Tag: Sir’Jabari Rice

Spurs’ Gregg Popovich on Sir’Jabari Rice: ‘He is a clever, clever guy’

Gregg Popovich admittedly didn’t know much about Sir’Jabari Rice at first, but the Hall of Famer has been impressed by the rookie.

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich admittedly didn’t know much about Sir’Jabari Rice at first, but the rookie has impressed the Hall of Famer this preseason.

Rice signed a two-way contract with the Spurs in July after going undrafted out of Texas. He was the Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year as a fifth-year senior after averaging 13 points, 3.5 rebounds and two assists on 37.1% shooting from 3-point range.

Like most first-year players, he has been busy adjusting to the increased competition level in training camp, which has been vastly different from college. Rice noted the difference in size, the speed of the game and how smart players are.

These guys are well-polished. In college, you gotta teach everybody everything, but here, they already know what they’re supposed to do; it is just fine-tuning a lot of things. I think that is a good thing for me but also a learning experience for me, as well, just because of some of the terminology I don’t know. These guys have already picked it up, and they’re already on it. I think the goal is to win a lot this year, so the urgency is there, and I can feel it.

The 24-year-old made two appearances with the Spurs in the NBA Summer League, averaging 12 points, 3.5 steals and 1.5 rebounds. Though he struggled to shoot there, hitting only 18.2% from beyond the arc, Rice is known as a floor spacer with a tremendous pump fake.

He has had that ability working throughout training camp and has stood out to the coaching staff. Popovich has enjoyed having him around.

He is a clever, clever guy. I didn’t even know who the hell he was when camp came. I said, ‘Who is that kid there?’ He has got a nice shot. He has got good speed. He has got a great personality about him and everything. He has been enjoyable.

Rice has made only one appearance in the preseason, recording six points and two assists in six minutes versus Oklahoma City on Oct. 9. He is focusing on learning the system and watching from the sidelines when he isn’t on the court.

He will have the opportunity to develop this season in the G League with the Austin Spurs alongside rookie Sidy Cissoko and fellow two-way players Dominick Barlow and Julian Champagnie.

For now, Rice is focusing on training camp in San Antonio.

“It has actually beaten my expectations,” Rice said. “I thought it was going to be a little bit different than what it is. It is very competitive. A lot more teaching than I thought it’d be. The vibes are immaculate; I really like the vibe around here. It keeps me happy.”

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Rookie Sir’Jabari Rice excited about opportunity with Spurs

Rookie Sir’Jabari rice, who made his Summer League debut on Friday, is excited about his opportunity with the San Antonio Spurs.

For the majority of the summer, there has been a spotlight on the San Antonio Spurs, as Victor Wembanyama, just 19 years old and yet to appear in an NBA game, is already a superstar. Fans flocked to the arena in Las Vegas for Wembanyama’s Summer League debut, selling out the gym and making it feel like a regular season game.

But Wembanyama isn’t the only player on the Spurs. Their Summer League squad is full of young talent, and one of the more intriguing stories has been Sir’Jabari Rice, who missed the team’s first slate of Summer League games with a medical issue, but made his debut on Friday night against the Detroit Pistons.

During a chat with Tom Osborn of the San Antonio Express-News, Rice revealed that the Spurs contacted him around the 43rd pick in the draft, but when it wasn’t him, they told him they still wanted him around. And he’s excited about the opportunity.

“[The Spurs] had called right before the 43rd pick, I believe, and told me to stay warm a little bit,” Rice said. “And then the 43rd pick came and it wasn’t me, so I was just kind of optimistic about what was going to happen next. Then they called me as soon as the pick was over with and told me they wanted me to join the team. I have been excited since then.”

He also said he appreciated the Spurs’ tactical approach when it came to resting him in Summer League while he worked on his health.

“I love them for that, honestly,” Rice said. “I appreciate them for that. I’ve been really getting my rest, getting back to who I really am. I was there on the sidelines, and it looked like I had energy and was perfectly fine. But playing in a game and the physical aspect of it, we just wanted to take it slow and play the long game.”

