Inside Hoops – Page 187 – NBA Blog

Miami Heat sign rookie Nikola Jovic

The Miami HEAT have signed their first round draft pick (27th overall) Nikola Jović.

Jović, who was named the 2022 All-Adriatic League Top Prospect of the Year, appeared in 25 games with Mega Basket last season and averaged 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 27.2 minutes while shooting 42.8 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from three-point range and 75.4 percent from the foul line. He finished second on the team in scoring average, field goals made and three-point field goals made and third in rebounds per game. Jović scored in double-figures 16 times, including three 20-point games, while attempting 236 field goals, 118 from two-point range and 118 from three-point range. The 19-year-old was named to the All-Tournament Team while representing Serbia in the 2021 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup and was named MVP of the Belgrade qualifier in the 2020-21 Euroleague Tournament.

Jović is currently participating with the HEAT’s Summer League team in both the California Classic in San Francisco and the NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas with Miami’s first game today vs. the Lakers.

Hornets sign rookie center Mark Williams

The Charlotte Hornets have signed center Mark Williams.

Selected with the 15th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Williams appeared in 39 games with averages of 11.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 23.5 minutes per game as a sophomore during the 2021-22 season at Duke. Williams was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year after he led the ACC and ranked 12th in the nation in blocks per contest (2.8) and became just the second player in Duke history with 100 blocks (110) in a single season. He also ranked fourth in the ACC with eight double-doubles and sixth in the conference in rebounding, being named to the All-ACC Second Team by the media and Third Team by the coaches. His 72.1% field goal percentage was the second-best single-season percentage in school history, and he was the only player in the country to shoot better than 70.0% from both the field and the free-throw line.

In two seasons at Duke, Williams averaged 9.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 20.4 minutes per game over 62 career games. He finished his career with 142 blocked shots, which places him seventh on Duke’s all-time blocks leaders list.

Rockets sign rookie Trevor Hudgins to two-way contract

The Houston Rockets yesterday signed free agent rookie guard Trevor Hudgins to a two-way contract.

Hudgins (6-0, 180) was eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft following his redshirt senior season at Division II’s Northwest Missouri State. He led the Bearcats to three Division II championships and an overall record of 131-8, including a perfect 38-0 mark during his freshman season in 2018-19.

For his career, Hudgins averaged 20.4 points, 5.0 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting 51.7% from the floor, 46.5% from 3-point range and 87.8% from the line. He was named NABC Division II Player of the Year as both a junior and a senior, becoming the fourth Division II player to have won the award in consecutive years.

During a six-point loss to No. 4 ranked Duke in a 2019 exhibition game, Hudgins scored a game-high 27 points while hitting seven 3-pointers. He averaged 3.6 3FGM over his final three seasons. Some former Rockets who attended Division II schools include Mario Elie, Caldwell Jones, Major Jones, Moochie Norris, and Purvis Short.

Pistons sign Buddy Boeheim to two-way contract

The Detroit Pistons have signed Buddy Boeheim to a two-way contract.

Boeheim, 6-6, 195, averaged 19.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 38.0 minutes over a span of 32 games during his senior campaign at Syracuse. Boeheim led the ACC in scoring average during the 2021-22 season and ranked second in the conference in 3-pointers made per game (2.8). He garnered All-ACC First Team and All-ACC Tournament First Team honors last season.

In his four years with the Orange, Boeheim held career marks of 14.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals in 31.5 minutes through 121 games (94 starts). He shot .410 from the field and .362 from distance en route to finishing second in school history in 3-pointers made (309). His 1,765 total points ranks 13th all-time in Syracuse history.

A native of Fayetteville, N.Y., Boeheim attended Brewster Academy and is the son of longtime Syracuse head coach, Jim Boeheim. Boeheim’s brother, Jimmy, also played at Syracuse during the 2021-22 season after transferring from Cornell.

Orlando Magic sign rookie Paolo Banchero

The Orlando Magic yesterday signed forward Paolo Banchero, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced.

Banchero was selected by Orlando in the first round (first overall) of the 2022 NBA Draft.

Banchero (6’10”, 250, 11/12/02) played and started in all 39 games last season as a freshman at Duke University, averaging 17.2 ppg., 7.8 rpg., 3.2 apg. and 1.05 stlpg. in 33.0 minpg., while shooting .478 (245-513) from the floor. He led all true freshmen in the nation in scoring. Banchero led the Blue Devils in scoring and rebounding, while ranking second in minutes played. He also ranked fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference in rebounding and sixth in the conference in scoring.

Banchero was named Second Team All-America by the NABC and USBWA, while being a Third Team All-America selection by The Associated Press and The Sporting News. Among his many accolades, he was one of 15 finalists for the John R. Wooden Award, given to the nation’s most outstanding player, and one of five finalists for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. Banchero was named to the All-ACC First Team, the ACC All-Freshmen Team and was the ACC Freshman of the Year. He was also named to the ACC All-Tournament Team, the NCAA All-Tournament Team and the NCAA West Region’s Most Outstanding Player, leading Duke to the 2022 NCAA Final Four.

While at O’Dea High School in Seattle, WA, Banchero led the team to the Class 3A state championship as a sophomore (2018-19) and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. As a junior (2019-20), he was named Washington’s Gatorade Player of the Year, a MaxPreps Junior All-American and the MaxPreps National Junior Player of the Year. Despite his senior season being postponed due to the pandemic, Banchero was named a 2021 McDonald’s All-American, a Naismith First Team All-American and a Sports Illustrated All-American.

Rockets sign rookies Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason and TyTy Washington Jr.

The Houston Rockets yesterday signed rookies Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and TyTy Washington Jr.

