Tag: Aleem Ford

Wisconsin basketball multiyear starter to represent Puerto Rico in 2024 Olympics

Wisconsin basketball multiyear starter to represent Puerto Rico in 2024 Olympics

The Puerto Rico men’s national basketball team booked its ticket on Sunday to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. It did so with wins over Mexico and then Lithuania in the final two rounds of one of the FIBA men’s Olympic qualifying tournaments.

On the Puerto Rico team that will compete in the Olympics this summer is former Wisconsin multiyear starter Aleem Ford.

Related: Big Ten basketball teams ranked by returning production entering 2024-25 season

Ford first played for Puerto Rico during the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He is part of the territory’s Olympic team along with New Orleans Pelicans point guard Jose Alvarado and Memphis Hustle (NBA G League) small forward Davon Reed.

The former Badger played four years in Madison, Wisconsin. His career included 126 games played from 2017-2021 and per-game averages of 6.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.3 blocks.

Ford has bounced around the professional ranks since departing college in 2021. His winding career has included stops with the Leones De Ponce (Puerto Rico, 2021), Lakeland Magic (NBA G League, 2021-22), Orlando Magic (2021), Leones De Ponce (2022), Lakeland Magic (2022-23), Leones De Ponce (2023), Cleveland Charge (NBA G League, 2023-24), Wisconsin Herd (NBA G League, 2023-24) and, finally, back with the Leones De Ponce (2024).

The small forward is looking to make a return to the NBA; he played in five games with the Orlando Magic during the 2021-22 season. A strong showing at the Olympics against some of the world’s top competition could facilitate that return.

He and the Puerto Rico national team will be in Group C when the Olympics tip off this month. They are in a group with the USA, Serbia and South Sudan. The top two teams in the group advance to the elimination bracket.

The action starts on Saturday, July 27 and continues into August.

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Former Wisconsin Badgers standout joins Bucks organization

Former Badgers standout joins Bucks organization

The Wisconsin Herd traded guard Lindell Wigginton and a first-round pick to the Cleveland Charge in return for former Wisconsin Badgers forward Aleem Ford and a second-round pick Monday.

Ford played four seasons with the Badgers from 2017-2021, averaging 6.5 points and 3.3 rebounds during that time while also helping the team win a share of the Big Ten regular season title with Michigan State and Maryland in 2020.

The 6-foot-8 forward went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft and he spent two years with the Osceola Magic (Orlando’s G-League affiliate) before joining the Cleveland Charge this season.

Ford has produced 11.5 points per game while also adding 3.8 rebounds per contest over 24 games with the Charge and he’ll now look to impress back in the state of Wisconsin, now with the Herd.

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Former Wisconsin Badgers forward Aleem Ford signs with an NBA team

Add former Wisconsin forward Aleem Ford to the growing list of Badgers on NBA rosters for the upcoming season:

According to a report from Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel, former Wisconsin Badgers forward Aleem Ford has reached an agreement to join the Orlando Magic before the start of training camp.

Last season, the 6-foot-8 forward appeared in 33 games for the Lakeland Magic, Orlando’s G-League team, averaging 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 38% shooting from beyond the arc.

In December of 2021, Ford signed a 10-day contract with the Orlando Magic and appeared in five games, averaging 2.8 points and three rebounds, before returning to their G-League affiliate to finish the season.

In all likelihood, Ford will be a camp body with organizational familiarity.

Orlando will begin camp with 20 players, which will need to be trimmed to 15 before the start of the regular season.

The former Wisconsin Badger appeared in 126 career games (82 starts) in his four seasons with the UW program.

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Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Dillon Graff on Twitter @DillonGraff.

Wisconsin Badgers 2022 NBA Summer League Recap

Five former Badgers showcased their talents in the NBA summer league; let’s see how they fared:

The University of Wisconsin has only two players signed to guaranteed NBA contracts entering the 2022 season, Frank Kaminsky and lottery pick Johnny Davis, who was the first player selected during the Greg Gard era.

However, this summer, former Badgers Vitto Brown, Nate Reuvers, Micah Potter, and Aleem Ford also had a chance to showcase their talents in front of NBA scouting personnel in Las Vegas.

Summer league offers a little something for everyone who partakes. For rookies, it’s their first chance to get a taste of the next level. For other young players, it’s an opportunity to show their growth from one year to the next. For journeymen that have scratched and clawed their way to be in Las Vegas, it’s a last-ditch effort to make the leap from overseas to the association.

With summer league wrapping up last week, BadgersWire examines how all five former Wisconsin Badgers standouts played in Las Vegas:

Former Badgers forward Aleem Ford makes his NBA Summer League debut

On Thursday, a former Badgers forward made his NBA Summer League debut for the Orlando Magic:

On Thursday night, former Badgers forward Aleem Ford made his NBA summer league debut for the Orlando Magic against the Houston Rockets.

In 14 minutes of action, Ford totaled five points, two rebounds, and two assists on 2-of-7 shooting from the field.

