Tag: ducks in the nba

Ducks in the NBA: Bol Bol struggles, Eugene Omoruyi finds new home

There are a handful of Oregon Ducks contributing at the NBA level this season, although injuries are impacting many of the big names.

It was a disappointing season for the Oregon Ducks on the hardwood this season, but for hoops fans in Eugene at least there are a handful of alumni playing at the NBA level.

Dillon Brooks has been the Ducks player in the news most often this season, although usually for his antics on the court rather than his play on the court – which has been disappointing for the most part this year.

Elsewhere, Payton Pritchard is still with Boston despite requesting a trade before the deadline, Chris Duarte is still dealing with ankle injuries that have plagued him for two years, and Bol Bol’s tantalizing potential is marred by inconsistent play.

It all seems so familiar, which is why it’s no surprise that Chris Boucher is posting almost the exact same stat line from last year again this season.

There are some differences, namely Eugene Omoruyi’s team and the emergence of Troy Brown as a starter, but otherwise it’s a lot of familiarity in our latest update on Ducks in the NBA:

Former Oregon guard Eugene Omoruyi waived by OKC Thunder

Former Oregon Ducks forward Eugene Omoruyi was waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

Former Oregon Ducks wing Eugene Omoruyi was waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, making the 26-year-old a free agent.

Omoruyi originally signed a two-way deal with the Thunder last summer, which was converted to a standard deal just a few weeks ago. That included a contract for 2023-24, which was non-guaranteed.

Ultimately the Thunder decided to keep Dario Saric over Omoruyi, who played in 23 games for OKC and averaged 4.9 points and 2.3 rebounds in about 12 minutes per night – while also spending significant time in the G-League.

Omoruyi went undrafted out of Oregon in 2021, catching on first with the Dallas Mavericks where he played four games before getting released in December of that year.

The six-foot-six forward spent his first three years of college at Rutgers before transferring to Oregon, sitting out during the 2019-20 season, and then blossoming into a star in Eugene – averaging 17.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists for Dana Altman’s team.

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How NBA trade deadline impacted every Oregon Duck

The eight Oregon Ducks in the NBA all stayed put during the 2023 NBA trade deadline, but the moves their team made will impact playing time.

The NBA trade deadline is guaranteed to be among the most action packed days in sports every single year, and 2023 was no different.

Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns was the big move, immediately cementing this club as a title contender. The local Portland Trail Blazers made moves involving a pair of former Pac-12 stars, shipping Oregon State product Gary Payton II to Golden State while bringing in Washington alumni Matisse Thybulle.

No Ducks were involved in any deadline deals, although many will feel the effect of this day for the rest of the season. Some guys have a bigger opportunity to snag playing time, while others just saw their chances dwindle over the final few months.

Here is a look at how each of the eight Oregon alumni in the NBA were impacted by their team’s trade deadline acquisitions and departures, with an updated look at their performance on the season as well.

Payton Pritchard comments on playing time situation in Boston

Former Oregon Ducks guard Payton Pritchard is unhappy with his playing time situation in Boston with the Celtics.

Former Oregon Ducks guard Payton Pritchard has found himself in a shrinking role with the Boston Celtics over the past three years.

His playing time peaked at 19.2 minutes per game as a rookie, fell to 14.1 minutes last year, and now sits at just 12.5 minutes through his first 35 games of the 2022-23 season.

Pritchard was behind Dennis Schroder and Marcus Smart last year, and this year his minutes took a tumble after the team acquired Malcolm Brogdon over the summer.

The 25-year-old guard spoke candidly with Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner on the Point Forward podcast, indicating he is hoping for a bigger role over the next few years of his NBA career.

“Obviously after I’m done here, after this year, I’d like to look — be a part of a bigger role a little bit,” Pritchard said.

He went on to explain that – while he doesn’t know what his future holds – he feels he owes it to himself to get an opportunity to play a bigger role.

It’s obviously what I work for. I think that’s what Brad and them know, too. We’ve had that discussion but — a bigger role. I want to be part of a winning culture but I want to also help that, be a really big piece of that. I’m not saying it’s the best player on the team but I don’t know what my future holds unless I can take that next step. I don’t know what it is in five or 10 years but I just want to look back and know that I put my best foot forward. I put all the work in so whatever happens I can live with as long as I did it my way. That’s the most important thing for me.

Pritchard is under his rookie contract through the 2023-24 season, and considering he’d only cost Boston about $4 million it is hard to imagine the team dealing him right now, since he provides valuable guard depth and would be unlikely to fetch a return compelling enough for Boston to give that up.

Still, it is worth monitoring if Pritchard will get moved, either in the next few weeks or over the summer, and how a chance of scenery might impact the West Linn product and his ability to play a bigger role at the NBA level.

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Dillon Brooks comments on halftime altercation with Shannon Sharpe

Former Oregon Ducks forward Dillon Brooks spoke out after his halftime altercation with Shannon Sharpe during the Grizzlies Lakers game.

Former Oregon Ducks forward Dillon Brooks was among a handful of Memphis players irritated with Fox’s Shannon Sharpe and his behavior during the Grizzlies’ loss to the Lakers.

“I ain’t talking about that,” Brooks said of his heated exchange with Sharpe, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “You can ask him. He’s the blogger or whatever he is. I don’t really care about all that. Next question.”

Sharpe and several Memphis players – including Brooks, Steven Adams, Ja Morant, and Morant’s father Tee – engaged in a shouting match with the Pro Football Hall of Famer, to the point where security and officials had to get involved.

Sharpe spoke about the incident, targeting Brooks specifically for his role in the encounter.

