Tag: nba g league select team

Projected first-round pick Tyler Smith declares for 2024 NBA draft

Smith averaged 13.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and one block on 47.4% shooting from the field in 43 games with the Ignite.

G League Ignite forward Tyler Smith told Jonathan Givony of ESPN on Wednesday that he is declaring for the 2024 NBA draft after one year with the program.

Smith averaged 13.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and one block on 47.4% shooting from the field in 43 games with the Ignite. He produced seven 20-point games, including a season-high 29 points and four rebounds against the Indiana Mad Ants on Feb. 13.

The 6-foot-11 standout was selected to compete in the Rising Stars game in February as one of the top players in the G League. He also participated in the G League Next Up Game at All-Star Weekend.

Smith, a former consensus five-star prospect, joined the Ignite in June 2023 after two seasons at Overtime Elite. He was named to the All-OTE second team last season after averaging 15.7 points, eight rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 47.5% shooting from the field with Cold Hearts.

The 19-year-old is projected to be a first-round pick after developing into a versatile player who can run the floor and provide floor spacing at the next level, converting 36% from 3-point range on 3.7 attempts this past season. He can also work in the post, with his touch and footwork.

Smith will have the opportunity to improve his draft positioning in team interviews and workouts over 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.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

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Projected lottery pick Ron Holland cleared for full activity after thumb surgery

Holland set the Ignite single-season record for steals, 30-point games and 20-point games while finishing second in points.

G League Ignite forward Ron Holland told Jonathan Givony of ESPN on Tuesday that he will enter the 2024 NBA draft after one season with the program.

Holland averaged 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.3 steals on 45.5% shooting from the field in 29 games. He set the Ignite single-season record for steals (69), 30-point games (4) and 20-point games (16) while finishing second in points (565).

The 18-year-old missed the last 18 games of the season after sustaining a ruptured tendon in his right thumb. He underwent surgery on Feb. 27 and was cleared for full activity several weeks ago, likely clearing the way for his participation in pre-draft workouts.

Holland, the former consensus five-star prospect, is projected to be a lottery pick in the draft, given his potential and overall skill set. He looked to be settling in with the Ignite before the injury, resulting in some strong performances.

He will have the opportunity to improve his draft positioning in team interviews and workouts over 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.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

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Trail Blazers’ Scoot Henderson reacts to NBA shutting down G League Ignite

The NBA and the G League announced on Thursday that the Ignite will conclude their final season this year.

The NBA and the G League announced on Thursday that the Ignite will conclude their final season after serving as a development program for the top prospects for four seasons.

The decision to shut the program down was made amid the changing basketball landscape, including the emergence of name, image and likeness licensing and the rising role of collectives and the transfer portal in the college game. Ultimately, the league opted it was best to end the program altogether.

The Ignite helped produce 10 NBA draft picks over their first three seasons, including Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Dyson Daniels, MarJon Beauchamp and Scoot Henderson. Nine former players were on rosters entering this season.

Henderson, speaking with Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report, wasn’t surprised to see the program end, but he was very thankful for his two years with the team.

There were multiple reasons that it shut down. But whoever played on the team and made an impact for ourselves and in the world, that’s all you can think about. I really thank the people at Ignite. The little people that you don’t see. They don’t really get enough credit for how much they have to pour into us.

The coaches, they don’t get enough credit for having to get guys from high school, to get them up to speed in a few weeks to play some grown men that have children to feed. You don’t see that. You see them getting beat a lot and having a horrible record. You don’t see the things that they go through day-to-day.

Launched in April 2020, the Ignite provided a professional platform for players in the United States. The team gave those prospects the opportunity to compete against existing teams in the G League in front of scouts, executives and coaches.

Henderson became the youngest professional basketball player in U.S. history when he signed with the team in May 2021 (17). He was the No. 10 overall prospect in his class and was the first player to spend two years with the program.

The Ignite this year, who have projected draft picks Matas Buzelis, Ron Holland and Izan Almansa, have the worst record in the G League during the regular season (2-30) and are last in point differential among all teams (minus-15.1).