Last season, the 6-foot-8 forward appeared in 33 games for the Lakeland Magic, averaging 12.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on 38% shooting from beyond the arc.

In December of 2021, Ford signed a 10-day contract with the Orlando Magic and would appear in five games before returning to their G-League affiliate to finish the season.

The former Badger appeared in 126 career games (82 starts) in his four seasons with the UW program.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion, and analysis. You can also follow Dillon Graff on Twitter @DillonGraff.

These three former Badgers will play in NBA Summer League

A look at the Badgers playing in NBA Summer League next week

NBA Summer League marks a chance for players to make a roster, get experience at the next level, and impress teams from around the league.

For three former Wisconsin players in the professional ranks, Las Vegas will provide a platform to accomplish different goals. Whether it be a rookie looking to gain valuable experience or a veteran trying to make a roster, Badgers will be on the floor at the 2022 NBA Summer League.

The main event begins on July 7 and runs through July 17 at the Thomas and Mack Center, the home of UNLV. Here is a look at the three Badgers who will be participating:

Former Badger Aleem Ford to play for Orlando Magic’s NBA Summer League team

Former Badger Aleem Ford will play for the Orlando Magic’s NBA Summer League team:

On Wednesday morning, the Orlando Magic announced their roster for the 2022 NBA Summer League and former Wisconsin forward Aleem Ford made the cut.

Related: WATCH: Johnny Davis’ introductory press conference in Washington

After being drafted No. 1 overall in the Puerto Rican BSN by Leones de Ponce last year, Ford played in 32 games averaging 7.6 points and 2.7 rebounds. In November, the former Badger was picked up by the Lakeland Magic the G League affiliate of Orlando.

After 12 games with Lakeland, Ford was signed to a 10-day contract in December where he made his NBA debut with the Magic. Unfortunately, Ford was sent back down to Lakeland at the end of his contract, but hopefully, his play this summer can get him onto an NBA roster.

Explaining the NBA’s hardship exception and the free agents who signed as replacement players

Explaining what hardship exceptions and replacement players mean as COVID-19 protocols hit the NBA.

As the omicron variant of COVID-19 continues to spread, the NBA has required a large share of “replacement players” to fill in for the players who are in health and safety protocols. And so far, more than 100 players have reportedly entered the league’s health and safety protocols so far this month, per ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.

But how exactly do the “replacement players” work?

Essentially, the NBA’s hardship exception allows teams to exceed the 15-man roster limit if more than three players on the roster are each going to miss extended time due to illness or injury. Typically, teams weren’t allowed to apply for the hardship exception before Jan. 5.

But starting last season, the league changed the policy to allow earlier exceptions. And as of earlier this week, effective Dec. 19 until Jan. 19, the NBA is allowing teams to sign one replacement player for each player on their roster who tests positive for COVID-19.

While there are some big names (e.g. Isaiah Thomas, Lance Stephenson, CJ Miles) who have signed as replacement players, there are lots of promising young NBA hopefuls who are hoping to use this opportunity as a chance to stick around the league.

Not all of the players below were signed through hardship exceptions and some transactions (e.g. DeMarcus Cousins and Wesley Matthews to the Milwaukee Bucks) may have happened anyway during a normal season.

But below, based on the NBA’s transaction log and reporting from the league’s top insiders, you can find a live tracker of all the players who have signed new deals with NBA teams over the course of the past month.

WATCH: Aleem Ford scores his first NBA basket

Aleem Ford scores his first NBA points

As the NBA struggles with COVID-19 issues forcing players out, a number of NBA G-League prospects have been called up to the main squad.

One of those prospects is former Wisconsin Badger forward Aleem Ford, who signed a 10-day contract with the Orlando Magic on December 17.

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Ford had spent the first portion of the season with the Lakeland Magic, Orlando’s NBA G-League affiliate.

The former Badger made his NBA debut on December 17, as Orlando fell to Miami. Ford played 7 minutes, and scored his first NBA basket in the process.

The Georgia native attacked Duncan Robinson’s closeout, and was able to finish with the left hand for his first points:

Former badgers forward Aleem Ford makes NBA debut on Friday

Former Wisconsin badgers forward Aleem Ford was called up to the Orlando Magic on Friday to make his NBA debut.

Former Wisconsin badgers forward Aleem Ford was one of four players signed to a 10-day contract by the Orlando Magic on Friday.

This signing comes via hardship exceptions made by the NBA. Orlando currently has five players ruled out on Friday: Moritz Wagner, Mo Bamba, RJ Hampton, Terrance Ross, and Ignas Brazdeikis all of which are unavailable due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Undrafted in 2021 NBA draft, Aleem Ford had been playing for the Lakeland Magic of the NBA G League this season. Ford has played in 12 games, starting seven of them – averaging 9.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists  in just over 28 minutes per game.

Mar 4, 2020; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers forward Aleem Ford (2) celebrates a three-point basket during the game with the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at the Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

Aleem Ford appeared in 126 career games (82 starts) in his four seasons playing for the badgers.

Aleem Ford will wear #11 with the Orlando Magic.

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