Smith (6-10, 220) was the third overall pick by Houston in the 2022 NBA Draft following his freshman season at Auburn. He averaged 16.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.1 spg and 1.0 bpg along with 2.3 3-pointers made on 42.9% shooting. Dating back to 1992-93, Smith joined Kevin Durant as the only freshmen to have averaged at least 16.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 2.0 3FGM while shooting 40.0% or better from behind-the-arc.

Eason (6-8, 216) was the 17th overall pick by Houston in the 2022 NBA Draft following his sophomore season at Louisiana State. He averaged 16.9 points on 52.1% shooting last season, up from 7.3 ppg on 46.2% shooting as a freshman for Cincinnati. Eason became the first player in SEC history to be named Sixth Man of the Year while also earning All-SEC First Team honors.

Washington (6-3, 197) was the 29th overall pick by Memphis in the 2022 NBA Draft before his rights were acquired by the Rockets. As a freshman at Kentucky last season, he averaged 12.5 ppg, 3.9 apg, 3.5 rpg and 1.3 spg while shooting nearly 50% from inside-the-arc. Washington set the Wildcats single-game school record with 17 assists vs. Georgia on Jan. 8.

Grizzlies sign Vince Williams Jr. and Kenneth Lofton Jr. to two-way contracts

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed wing Vince Williams Jr. and forward/center Kenneth Lofton Jr. to two-way contracts.

Williams Jr. (6-6, 205), the No. 47 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, was selected to the 2021-22 All-Atlantic 10 First Team after averaging 14.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.60 steals and 1.07 blocks in 32.5 minutes while shooting 47.7% from the field and 38.7% from 3-point range during his senior year at VCU. The 21-year-old Ohio native averaged at least one steal per game in all four seasons with the Rams.

Lofton Jr. (6-8, 275) was named to the 2021-22 All-Conference USA First Team after averaging 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.15 steals in 27.0 minutes while shooting 53.9% from the field in 33 games during his sophomore year at Louisiana Tech. Unselected in the 2022 NBA Draft, the 19-year-old Texas native led Conference USA in rebounds per game, total rebounds (347), offensive rebounds (108), defensive rebounds (239) and double-doubles (17) last season.

Grizzlies sign rookies Jake LaRavia and David Roddy

The Memphis Grizzlies have signed 2022 first round draft picks, forwards Jake LaRavia and David Roddy, to multi-year contracts.

LaRavia (6-7, 235) was acquired by Memphis with the No. 19 overall pick pursuant to a draft-night trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 20-year-old California native was selected to the 2021-22 All-ACC Second Team after averaging 14.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.67 steals in 34.1 minutes while shooting 55.9% from the field and 38.4% from 3-point range in 33 games as a junior for Wake Forest.

Roddy (6-5, 255) was acquired by the Grizzlies with the No. 23 overall pick pursuant to a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers that was completed on June 24. The 21-year-old Minnesota native was named the 2021-22 Mountain West Player of the Year after averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.16 steals and 1.06 blocks while shooting a conference-best 57.1% from the field and 43.8% from 3-point range as a junior at Colorado State.

Wizards re-sign Anthony Gill

The Washington Wizards have re-signed forward Anthony Gill, bringing him back for his third season with the team.

“AG provides us with additional frontcourt depth and is the epitome of the type of player we look for in building our team,” said Wizards President and General Manager Tommy Sheppard. “He is a true professional, a leader in the court in the community and is always ready to contribute on the court in a variety of ways when his number is called.”

Gill has appeared in 70 games (four starts) in his two seasons in Washington, averaging 3.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. In his 10.5 minutes per game in 2021-22, Gill shot .569 from the field and .538 from three. He scored a career-high 15 points in a win over Brooklyn on February 10, going 6-7 from the field while adding two rebounds and a steal.

Gill was named the recipient of the inaugural Washington Wizards E.B. Henderson Team Award in April. He received the honor in recognition for his work in the Washington, D.C., community.

The native of Charlotte, NC, played the previous three seasons before signing with Washington with BC Khimki in Russia, compiling overall averages of 10.5 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting .572 from the field and .406 from three-point range. He was undrafted out of the University of Virginia, where he played from 2013-16 after transferring from the University of South Carolina. He finished his career as the Cavaliers’ all-time leader in field goal percentage at .582 and averaged 13.8 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting .580 from the floor as a senior. Gill was named All-ACC Third Team as both a junior and a senior and was named to the All-ACC Tournament Team as a senior.

Lakers sign Troy Brown Jr., Damian Jones and Juan Toscano-Anderson

The Los Angeles Lakers yesterday signed Troy Brown Jr., Damian Jones and Juan Toscano-Anderson.

Brown Jr. appeared in 66 games (seven starts) for Chicago last season, averaging 4.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 16.0 minutes per game, while shooting a career-best 35.3 percent from three-point range. In four seasons with Chicago and Washington, Brown Jr. appeared in 221 games (39 starts) with career averages of 6.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

Jones played 56 games (15 starts) for Sacramento last season, where he averaged 8.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 18.2 minutes, shooting 65.8 percent from the field. Jones returns to Los Angeles after averaging 5.4 points (.941 FG%) and 3.3 rebounds in eight games for the Lakers during the 2020-21 season. In 199 career games (74 starts) for Golden State, Atlanta, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Sacramento, the two-time NBA champion has averaged 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 15.3 minutes, while shooting 66.5 percent from the field.

Toscano-Anderson appeared in 73 games (six starts) for Golden State last season, averaging 4.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 13.6 minutes. Across three seasons with the Warriors, Toscano-Anderson appeared in 139 games (28 starts) with career averages of 4.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He appeared in 14 playoff games for the Warriors last season, helping the team to the 2022 NBA Championship.