In his debut against the Pistons, Rice put up 11 points, two rebounds, one assist, three steals, and one block while shooting 4-of-8 from the field and 1-of-5 from three.

The 24-year-old, 6-foot-4 guard clearly as potential. He’ll be on a two-way deal with the Spurs next season, and fans should be excited to see what he can do in the G League and with the main roster.

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Sir’Jabari Rice lands two-way contract with the Spurs

Sir’Jabari Rice and his lethal pump fake will now play in San Antonio.

The former Texas guard that had the most lethal shot-fake in all of college basketball will be remaining somewhat local as he begins his professional career.

Sir’Jabari Rice was not one of the 58 players that heard their name called during Thursday’s NBA Draft, but he wasn’t without a team for long. Shortly after the draft concluded, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that Rice and the San Antonio Spurs agreed on a two-way contract.

Following a redshirt season his freshman year at New Mexico State in 2017-18, Rice played four years at the university before moving on to Texas for his final season in 2022-23. He instantly was a star for the Longhorns and one of their more reliable scorers. Rice earned the Big 12 Sixth Man Award and was named third-team All-Big 12.

Rice will have a chance to prove himself in the upcoming Summer League along with No. 1 overall pick and international sensation Victor Wembanyama.

Memphis’ Kendric Davis promoted to draft combine from G League Elite Camp

Former Memphis guard Kendric Davis is among the prospects from the G League Elite Camp invited to the draft combine.

Former Memphis guard Kendric Davis is among the prospects from the G League Elite Camp invited to compete in the draft combine this week, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Davis will reportedly be joined by Johni Broome (Auburn), Tosan Evbuomwan (Princeton), Jazian Gortman (Overtime Elite), PJ Hall (Clemson), Dillon Jones (Weber State), Sir’Jabari Rice (Texas) and Hunter Tyson (Clemson).

The eight players emerged as the top performers from the various on-court drills, scrimmages and measurement testing over the two-day event in Chicago, Illinois. They will join the 78 other prospects announced last week as participants in the combine.

The eight players selected from the G League Elite Camp to compete in the draft combine were each voted on by teams. They will have the opportunity to perform in front of teams against the top draft prospects this year.

The G League Elite Camp has helped several players advance to the combine and eventually make it to the NBA, including Jose Alvarado, Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Terance Mann.

The NBA draft will take place on June 22.

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G League Elite Camp: Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell dazzled on Day 1

Kansas State guard Markquis Nowell was among the standouts from the first day of the G League Elite Camp.

The NBA G League Elite Camp tipped off on Saturday as 45 prospects hit the court to showcase their games in front of team executives, coaches and scouts in Chicago, Illinois.

The top performers are invited each year to compete in the draft combine, which begins Monday. The event has helped send several players to the NBA, including Jose Alvarado, Oshae Brissett, Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Terance Mann.

The players participated in various on-court drills, exercises and measurement testing. They were split into four teams and took part in 5-on-5 scrimmages. Several players emerged with standout performances from the first day.

Here are some of the top performers from Saturday.

Texas interim coach Rodney Terry was moved to tears talking about how much he loved his team

Texas interim coach Rodney Terry clearly loves his team.

Texas interim head coach Rodney Terry became overwhelmed with emotion when he talked about how much it meant to him to coach this group of Longhorns.

After No. 2 Texas lost to No. 5 Miami, 88-81, on Sunday in the 2023 men’s NCAA tournament’s Elite Eight, Terry poured out his heart while talking about his love for this year’s Texas squad.

After taking over the program in December following the suspension and eventual firing of Chris Beard, Terry guided the Longhorns to a Big 12 title and to the Elite Eight of this year’s tournament. It was the school’s first Elite Eight berth since 2008.

It is currently unknown if Terry will assume permanent duties over the program, and he made sure during the postgame press conference to talk about how much he loved his players.

“I’m gonna love them for the rest of their lives,” an emotional Terry said after the game. “I’ll be at their weddings. I’ll be, you know, talking to those guys when they have their first born.”

