Arizona Wildcats in the NBA and G-League are making headlines!
Last month we wrote about Arizona Basketball alums and where they were coaching and playing. Well, several players have made headlines and we are only a week into the 2022-23 season.
As far as the NBA goes, Arizona Basketball alumni have been making headlines. From Lauri Markkenan (Utah Jazz) to Bennedict Mathurin (Indiana Pacers) to Aaron Gordon (Denver Nuggets), and Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks), it has been fun to watch.
Aaron “Air” Gordon has made the most dunks so far this season, more than any other NBA Player. Those 26 dunks added easy points for the Nuggets.
Lauri has dominated the Lakers bigs, playing all five positions it seems at times. He is in the race for the most improved NBA Player at the ripe old age of 25.
| Season | G | GS | MP | FG% | 2P% | eFG% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 12 | 12 | 33.3 | .529 | .681 | .588 | .860 | 8.8 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 21.9 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/8/2022.
Josh Green had a perfect shooting game against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night, scoring 16 points and grabbing five rebounds while shooting 100 percent from the field (5-5 FG, 2-2 3P, 4-4 FT + 13).
Bennedict Mathurin ranks high among his fellow rookies. Through eight games, he has averaged 20.4 PPG (2nd among rookies), 42.9 3P% (3rd among rookies), 4.3 RPG (8th among rookies), 2.1 APG (4th among rookies), and that’s off the bench.
Ten former Wildcats are playing in the NBA, and now there are eight playing in the G League:
- Rawle Alkins (Salt Lake City Stars)
- James Akinjo (Westchester Knicks)
- Chance Comanche (Stockton Kings)
- Justin Kier (Austin Spurs)
- Brandon Randolph (Wisconsin Herd)
- Kobi Simmons (Greensboro Swarm)
- Brandon Williams (College Park Sykhawks)
- Gabe York (Fort Wayne Mad Ants)
Gabe York
So far, Gabe York ranks No. 2 in points per game with 32.5 ppg, No. 1 in Steals per game (4), and No. 1 in Fantasy points per game. Gabe hit the game-winning three-point shot at the buzzer to force overtime, and then made the game-winning three-point basket to win in OT. He only made two threes if you can believe it.
Gabe originally signed a contract with the Pacers. The Pacers waived him and then signed him on their G League team.
Out of Fort Wayne’s assist total of 39 (York dished seven of these) tying the franchise record, but the scoring fell just short of the 155 points scored by the Mad Ants during the 2021 Winter Showcase.
https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1589417702720180224?s=20&t=Jw_QRoVp3vs-xdjst_uo4A
Rawle Alkins
King Rawle is back in the NBA G-League! All the work he has put in over the last few years working on passing, dribbling, his spin moves, and dunks is paying off big time.
Rawle’s first game with the Salt Lake City Stars was nationally broadcasted. The Stars took on the G-League Ignite who ended up losing the first game of their season in their new, very purple Dollar Loan Center arena in Henderson, Nevada.
The Ignite roster includes former UCLA Bruin and former Arizona commit, Shareef O’Neal and highly-touted Scooter Henderson, as well as seasoned veteran Pooh Jeter. The Stars roster also features a former Bruin who plays well with Alkins in Johnny Juzang.
Rawle got an opportunity to play starting point guard with Frank Jackson (Duke) out for the Stars, and he may have won the position with his performance on Sunday night. Ranking No. 1 in three-point percentage with 100 percent and No. 4 in Field Goal percentage (80 percent), Alkins only missed two shots (8-10 FG, 2-2 FT, 3-3 Three-pointers).
But it wasn’t necessarily his points (23, top scorer for the Stars), or his two rebounds, it was one of his seven assists. With 2.7 seconds left on the close down by one point, Rawle took the ball out of bounds and perfectly placed a pass to Tyler Cook who scored two points on a jelly roll to win the game at the buzzer.
https://twitter.com/slcstars/status/1589467452693712896?s=20&t=Jw_QRoVp3vs-xdjst_uo4A
Kobi Simmons
Simmons is averaging 39 minutes on the court. He leads his team in average points with 24 per game and 10.5 rebounds. Simmons is ranked No. 1 in Assists in the G-League (10), and his bounce is not going unnoticed.
https://twitter.com/nbagleague/status/1588681349430652929?s=20&t=Jw_QRoVp3vs-xdjst_uo4A
James Akinjo
James is ranked No. 2 in average Assists in the G-League with 9.5
Chance Comanche
Chief is averaging five blocks per game which ranks No. 1 in the G-League.
dark. Next. Arizona Alum, where are they now?
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