Dru Smith, a two-way guard for the Miami Heat, is rumored to be soon converted to a standard multi-year contract after the team traded Thomas Bryant creating cap flexibility. At 6-foot-3, Smith has impacted coach Erik Spoelstra’s rotation with his …
Dru Smith, a two-way guard for the Miami Heat, is rumored to be soon converted to a standard multi-year contract after the team traded Thomas Bryant creating cap flexibility.
At 6-foot-3, Smith has impacted coach Erik Spoelstra‘s rotation with his defensive energy, a knack for hitting open looks, and ability to play on-or-off ball. After an impressive college career at Evansville and Missouri, he has spent the past four years bouncing between the NBA and the G League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce (and briefly with the Long Island Nets), where he was consistently a standout performer.
In an interview with HoopsHype, Smith shared how he has been navigating his career obstacles like recovering from a torn ACL, making the most out of every chance he gets and more.
Recap: OKC Blue advance to WCF with 111-93 playoff win over Sioux Falls Skyforce.
The OKC Blue collected a 111-93 win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Friday. The G League playoff road win advances the Blue to the Western Conference final.
The Blue will travel to face the Stockton Kings on Sunday, April 7 in the conference final.
After trailing 25-23 following the first quarter, the Blue utilized a 32-point second frame to enter halftime with a 55-49 lead. The Skyforce clawed back into the contest behind a 26-point third frame. OKC’s lead was cut to 77-75 after three quarters.
The Sky Force kept it close in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, but a decisive 14-0 run by the Blue gave them an overwhelming 17-point lead with under four minutes left. OKC coasted through the final minutes for the double-digit win.
The Blue shot 48% from the field and went 9-of-29 (31%) from 3. They had 30 assists on 39 baskets. Six Blue players scored double-digit points.
Meanwhile, the Sky Force were limited to 36% shooting and went 11-of-36 (30.6%) from 3. They had 18 assists on 33 baskets. Only four Sky Force players scored double-digit points.
Some notable individual performances from both sides:
Olivier Sarr: 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, 2-of-4 from 3, 11 rebounds, six assists, five blocks
Adam Flagler: 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting, 3-of-9 from 3, six rebounds, four assists, three steals
Keyontae Johnson: 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting, two rebounds, two assists
Ousmane Dieng: two points on 1-of-10 shooting, seven rebounds, seven assists
Hunter Maldonado: 15 points on 4-of-9 shooting, six rebounds, five assists
Alondes Williams: 24 points on 7-of-25 shooting, 2-of-12 from 3, eight assists, five rebounds
Cole Swider: 22 points on 7-of-14 shooting, 6-of-9 from 3, nine rebounds
Josh Christopher: 16 points on 6-of-16 shooting, six rebounds, three steals
The full highlights from the Blue’s 18-point win over the Miami Heat’s G League affiliate can be watched below:
Recap: Strong second half leads OKC Blue to 129-120 win over Sioux Falls Skyforce.
The G League’s OKC Blue had a strong second half to pick up a 129-120 win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Tuesday. The home win improved the Blue to 14-12.
It was a high-scoring first quarter as the Blue built a 38-32 lead. A 35-point second quarter by the Skyforce helped it trim its deficit to one, 68-67.
The Blue outscored the Skyforce by 13 points in a 35-point third quarter. OKC entered the final frame with a 14-point lead and came away with the nine-point win.
The Blue shot 44% from the field and went 13-of-44 (29.5%) from 3. They dished 32 assists on 43 baskets. Six Blue players scored double-digit points.
Meanwhile, the Skyforce shot 47% from the field and went 12-of-36 (33.3%) from 3. They dished 30 assists on 44 baskets. All five Skyforce starters scored double-digit points.
Some notable individual performances from both sides:
Ousmane Dieng: 18 points on 7-of-19 shooting, 3-of-8 from 3, seven assists, seven rebounds
Keyontae Johnson: 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting, seven rebounds, three assists
KJ Williams: 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting, 1-of-5 from 3, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals
Hunter Maldonado: 23 points on 6-of-9 shooting, 3-of-5 from 3, six rebounds, three assists
Jamal Cain: 39 points on 15-of-22 shooting, 2-of-5 from 3, 13 rebounds, six assists, two blocks
Olin Carter III: 23 points on 7-of-16 shooting, 6-of-14 from 3, two rebounds
Alondes Williams: 21 points on 8-of-18 shooting, 1-of-8 from 3, 16 assists, eight rebounds
Malik Williams: 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting, 11 rebounds, three assists
The full highlights from the Blue’s nine-point win over the Miami Heat’s G League affiliate can be watched below:
Recap: OKC Blue enters All-Star break with 122-103 loss to Sioux Falls Skyforce.
The G League’s OKC Blue enter the All-Star break on a two-game losing skid following their 122-103 loss to the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Tuesday. The home loss drops the Blue to 9-11.