Per KHOU-TV reporter Daniel Gotera, Texas guard Sir’Jabari Rice expressed his support for Terry being named the Longhorns’ permanent coach.

San Antonio Express-News columnist Mike Finger reported Terry’s comments on his future with the school and if the coach expects this will be known soon.

Texas sends Xavier packing, advances to Elite Eight with 83-71 win

Texas will face the Miami Hurricanes Sunday with a chance to reach its first Final Four since 2003.

For the first time since 2008, the Texas Longhorns are headed to the Elite Eight. Interim head coach Rodney Terry and company won in dominant fashion.

The Longhorns never trailed in the game after a fast 8-2 start. Texas point guard Marcus Carr led the scoring charge early with 18 points on the game. While the Texas offense was scorching hot, the effort on the defensive end may have won the game for the Longhorns.

Xavier shot 43.8% from the field. It didn’t feel like the percentage was that high. Musketeer post player Jack Nunge shot a woeful 6-for-19 on field goal attempts, many of which were layups or in close range. The strong defensive performance by Texas occurred for the most part without Dylan Disu, who suffered a lower body injury early.

Tyrese Hunter finished with the highest mark totaling 19 points for the game. Christian Bishop followed with 18 of his own, with Sir’Jabari Rice adding 16 points for the team.

Texas will face the Miami Hurricanes Sunday with a chance to reach its first Final Four since 2003.

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WATCH: Texas guard Sir’Jabari Rice explains his iconic shot fake

Rice’s smooth shot fake has taken Longhorn nation by storm this season.

Texas guard Sir’Jabari Rice has played a key role in Texas’ success this season after transferring in from New Mexico State.

Rice earned Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year honors while scoring 12.9 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. He is one of the most efficient scorings options on the Texas team, helping guide the Longhorns to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2008.

In the first-round matchup against Colgate, Rice scored 23 points on seven three-pointers.

Rice’s smooth shot fake has taken Longhorn nation by storm this season. He consistently can score off the pump fake as it allows him to rush past defenders for the rim.

Marcus Carr even called Rice’s signature move “the best fake in the history of basketball.”

Rice explains his thought process and everything that goes into his shot fake.

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Social media reacts to Texas’ 81-61 win over Colgate

Here are some of social media’s best reactions to Texas’ dominant performance over Colgate.

Texas took care of Colgate behind the hot shooting of Sir’Jabari Rice and Marcus Carr. The Longhorns are off to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with an 81-61 victory.

Rodney Terry ensured his team did not take the No. 15 seed lightly. With a couple of major upsets going down earlier in the day, Texas delivered an inspired performance to stay off the disappointment list.

The Longhorns forced Coglate to go away from its three-point shooting identity with excellent perimeter defense. Texas’ game plan worked like a charm as they held the Raiders to a season-low 3-15 from beyond the arc.

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Texas broke the game open early on as Rice nailed his first five three-point shots. The Longhorns built a 17-point first-half lead, but Colgate managed to cut it to single digits late. However, clutch buckets from Carr and Dylan Disu put the game away down the stretch.

Texas fans are excited about the first round win for the Horns. Here are some of social media’s best reactions to the dominant performance over Colgate.

NCAA Tournament: Hot shooting Texas cruises past Colgate 81-61

Texas took care of business in round one of the NCAA Tournament.

Texas is moving on to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after taking down Colgate 81-61 on Thursday.

Colgate entered the game as the top three-point shooting team in the nation, but it was Texas who thrived behind the arc in this ballgame.

The Longhorns shot 13-23 from three and 54% from the field. Texas’ defense did a great job keeping Colgate from getting good looks, holding the Raiders to 3-15 from deep.

Texas’ guards came to play from the jump. Sir’Jabari Rice made a season-high seven three-pointers in a 23-point effort, while Marcus Carr added four threes of his own.

Dylan Disu turned in another efficient performance, backing up his Big 12 Tournament MVP. The Texas big man scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the win.

Up next for Texas is a second round matchup against the winner between Texas A&M and Penn State. The Longhorns are looking to advance past the first weekend of March Madness for the first time since 2008.

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