Tag: Sooners in the NBA

Lifelong Sooner Trae Young stops by Norman to run with Oklahoma Basketball

Forever Sooner Trae Young stopped by campus this week to hoop with Oklahoma’s men’s basketball team.

College hoops are steadily creeping closer. While college football is and will be all the rage for the next few months, it won’t be long before the two sports intersect.

For now, teams across the country are conditioning, doing skill work, scrimmaging, and putting in the necessary work to be as cohesive as possible. So when November comes, they can hit the ground running.

Outside of the daunting Big 12 schedule, the Oklahoma Sooners most significant hurdle this season may be the men in the mirror.

They’ll be taking on some of the best basketball teams in the country while being a virtually brand-new team. There’s little production returning and even less chemistry than they had the year before. Porter Moser and his staff have added eight new players after a mass departure at the end of the 2022-2023 season.

The time in the gym this offseason couldn’t be more valuable for Oklahoma. The Sooners got a major surprise as one of the program’s best of all time came through Norman, laced up his kicks, and put the youngsters to work on the court.

Two-time All-Star and 2022 All-NBA third-team member Trae Young stomped by his old stomping grounds and hooped with the team on Wednesday. This was a day after Blake Griffin stopped by to chat with Porter Moser’s crew.

As one would expect, Young did Trae Young things.

One of the best clips in the highlight put together by the Oklahoma Basketball media team was what looked like Young giving some advice to Sooners transfer Javian McCollum.

McCollum is Oklahoma’s de facto point guard this year. He’s a talented player that has a lot of potential. He’ll have the keys to the offense after transferring in from Siena.

It’s good to see Oklahoma’s point guard soaking up knowledge from one of the NBA’s best facilitators. Unlocking and opening up Oklahoma’s offense is a major key to raising this season. It all starts with your lead guard.

Since being drafted in 2018, Trae Young has led the NBA in assists. If Trae Young is talking to you about facilitating, running an offense, or passing, it’s probably important to be all ears.

 

With Trae and Blake stopping by to visit with OU’s squad, it would be nice to see Austin Reaves stop by this offseason for a little pickup with the current Sooners. Reaves is currently a key cog for Team USA as they look to win the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Still having a player like Trae Young stop by is great for a program looking to improve off of Porter Moser’s first two seasons. There’s a lot of talent on this year’s squad, it just needs to mesh for the Sooners to make a tournament appearance.

Working against one of the NBA’s best is fantastic experience for roster looking to put the last two years in the rearview.

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Austin Reaves agrees to 4-year deal to remain with the Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers and restricted free agent Austin Reaves agree to terms on a four-year $56 million deal to keep Reaves in L.A.

Austin Reaves is $56 million richer this Sunday. After his best season in the NBA, Reaves earned a payday.

In the early stages of NBA free agency, the former Oklahoma Sooners guard agreed to a four-year deal to keep him in Los Angeles as a critical cog in the Lakers’ operation as they pursue a championship in the twilight of LeBron James’ career.

Reaves entered the free agency period as a restricted free agent, meaning the Lakers would have a chance to match any offer Reaves received.

Fortunately for general manager Rob Pelinka, it never came to that as Reaves was set on staying with the Lakers and accepted a max extension for a four-year $56 million deal, according to Shams Charania.

According to Charania, the contract includes a player option for the fourth season of the deal, meaning Reaves could enter unrestricted free agency ahead of the 2026-27 season.

The Lakers had no option but to bring back Reaves after the season he put together. GM Rob Pelinka outlined that intention following the conclusion of L.A.’s season. “I would say this resoundingly clear: Our intentions are to keep our core of young guys together.”, Pelinka told reporters before exit interviews.

The core mentioned above consists of Reaves, who had his breakout season in 2022-2023, including a fantastic stretch in the playoffs.

From the last 11 games of the regular season thru the entire Lakers’ playoff run, Reaves was the Lakers’ third-best player behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis. In 64 games last season, the 25-year-old posted averages of 13 points on .529/.398/.864 shooting splits, 3.4 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 0.5 steals.

Across 16 games in the pressure cooker of the NBA Playoffs, those numbers jumped to 16.9 points on .464/.443/.895 shooting, 4.6 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 0.6 steals a night.

Reaves showed up nightly and was tasked with closing games for the Lakers in the regular season and the playoffs.

Reaves went undrafted out of Oklahoma in 2021. The Lakers initially signed him to a two-way deal in the summer before converting his contract to a guaranteed roster spot shortly before training camp.

Now he’s earned the trust of his coaches and, most importantly, the trust of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The two superstars willingly deferred to him in the playoffs against Steph Curry and the Warriors dynasty.

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With Reaves locked up for the long term, the Lakers are well-positioned to at least make it back to the Western Conference Finals this upcoming year. Part of the equation for helping them to do that is the continued growth of Austin Reaves. With how much he’s improved from season to season in the NBA, his ascension could help LA get over the hump and get back to the NBA Finals.