“They didn’t want this smoke, Dave,” Sharpe said. “They do all that talking and jockeying and I ain’t about that jockeying. It started with Dillon Brooks. I said he was too small to guard LeBron. He said, ‘F— me.’ I said, ‘F— you’ back. He started to come at me, and I said, ‘You don’t want these problems.’ And then Ja came out of nowhere talking. He definitely didn’t want these problems. Then the dad came and he obviously didn’t want no problems.”

Brooks is averaging 16.1 points and a career-high 3.5 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who are in second place in the Western Conference.

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Former Oregon guard Tyler Dorsey waived by Dallas Mavericks

Tyler Dorsey appeared in three games for Dallas this season, his first NBA action since 2018-19.

Former Oregon Ducks guard Tyler Dorsey was waived by the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, making room for new two-way signee AJ Lawson out of NBA G League College Park – according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Dorsey’s three NBA appearances this year were his first since he was with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2018-19.

He spent each of the previous three years overseas, first in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv in 19-20 and 20-21 and then with Olympiacos in Greece for 21-22.

Dorsey had nine points on 4-4 shooting in his first game of the season back on October 22, but he didn’t get back into a game until December 14, going 0-1 in two and a half minutes. He saw the court for another 90 seconds on Christmas, failing to score before ultimately getting cut the next day.

Dorsey shouldn’t have any issue finding a job in Europe with a prominent club, should he choose, but he could also try to work his way back into the NBA via the G-League – assuming he passes through waivers and is free to sign with a new team.

Dorsey played two years at Oregon in 2015 and 2016, averaging 14.1 points in 75 games while shooting a blistering 41.6% from beyond the arc.

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Oregon Ducks in the NBA: Bol Bol is becoming a star before our eyes

Bol Bol has developed into a star for the Orlando Magic, representing the eight Oregon Ducks in the NBA quite well so far this year.

The Oregon Ducks have consistently churned out NBA talent during the Dana Altman era, and so far this season eight alumni have suited up at the game’s highest level.

The biggest storyline among Oregon alumni has been the emergence of center Bol Bol. After getting traded twice last season (and having one trade voided) Bol has found a home in Orlando.

Playing alongside superstar rookie Paolo Banchero, Bol has begun to show the tantalizing promise that made him such an intriguing prospect. He’s blocking shots, shooting threes, taking guys off the dribble, and making a strong impact on both ends of the floor so far this year.

Dillon Brooks, Chris Boucher, Chris Duarte, and Payton Pritchard are all settling into key roles similar to previous seasons – although an injury to Duarte has slowed his progress in year two.

Here is a look at how every Oregon alumni is performing through the first six weeks of NBA action:

Chris Boucher inks three-year deal to remain with Toronto Raptors

Former Oregon Ducks center Chris Boucher inked a three-year deal with the Toronto Raptors worth over $35 million dollars.

The NBA free agency period began with a frenzy – as is usually the case – and a large group of players already put pen to paper for the upcoming season.

Among that stack of freshly signed contracts is former Oregon Ducks big man Chris Boucher’s after he inked a three-year, $35.25 million dollar deal to remain in Toronto with the Raptors.

In 80 games with Toronto last season, Boucher averaged 9.4 points and 6.2 rebounds, down a bit from the 13.6 points he averaged in 20-21 when he shot a blistering 38.3% from the three point line. Still, it was nice to see the big man healthy for an entire season, as he failed to play in more than 62 games in the two previous years with Toronto.

Boucher, who tore his ACL late in his senior season at Oregon – a year the Ducks went to the Final 4 – will now look to reprise his role as a valuable stretch big man who can block shots for a Toronto team that is trying to make their way back into relevancy in the Eastern Conference.

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How many Oregon Ducks have ever played in the NBA Finals?

Payton Pritchard is set to become the fourth former Oregon Ducks player to play in the NBA Finals after the Boston Celtics advanced.

The Oregon Ducks will once again be represented in the NBA Finals after Payton Pritchard and the Boston Celtics advanced past the Miami Heat in a tightly contested Game 7 battle on Sunday.

Pritchard will become the fourth Oregon alumnus — and first since Jordan Bell in 2018 — to play in the NBA Finals when Boston takes on Bell’s old team, Golden State, starting with Game 1 on Thursday.

Bell was the first Duck to appear in the finals in nearly 40 years, a span that included the very successful careers of Terrell Brandon, Luke Ridnour and Blair Rasmussen among others.

Pritchard played a key role for the Celtics off the bench against Miami, averaging 6.5 points and two assists in the seven games. He adds solid defense and outside shooting to a squad that will need a sharp series in both areas to derail the return of the Golden State dynasty led by Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

Here are the Oregon alumni who have played in an NBA Finals, and how they (and their squads) did:

Only 1 Oregon Duck among Canada’s 14-core FIBA players this summer

Former Oregon Ducks forward Dillon Brooks – but not center Chris Boucher – is among Canada’s 14 core players ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games

14 Canadian basketball players – ranging from NBA stars to NCAA and international performers – committed to representing Canada over the next three years as the country ramps up for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

One former Oregon Ducks star – Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks – is among the commitments for the Canadians. At this time he will not be joined by fellow countrymen and Oregon alumni Chris Boucher.

Many felt Boucher’s size and outside shooting would be a huge boost for the Canadian squad, but Boucher’s upcoming free agency likely caused him to forego the events happening this summer, lest he risk injuring himself and jeopardizing his NBA future.

As noted by Sportsnet writer Blake Murphy, additional events in 2023 will almost certainly include more Canadian players, and perhaps Boucher will be among them at that time.

For now, Brooks will be joined by a handful of NBA stars, including RJ Barrett, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kelly Olynyk, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, and Dwight Powell, as well as Purdue’s Zach Edey and former Gonzaga point guard Kevin Pangos.

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