaving the Warriors with only a second-round pick.

Teams often bring in as many prospects as possible to collect information on their personalities and on-court work ethics. The Warriors may not be able to draft every player they bring in, but they could cross paths with them again or look to acquire a first-round pick.

The draft lottery will occur on Sunday at 3 p.m. EDT on ABC.

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All-American Caleb Love headlines list of invitees for G League Elite Camp

Arizona senior Caleb Love was among the 45 players invited to participate in the G League Elite Camp on May 11-12 in Chicago, Illinois.

Arizona senior Caleb Love was among the 45 players invited to participate in the 2024 NBA G League Elite Camp May 11-12 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

Love was voted a third-team All-American by the Associated Press and the Pac-12 Player of the Year after averaging 18 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals on 41.3% shooting from the field with the Wildcats. He finished fourth in the conference in scoring.

The 6-foot-4 guard transferred to Arizona in May 2023 after spending three years at North Carolina. He finished with 1,476 career points in 101 games with the Tar Heels and made 200 3-pointers, which ranks eighth in program history.

The full list of players invited to the G League Elite Camp:

Player Previous
Mark Armstrong Villanova
Taran Armstrong Cairns Taipans (NBL)
Adama Bal Santa Clara
Keion Brooks Jr. Washington
Terrell Burden Kennesaw State
Branden Carlson Utah
Walter Clayton Jr. Florida
Isaiah Crawford Louisiana Tech
Yongxi Cui Guangzhou (China)
Clarence Daniels New Hampshire
Thierry Darlan G League Ignite
Garwey Dual Providence
Sean East II Missouri
Jesse Edwards West Virginia
Boogie Ellis USC
Tristan Enaruna Cleveland State
Aaron Estrada Alabama
Allen Flanigan Mississippi
Enrique Freeman Akron
Blake Hinson Pitt
Jaelen House New Mexico
Isaac Jones Washington State
Arthur Kaluma Kansas State
Chaz Lanier North Florida
Jaedon LeDee San Diego State
Xaivian Lee Princeton
Jalen Lewis Overtime Elite
Malique Lewis Mexico City Capitanes (G League)
Caleb Love Arizona
Baba Miller Florida State
Emanuel Miller TCU
Judah Mintz Syracuse
Matthew Murrell Mississippi
Baye Ndongo Georgia Tech
Jameer Nelson Jr. TCU
Ugonna Onyenso Kentucky
Wooga Poplar Miami (Fla.)
Zyon Pullin Florida
Mantas Rubstavicius NZ Breakers (NBL)
Babacar Sane G League Ignite
Isaiah Stevens Colorado State
Jarin Stevenson Alabama
Nae’Qwan Tomlin Memphis
Bryson Warren Sioux Falls Skyforce (G League)
Anton Watson Gonzaga

The 45 prospects invited to the G League Elite Camp were voted on by team executives. The list of players typically indicates those with the highest odds of being selected or signed as undrafted free agents with teams after the draft on June 27.

The event will feature 5-on-5 games, strength and agility testing, shooting drills, measurements and other related on-court exercises. Prospects will have the opportunity to improve their draft stock in a competitive environment against their peers.

The top players from the G League Elite Camp will be invited to participate in the draft combine on May 12-19. The event has helped several players advance to the combine and eventually make it to the NBA, including Jose Alvarado, Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Terance Mann.

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All-WCC guard Adama Bal announces decision to test 2024 NBA draft

Santa Clara junior Adama Bal announced that he will declare for the 2024 NBA draft while maintaining his remaining college eligibility.

Santa Clara junior guard Adama Bal announced this week on social media that he will declare for the 2024 NBA draft while maintaining his remaining college eligibility.

Bal, who was born in France, was named to the All-WCC first team after averaging 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists on 35.4% shooting from 3-point range in 30 games. He registered nine 20-point games, including a season-high 28 points on Jan. 6 in a win over Pepperdine.

The 6-foot-7 standout took advantage of his increased role with the Broncos after playing sparingly at Arizona. He started every game for the first time and ranked seventh in the conference in scoring and eighth in assists per game.

Bal began the year considered a first-round pick but his stock dropped after an inconsistent year. He is projected to be a possible second-round pick, likely a key reason why the decision was made to test the pre-draft process instead of signing with an agent.

The 20-year-old is highly touted for creating for himself and getting others involved. He has had some crafty finishes at the rim and can finish through contact. He will need to improve as a shooter, but he has offered glimpses of what he can bring to the next level.

Bal will have the opportunity to improve his draft positioning in team interviews and workouts during the pre-draft process. He could also be invited to compete in the G League Elite Camp or draft combine next month in Chicago, Illinois.

He has until May 29 to withdraw from the draft and return to school.

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2024 NBA Mock Draft: Latest first-round projections at midway point of season

Rookie Wire took a look at the 2024 NBA draft class and where the top prospects stand as of Feb. 1.

The top NBA draft prospects worldwide have collectively reached the second halves of their respective seasons as they look to showcase themselves in front of scouts and executives.

The class this year has seen several players help their stock, while others have struggled and fallen down draft boards. Some players have also dealt with recent injuries and other factors that have prevented them from reaching their potential.

The draft is widely considered open at the top of the board, with several prospects in the conversation to be the first selection. Unlike last year, when Victor Wembanyama was the consensus No. 1 pick, there is no clear-cut choice this year.

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Prospects will continue to see their standing fluctuate over the remaining two-plus months of action on the court as scouts have more time to evaluate them. The sheer unknown atop the draft board should create plenty of storylines to follow over the remainder of the season.

The NBA announced on Wednesday that the draft will be expanded to a two-night format, with the first round set to take place on June 26 at the Barclays Center. The second round will be at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York the following night.

Rookie Wire looked at the class and where the top prospects stand at this point of the season. The order was determined by the reverse order of the NBA standings as of Feb. 1.

Note: Player fit wasn’t necessarily taken into account with each pick. Pick protections and other notes courtesy of Tankathon.