Despite the decline of the program and the decision to end it, Henderson remains thankful for the opportunity the Ignite gave him to prepare him for the NBA.

“From my viewpoint, they helped me in a huge way to be where I am right now,” Henderson said. “I can’t thank them enough.”

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Projected lottery pick Ron Holland to remain with Ignite after season-ending injury

G League Ignite forward Ron Holland will miss the remainder of the season due to an injury.

G League Ignite forward Ron Holland told Marc J. Spears of Andscape on Saturday that he will miss the remainder of the season due to a right thumb injury.

Holland sustained the injury on Jan. 31 in a win over the Iowa Wolves. He has missed the past five games and was ruled out of participating in the NBA Rising Stars game on Friday. The Ignite have 13 games left to play and conclude their schedule on March 28.

The 19-year-old is expected to make a full recovery from the injury in time to go through the pre-draft process. He plans to finish the season with the Ignite as an injured player.

Holland averaged 19.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.4 steals on 45.5% shooting from the field in 29 games. He leads the Ignite in scoring and registered four 30-point games, including a career-high 32 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and six steals on Dec. 1.

The 6-foot-4 forward is projected to be a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA draft, given his potential and overall skill set. He looked to be settling in with the Ignite prior to the injury, resulting in some strong performances over the past month.

Holland will have the opportunity to improve his draft stock by interviewing and working out with teams after the conclusion of the season. He is one of seven draft-eligible prospects this year on the Ignite.

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NBA Rising Stars 2024: Bennedict Mathurin unanimously named MVP to lead Team Jalen to title

Pacers sophomore Bennedict Mathurin was unanimously named MVP of the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game to lead Team Jalen to the championship.

Indiana Pacers sophomore Bennedict Mathurin on Friday was unanimously named MVP of the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game to lead Team Jalen to the championship in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Mathurin produced 18 points in the opening game as Team Jalen defeated Team Tamika. He had four points, two assists and one steal in a 26-13 win in the final over Team Detlef, which consisted of seven of the top players in the G League.

While Mathurin did the bulk of the scoring in the semifinal round, Dereck Lively II had six points and Jordan Hawkins and Jalen Williams each chipped in five points in the final. Williams drained the game-winning 3-pointer to end it for Team Jalen.

The event featured four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games were played to a target score of 40, and the championship game was played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consisted of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches and the players from the G League were selected by the league office.

The four teams were coached by Hall of Famer Pau Gasol, Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who led the G League team.

Here is how the teams performed in the event.

NBA Rising Stars 2024: Full rosters revealed in draft announcement

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the four seven-player teams for the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the four seven-player teams for the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 as part of All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games will be played to a target score of 40. The championship game will be played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consists of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The 21 players in the NBA will be drafted onto three teams. The seven players in the G League will comprise the fourth team.

The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches. The players from the G League were selected by the league office. Each team submitted a rookie ballot and a sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players of any position.

Hall of Famer Pau Gasol will return as one of the four honorary head coaches for the event. Joining Gasol are Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Indiana Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who will lead the G League team.

Here are the rosters drafted by Gasol, Catchings and Rose.

NBA Rising Stars 2024: Player pool revealed for annual showcase at All-Star Weekend

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 at All-Star Weekend.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 as part of All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games will be played to a target score of 40. The championship game will be played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consists of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The 21 players in the NBA will be drafted onto three teams and the seven players in the G League will comprise the fourth team.

The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches. The players from the G League were selected by the league office. Each team submitted a rookie ballot and a sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players of any position.

Hall of Famer Pau Gasol will return as one of the four honorary head coaches for the event. Joining Gasol are Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Indiana Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who will lead the G League team.

Assistant coaches from the NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs will join the honorary head coaches in coaching the Rising Stars teams. The NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs for both the Eastern and Western Conferences have yet to be determined.

TNT will televise the competition beginning at 9 p.m. EST.