The Skyforce built a 27-19 following the first quarter and used a 29-point second frame to enter halftime leading 56-44.
The third quarter was much of the same story. The Skyforce scored 30 points to enter the final frame with a 14-point lead. No real drama unfolded in the fourth quarter. OKC went out with a whimper, allowing 36 points to Sioux Falls.
The Blue shot 46% from the field and went an icy 6-of-29 (20.7%) from 3. OKC dished 28 assists on 44 baskets. Five Blue players scored double-digit points.
Meanwhile, the Skyforce shot 40% from the field and went 19-of-47 (40.4%) from 3. They dished 24 assists on 45 baskets. The efficiency wasn’t there for Sioux Falls, but forcing 19 turnovers helped it create a 19-shot attempt advantage over OKC.
Some notable individual performances for both sides:
Keyontae Johnson: 12 points on 6-of-13 shooting, four assists, four rebounds
Jahmi’us Ramsey: 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting, 13 rebounds, five assists, three steals
Olivier Sarr: 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, 13 rebounds, two blocks, two assists
KJ Williams: 15 points on 7-of-13 shooting, eight rebounds, two assists
Jaden Shackelford: 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting, 4-of-10 from 3
Caleb Daniels: 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting, 6-of-9 from 3, six rebounds
Malik Williams: 11 points on 5-of-19 shooting, 21 rebounds
Justin Champagnie: 24 points on 8-of-17 shooting, 3-of-8 from 3, 12 rebounds, five steals, four assists
Josh Christopher: 19 points on 7-of-21 shooting, 3-of-7 from 3, nine rebounds
Jamaree Bouyea: 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting, 2-of-7 from 3, 12 assists, eight rebounds
The full highlights from the Blue’s 19-point loss to the Miami Heat’s G League affiliate can be watched below:
The Boston Celtics have filled their final open roster slot with a player who will be eligible to play for the ball club in the 2023 looming NBA Playoffs, in this case, former Sioux Falls Skyforce forward Justin Champagnie.
Fans of the Celtics may not recall the Pitt alum’s game all that well given his limited run at the NBA level, though some may recall him hitting some buckets against the Celtics while he was with the Toronto Raptors last season. This campaign, the former Panther wing has played most of his games with Sioux Falls, where he put up 18.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 0.9 steals per game.
To get a better idea of how he plays and can help Boston, or to see the best of his play again, take a look at the compilation put together by fan videographer Tomasz Kordylewski that we have embedded below.
The Boston Celtics are reportedly signing former Toronto Raptor and G League star Justin Champagnie
The Boston Celtics are signing Justin Champagnie of the G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania. Champagnie has averaged 18.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game since joining Sioux Falls in January of this year.
Champagnie played college ball at the University of Pittsburgh. During his sophomore season in ’20-’21, he averaged 18 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per contest. The 6-foot-6 Staten Island native joined the Association by way of a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors, where he received some burn at the NBA level. More recently he’s been showcasing his aptitude in the G League.
The Celtics have had an open roster spot for some time now, and there has been much buzz about adding another player ahead of the postseason.
Decades ago, in the Louisiana native’s prime with Boston in the 1960s, Russell decided to endorse a shoe made right here in New England. https://t.co/FK5EKVDCxB
Champagnie is a high-energy forward with good defensive instincts. Even if his playing time is limited, he provides Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla an athletic piece on the wing as the playoffs come into focus.
The Celtics have a few games left on the schedule but increasingly look poised to land as the No. 2 seed in the East. If positioning is solidified early, perhaps Champagnie will get a little bit of extra burn as Boston’s primary players rest.
A quick recap of the OKC Blue’s 107-99 loss to the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
The OKC Blue held a field trip day on Tuesday and gave the elementary school crowd an entertaining game, losing to the G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce, 107-99.
The loss drops the Blue to 9-14. Let’s take a look at the best individual performances from the game:
Ousmane Dieng: 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting, 4-of-9 shooting from 3, eight rebounds
Olivier Sarr: 15 points, 17 rebounds, five blocks
Adam Mokoka: 15 points, 10 rebounds
Justin Champagnie: 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting, 15 rebounds
Jamaree Bouyea: 20 points on 5-of-10 shooting, five assists
DJ Stewart: 18 points on 6-of-16 shooting
Jamal Cain: 13 points on 6-of-14 shooting, seven rebounds
Here are the full highlights from the Blue’s eight-point loss to the Miami Heat’s G League affiliate:
A quick recap of the Blue’s win over the Skyforce.
The OKC Blue returned home to play the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Miami Heat’s G League affiliate, in a Tuesday afternoon game. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder are scheduled to play the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.
The Blue defeated the Skyforce, 112-108. The Blue are 1-0 to start its season.
Here are some notable performances from the Blue’s four-point win:
