Veteran point guard Jerian Grant, who appeared in 279 NBA games from 2016-20, has been named the MVP of the 2022/23 EuroCup, the league announced in a press release. Like the EuroLeague, the EuroCup brings together several of the top teams from various leagues in Europe. Grant’s current club, Turk Telekom, is among the competitors.
In 18 regular season EuroCup games, Grant averaged 14.6 points per game on 57.1% shooting and also contributed 6.2 assists and 3.1 rebounds per contest. He helped lead Turk Telekom to a 13-5 record and a deep playoff run — the Turkish team will square off against Gran Canaria in Wednesday’s EuroCup final.
Grant, the older brother of Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, was the 19th overall pick in the 2015 draft and played for the Knicks, Bulls, Magic, and Wizards during five NBA seasons. He put up modest averages of 6.1 PPG and 2.9 APG during his time in the NBA, but perhaps his strong showing overseas will earn him another shot stateside.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The NBA has confirmed in a press release that the Mavericks and Timberwolves will take part in a pair of preseason games at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi this fall. The contests will be played on October 5 and 7.
- It has already been an unusual postseason in 2023, which has become the first year in which a No. 7 seed (the Lakers) and No. 8 seed (the Heat) both advanced to the second round. Additionally, a No. 6 team (the Warriors) won a series for just the second time since 2016. Given the strength of the lower-seeded clubs in this year’s playoffs, John Hollinger of The Athletic explores the apparent decline in the regular season’s meaningfulness, considering why it’s happening and whether it will continue.
- Former St. Bonaventure guard Jalen Adaway, who signed an Exhibit 10 contract with San Antonio last summer and played for the Austin Spurs in 2022/23, has been dismissed and disqualified from the NBA G League for a violation of the league’s anti-drug program, per a press release. He’ll be eligible to apply for reinstatement in one year.