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Austin Reaves set to join Team USA for 2023 FIBA World Cup

Oklahoma alum Austin Reaves set to play for Team USA in upcoming FIBA World Cup.

Fresh off the best season of his professional career, Austin Reaves continues his ascent. While his Los Angeles Lakers team bowed out in the conference finals to the eventual NBA champion Denver Nuggets, Reaves, will join Team USA for the 2023 FIBA World Cup in the Philippines.

Reaves is one of 10 players already confirmed for the roster. He joins Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans, Jaren Jackson Jr (Memphis Grizzlies), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets.

Reaves figures to be an effective option off the bench for Team USA, and he’s a natural fit as with his ability to fill various roles. He can play on and off the ball as a scoring option and be the initiator like he was alongside LeBron James with the Lakers. He’ll be able to do the same thing for Team USA, with guys like Haliburton and Brunson playing as primary playmakers for the first unit.

The 25-year-old is coming off a career year, averaging 13.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists a night on 53 percent shooting from the field, 40 percent from three, and 86 percent from the charity stripe.

He also had a big postseason run, solidifying himself as the Lakers third best player, which included 21.2 points per game in the Lakers’ matchup against the Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.

In addition to his Teasm USA selection, Reaves will be the focal point of significant contract discussions as he enters unrestricted free agency. Reaves could command just under a $100 million contract somewhere in the range of a four-year deal worth a maximum of just under $98 million. The Lakers could match it, or they could pass. On top of that, Reaves and Chinese company Rigorer are finalizing a signature shoe deal that is expected to reach well over seven figures per year per Stadium’s Shams Charania.

For now, Reaves will focus on his role for Team USA and let[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1368] everything else to fall into place.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

Oklahoma hoops legend Buddy Hield sets Pacers single season record for made 3’s

OU Hoops legend Buddy Hield broke the Indiana Pacers’ single-season three-point record, passing NBA legend Reggie Miller.

Oklahoma’s had one heck of a perplexing season on the hardwood. They’ve struggled with consistency and have fallen victim to having to play in the hardest conference in college basketball. They’re currently off the bubble for the NCAA tournament, even after a win over No. 12 Kansas State.

The last Oklahoma team that made a meaningful run in the NCAA tournament was led by Buddy Hield. He capped off one of the program’s best careers with a trip to the Final Four. Hield is now a starter for the Indiana Pacers and just passed an NBA legend for a significant single-season milestone.

Hield became the Pacers’ single-season leader for three-pointers, passing one of the best shooters in NBA history, Reggie Miller.

Miller was and will always remain one of the NBA’s premier shooters. He helped redefine basketball with his ability to shoot from distance. It helped paved the way for the long-range snipers we see across the basketball landscape today.

Hield has been a threat from distance since becoming a Sooner, where he left Norman as its all-time leader in three-pointers made and attempted with 349 three’s made.

Indiana has 22 games remaining and is in position to fight for a playoff spot, meaning Hield will continue to play starter minutes. He’ll have the chance to add to his already franchise-leading single-season record while helping his team push for a playoff berth in just his first year in Indiana.

While the Pacers begin their All-Star break, Hield and his Pacers teammate Tyrese Haliburton (former Iowa State Cyclone) will participate in the 3-point contest at All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Hield is no stranger to the contest, as he won it in 2020 while a member of the Sacramento Kings. He could put himself into rare air by winning it twice.

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Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Bryant on Twitter @thatmanbryant.

How did Social Media React to former Sooner Austin Reaves’ game-winner for the Los Angeles Lakers?

How did social media react to Austin Reaves’ game-winner to beat the Dallas Mavericks in Overtime?

In what turned out to be a tight back and forth game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers, it was a former Oklahoma Sooner who came through as the hero of the night.

With the Mavericks making things difficult for L.A.’s big three of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook, the Lakers needed someone to step up to provide a lift and they got it in the form of Austin Reaves on a career night.

Reaves came off the bench to play 32 minutes for the Lakers and was 5 of 6 from the field, with all five buckets coming on three-pointers, setting a career-high for points, three-pointers made, and rebounds in the process. And while the Lakers are filled with stars up and down the lineup, it was the rookie out of Oklahoma who came through with the clutch game-winner in overtime to give the Lakers the 107-104 lead over the Dallas Mavericks.

It was a fantastic performance for Austin Reaves with an even better finish and social media was ablaze after Reaves clutch three to win it for the Los Angeles Lakers. Let’s take a look at some of the best reactions on social media.

WATCH: Austin Reaves wins Summer League contest for Lakers at the buzzer

Austin Reaves made his presence felt for the Los Angeles Lakers as he grabbed a rebound and hit the game winner with 2.5 seconds left.

It was surprising when former Oklahoma Sooners’ Guard Austin Reaves went undrafted. After going undrafted, he then signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in a developmental deal.

