The NBA’s G League Draft for the 2020-21 season came about on Monday, Jan. 11. And, given the circumstances of their season, which is being performed in a bubble, it was not the traditional draft we’d see in some other 12 months.
As an alternative, for apparent causes, it solely concerned groups attending the bubble. Some acquainted names have been chosen together with some names that, hopefully, will change into a bit extra acquainted within the subsequent few seasons. Right here’s a fast recap of the 17 first-round alternatives.
Spherical 1, Picks 1-5
1. Greensboro Swarm: Admiral Schofield
2. Memphis Hustle: Freddie Gillespie
3. Canton Cost: Antonio Blakeney
4. Iowa Wolves: Allonzo Trier
5. Lakeland Magic: Tahjere McCall
The Greensboro Swarm received the G League Draft underway by deciding on Admiral Schofield first total. The 23-year-old wing was chosen forty second total within the 2019 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He appeared in 33 NBA video games final season for the Washington Wizards. Within the G League, he impressed for the Capital Metropolis Go-Go, the place he averaged 16 factors per contest. If his shot continues to develop and he turns into extra able to banging within the paint, he might be a particularly intriguing participant.
Second off the board was rookie Freddie Gillespie out of Baylor. Like Schofield, Gillespie is 23-years-old and a bit undersized for his place. As a 6-foot-9 massive at Baylor final 12 months, Gillespie averaged 9.6 factors and 9 rebounds per recreation. He initially signed an Exhibit-10 contract with the Dallas Mavericks following the NBA Draft earlier than being waived a couple of weeks later.
The Canton Cost took a extra skilled participant at third total, Antonio Blakeney. The guard has performed some stable NBA pattern dimension over the earlier two seasons, having performed a complete of 1,143 minutes for the Chicago Bulls. With the Bulls, Blakeney flashed the power to be a stable contributor. In 76 video games on the NBA degree, Blakeney holds a profession common of seven.5 factors per contest.
Fourth total noticed one other participant that has logged over 1,000 NBA minutes go to the Iowa Wolves, Allonzo Trier. Trier linked on 38.4% of his NBA 3-point makes an attempt with the New York Knicks during the last two seasons. That’s a talent he’s trying to show he carried over from school, the place he shot 37.8% from deep in three seasons at Arizona.
Rounding out the highest 5 picks is Tahjere McCall, who was chosen by the Lakeland Magic. McCall averaged 12.7 factors per recreation within the G League final season however nonetheless has work to do on his exterior shot. A 6-foot-5 guard that shot simply 19.2% from behind the arc, McCall might want to see some drastic enchancment if he’s ever to get a shot on the NBA. That mentioned, his protection is extra his calling card, anyway, and that’s the place he gives considerably extra upside.
Spherical 1, Picks 6-10
6. Canton: Anthony Lamb
7. Oklahoma Metropolis Blue: Zavier Simpson
8. Lakeland: DJ Hogg
9. Westchester Knicks: Justin Patton
10. Rio Grande Valley Vipers: Armoni Brooks
The sixth total choice noticed the Canton Cost take Anthony Lamb out of Vermont. He averaged 16.4 factors per recreation in 4 collegiate seasons. That decide was adopted by one other rookie choice coming off a four-year collegiate profession, because the Oklahoma Metropolis Blue took level guard Zavier Simpson out of Michigan. Simpson averaged 7.9 assists per recreation in his senior season.
The Lakeland Magic continued the rookie development by deciding on DJ Hogg eighth total. He’ll be a part of the fifth total choice, McCall, with the Magic. Hogg is a 6-foot-9 ahead that confirmed a capability to stretch the ground in school, the place he knocked down 36% of his threes in three seasons with Texas A&M.
Former first spherical choice Justin Patton was then taken by the Westchester Knicks. Patton is among the extra intriguing names that went within the G League Draft, given his excessive choice within the NBA Draft just some years in the past. Nonetheless, he’s received a protracted option to go; Patton has performed in simply 9 NBA video games over the three seasons since he was drafted.
The Rio Grande Valley Vipers closed out the highest ten by deciding on rookie guard Armoni Brooks. Brooks is a clean shooter however struggled mightily at getting teammates concerned in school. In three seasons, his highest common for assists was .9 per recreation. That mentioned, if he can proceed to enhance his shot, Brooks may ultimately discover a spot in immediately’s NBA.
Spherical 1, Picks 11-17
11. Raptors 905: Kevon Harris
12. Rio Grande Valley: Jarron Cumberland
13. Oklahoma Metropolis: Vincent Edwards
14. Austin Spurs: Jonathan Kasibabu
15. Raptors905: Gary Payton II
16. Memphis: Anthony Cowan Jr.
17. Iowa: Dakarai Tucker
Kevon Harris was subsequent off the board following the top-10 alternatives. Harris is a scoring wing that displayed the power to get buckets, however some could query the competitors he confronted in these video games. Harris’ recreation is fairly properly rounded, and his scoring ought to translate to the G League fairly shortly.
Extra scoring potential got here at decide quantity 12, with the Vipers deciding on Jarron Cumberland out of Cincinnati. His exterior capturing was streaky on the school degree and might be a piece in progress, however his aggressiveness in attending to the free-throw line will certainly assist and needs to be a significant asset for Rio Grande Valley.
Oklahoma Metropolis adopted these wing alternatives with considered one of their very own, although not a rookie. Their choice was Vincent Edwards, the ahead out of Purdue who spent final season with the Cost. With Canton, Edwards averaged 9.2 factors per recreation.
The Austin Spurs received a wing of their very own at decide 14, deciding on Jonathan Kasibabu. Final 12 months with the Lengthy Island Nets, Kasibabu averaged 7.6 factors per recreation.
The Raptors have been again on the clock at 15, they usually chosen guard Gary Payton II. The son of Corridor of Famer Gary Payton, the youthful Payton has tried proving himself to NBA groups the previous few years. Like his Dad, he is usually a pest defensively. Nonetheless, he hasn’t been in a position to do sufficient on the offensive finish thus far in his profession.
Anthony Cowan Jr. was then chosen by the Memphis Hustle. The rookie guard might want to get stronger within the coming years however has a pure skill to attain the basketball. The ultimate collection of the primary spherical adopted Cowan Jr., because the Iowa Wolves chosen Dakari Tucker.