Projected first-round pick Tyler Smith: ‘I’m a player that can play in any system’

Rookie Wire recently caught up with Tyler Smith to discuss playing with the Ignite, the 2024 NBA draft, defending at a high level and more.

On a team with several projected NBA draft picks, Tyler Smith is showcasing himself at a high level this season and is emerging as one of the top prospects with the G League Ignite.

Smith, a former consensus five-star prospect, signed with Overtime Elite for the 2022-23 season. He was named to the All-OTE second team after averaging 15.7 points, eight rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 47.5% shooting from the field with Cold Hearts.

He joined the Ignite on June 30.

Playing alongside Ron Holland, Matas Buzelis, Izan Almansa and London Johnson, Smith is climbing draft boards and is in the mix to become a first-round pick on June 27 with a strong campaign with the Ignite.

Smith is averaging 13.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 38.7% shooting from 3-point range off the bench in 19 games with the Ignite. He has registered three 20-point performances, including a season-high 22 points on Dec. 8 in a loss to the Santa Cruz Warriors.

The 6-foot-11 forward has developed into a versatile player who can run the floor and provide floor spacing at the next level. He is still adjusting to the physicality in the G League and is working to improve defensively, especially against smaller players.

Smith will have the opportunity to continue to improve his draft stock over the remainder of the season with the Ignite. He is projected to be a mid-to-late first-rounder this year and could jump higher with a strong pre-draft process.

Rookie Wire caught up with Smith at the G League Winter Showcase to discuss playing with the Ignite, the 2024 NBA draft, defending at a high level and more.

Matas Buzelis caps career night with game-winning shot for Ignite

Matas Buzelis produced a career performance and hit the game-winning shot on Tuesday to lead the Ignite over the Remix.

Projected top-five pick Matas Buzelis produced a career performance and hit the game-winning shot on Tuesday to lead the G League Ignite over the Rip City Remix.

Buzelis finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks in the 108-106 victory. He went 6-of-8 from the field as the Ignite overcame a 22-point second-half deficit to improve to 3-9 in the Showcase Cup.

Playing in his fourth game, Buzelis showed his offensive versatility from his dribbling and hesitation moves to his footwork in the paint. He sank the game-winner on a nifty 12-foot turnaround jumper with 0.4 seconds left.

Buzelis missed the first eight games of the regular season with the Ignite due to an ankle injury. He debuted with the team on Dec. 2 but was on a minute restriction. He appears to be back to full health after logging a season-high 30 minutes against the Remix.

The 19-year-old was the fifth-ranked prospect in the class of 2023 and is viewed as a high lottery pick next year. Standing at 6 feet, 10 inches, Buzelis has a great blend of size and ballhandling skills that seem to be translating in the G League.

Buzelis is averaging 13 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 blocks and one steal on 48.7% shooting from the field. He has scored in double figures three times and looks to be rounding into form after missing time.

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Potential top pick Ron Holland II drops first 30-point game in G League

Ron Holland II dropped his first 30-point game and neared a double-double on Friday with the Ignite in a loss to Stockton.

Potential top pick Ron Holland II dropped his first career 30-point game and neared a double-double on Friday with the G League Ignite in a loss to the Stockton Kings.

Holland produced 32 points, nine rebounds, five steals, four assists and two blocked shots in the 110-103 loss on the road. He scored 18 points in the first half and went 12-of-19 from the field in 32 minutes during his eighth appearance with the Ignite.

The 18-year-old easily had his best game of the season. He flourished in transition and had several strong finishes at the rim to lead the Ignite.

Holland is averaging 17.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.1 steals on 46% shooting from the field with the Ignite. He has scored in double figures seven times and has registered three 20-point games in eight appearances.

The Ignite, with several 2024 draft prospects, have struggled this year, dropping each of their eight games. However, Holland appears to be settling in over his last two games and that has resulted in his best performances yet.

After a rough start to the season, it will be worth monitoring how players such as Holland and the Ignite develop throughout the rest of the year in the G League.

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