He’s making his presence felt early in his career for the Lake Show. With the Lakers down one in the closing seconds, Reaves corralled a rebound and hit a put back in the paint with 2.5 seconds left on the clock to lift the Lakers to a summer league win over the Phoenix Suns.

It was a typical workman like performance for Reaves who went 4 of 9 from the field for 11 points. He added four rebounds and one assist, filling up the box score like he did for the Oklahoma Sooners. Reaves was fourth on the squad in minutes and hit one of his two three point attempts.

Though it was only summer league, it was an exciting start to his Lakers career. Every minute matters and Austin Reaves is taking advantage of an opportunity to earn a spot with the big club. With efficient performances like this one, Reaves should find himself with a bench role in LeBron James’ Lakers.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes and opinions.

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Report: Former Oklahoma star Trae Young agrees to extension with the Hawks

Former Sooner Trae Young gets a five-year extension through the 2025-26 season.

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The 2020-21 season was good to former Oklahoma Sooners basketball star Trae Young. This past season he led his Atlanta Hawks into the playoffs and came close to his first NBA Finals appearance. It was all for not as the Milwaukee Bucks were able to take down Atlanta and eventually won the title.

Leading the team that deep into the playoffs was still a win for Young and the Hawks. The team has been committed to their star point guard and now he will be rewarded for his efforts according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The five-year extension will keep Trae Young locked up with Atlanta through the 2025-26 NBA season. Originally he was set to earn a base salary of $8.3 million for the upcoming season. With the extension, Young is set to make a base salary of $29.75 million in 2021 and that number moves north of $30 million to $39.3 million by 2025 according to Spotrac.

This past season Young averaged 25.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 9.4 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. He made 63 starts throughout the regular season for Atlanta. At the age of 23, Young will enter his fourth season in the league after being drafted with the fifth overall selection in the 2018 NBA draft before being traded to Atlanta from Dallas.

Young was named as an NBA All-Star in 2020 and first-team All-Rookie in 2019. As a Sooner, the point guard tied an NCAA record with 22 assists in a single game. He also became the only player ever to lead the NCAA in both points and assists in a single season.

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Former Oklahoma star Trae Young gets shoe and apparel deal with Adidas

Former Oklahoma basketball star Trae Young has announced he is getting a shoe and apparel deal with Adidas that is set to launch in 2021.

Former Oklahoma guard Trae Young has had a very solid two-year start to his NBA career with the Atlanta Hawks.

Last year in 60 games, he averaged 29.3 points per game along with 9.3 assists per game. Those are impressive numbers for a guy in his second season on a non-playoff team.

Today, on ESPN’s The Jump, it was announced that Young would be receiving his own signature shoe and apparel series with Adidas.

Young said that it was a dream of his as a kid to get to have his own shoe for kids to wear and aspire to reach the levels of the NBA like he did and has been able to accomplish. The line will launch in the fall of 2021, and Young said he will involved in the design process.

The 22-year-old Oklahoma native will begin his third season of the year with preseason action on Friday night at home against the Orlando Magic before getting the regular season started against the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 23rd.

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Blake Griffin pledges $100K to arena workers

Former Oklahoma star Blake Griffin pledged $100K to the Piston’s arena staff on Friday.

Former Oklahoma star Blake Griffin pledged $100K to the Detroit Piston’s arena staff on Friday.

His contributions came in light of nearly every major American sport canceled or postponed their events earlier in the week due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the NBA being the first to do so.

The NBA will be on pause for a minimum of 30 days after Gobert tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. 

Four other stars, including Zion Williamson, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Love and Rudy Gobert, will donate to their home arenas. Griffin chose to pledge his donation after Love and Antetokounmpo kicked the trend off.

Griffin is now in his third season with the Pistons after a long tenure with the Clippers. 

The former Sooner was drafted in 2009 after averaging 22.7 ppg, and 14.4 rpg in his second and final year at Oklahoma. 

Griffin has earned All-Star status six times in his current 11 year career in the NBA. 

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Trae Young donates over $1 million worth of medical debt to those in need

Former Sooner standout, Trae Young has made Norman and the state of Oklahoma proud to call him their son, once again.

Former Sooner standout and top-10 NBA draft pick, Trae Young has made Norman and the state of Oklahoma proud to call him their son, once again.

Young has teamed up with RIP Medical Debt to relive medical debt to those in desperate need of assistance. RIP Medical Debt targets families and individuals who are well below the poverty line and have medical bills that cost 5% or more of their yearly income.

Per WSB-TV, thanks to the Atlanta Hawks guard, $1,059,186.39 of medical debt will be erased.

“The city of Atlanta has welcomed me with open arms,” said Young. “Giving back to this community is extremely important to me. I hope these families can find a bit of relief knowing that their bills have been taken care of as we enter the New Year.”

Young has been a bright spot on the court for Atlanta as well. Averaging 28.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game on 44.8% shooting from the floor and 37.5% from behind the arc, Young is definitely a cornerstone of the franchise in Atlanta.

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