NBAGL All-League, Defensive, Rookie Teams Announced
The NBA announced all of the major All-NBA G League teams on Thursday (All Twitter links found here), including the First Team, Second Team, Third Team, All-Defensive Team, and All-Rookie team.
Several current and former NBA players are among the honorees. Here is the full list of winners for the 2023/24 season.
All-NBA G League First Team:
- Mac McClung, G, Osceola Magic (McClung was NBAGL MVP)
- Alondes Williams, G, Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat‘s affiliate) *
- Jason Preston, G, Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz‘s affiliate) *
- Kenneth Lofton, F/C, Salt Lake City Stars ^
- Oscar Tshiebwe, C, Indiana Mad Ants (Pacers‘ affiliate) *
All-NBA G League Second Team:
- Trevelin Queen, G, Osceola Magic *
- Mason Jones, G, Stockton Kings *
- Malcolm Hill, G/F, Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans‘ affiliate) *
- Justin Champagnie, F, Capital City Go-Go (Wizards‘ affiliate) *
- Darius Bazley, F/C, Salt Lake City Stars ^
All-NBA G League Third Team:
- JD Davison, G, Maine Celtics *
- Ethan Thompson, G/F, Mexico City Capitanes
- Adama Sanogo, C, Windy City Bulls *
- Jahmi’us Ramsey, G, Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder‘s affiliate)
- Elfrid Payton, G, Indiana Mad Ants
G League All-Defensive Team:
- Shaquille Harrison, G, South Bay Lakers (Harrison was NBAGL Defensive Player of the Year)
- Kylor Kelley, C, Maine Celtics
- Nate Hinton, G, Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Rockets‘ affiliate) *
- Trhae Mitchell, G, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
- Darius Bazley
G League All-Rookie Team:
- Oscar Tshiebwe (Tshiebwe was NBAGL Rookie of the Year)
- Adama Sanogo
- Jordan Miller, G/F, Ontario Clippers *
- Terquavion Smith, G, Delaware Blue Coats (Sixers‘ affiliate) *
- Kendric Davis, G, Santa Cruz Warriors
* Denotes two-way contract
^ Denotes standard contract
Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard Entering 2024 NBA Draft
Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard announced (via Twitter) that he’s entering the 2024 NBA Draft and forgoing his remaining college eligibility.
Sheppard is a projected lottery pick, currently ranked No. 7 on ESPN’s big board.
“I’m going all-in,” Sheppard told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. “The opportunity I have is great. I’ve gotten really good feedback showing where I can be in the draft. I had an unbelievable year at Kentucky. It was such a fun year. It’s not easy leaving the fans and the school I dreamed of playing at. I need to do what’s best for me, and that’s heading to the NBA.”
As Givony writes, Sheppard was a McDonald’s All-American coming out of high school, but he was not expected to be a one-and-done lottery pick entering his freshman year at Kentucky. That changed after an excellent 2023/24 campaign in which Sheppard averaged 12.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.5 APG and 2.5 SPG on an elite .536/.521/.831 shooting line in 33 games (28.9 MPG).
According to Givony, Sheppard grabbed the attention of NBA evaluators with his “shooting prowess, play-making acumen, defensive instincts, feel for the game, productivity and never-ending confidence.”
In his player profile, Givony writes that Sheppard doesn’t have an ideal physical profile for an NBA guard and there are questions about how that might translate to the next level. Sheppard also had one of his worst games of the season in Kentucky’s upset loss to Oakland in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Still, there’s a reason he’s viewed as a lottery pick, as he put up one of the best college shooting seasons from long range for a projected first-rounder since Glen Rice in 1988/89, per Givony.
Lakers Notes: Davis, Vincent, Russell, Nuggets Matchup
After missing the final six minutes of the Lakers‘ victory over New Orleans on Sunday due to back spasms, star center Anthony Davis was able to play 40 minutes in Tuesday’s rematch with the Pelicans. The play-in tournament win secured the No. 7 seed in the West for L.A.
Davis said he was physically limited during Tuesday’s contest, as he was still experiencing the spasms, but he thinks the extra time off ahead of Saturday’s Game 1 in Denver will allow his back to heal, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“I think the way it affected me the most is just as far as moving, going to get offensive rebounds and things like that,” Davis said. “Just my presence at the rim, it was just tough. But we got it done. We got it done. And I have a couple days now to kind of get it back to normal and get ready for Saturday.
“I feel like I’ll be 100 percent as far as the back come Saturday.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Gabe Vincent only appeared in seven regular season games in 2023/24 due to knee issues after signing a three-year, $33MM deal with the Lakers as a free agent last summer. However, he appears to be finding his rhythm entering the playoffs, writes Khobi Price of The Southern California New Group. Vincent finished with nine points (on 3-of-6 shooting), four rebounds and a steal in nearly 18 minutes on Tuesday. “Just his toughness, his grit, his ability to make shots,” head coach Darvin Ham said. “And like I said, that will come. As his legs get stronger and stronger underneath him, his shot-making will increase as well. He has this quiet toughness about himself. Whatever you need him to do, he’s gonna do it. He’s gonna make sure he executes it and starts with defense with him. The defense, diving on the floor, everything, he’s a hell of a competitor.”
- In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, D’Angelo Russell said becoming a father in September 2022 helped him focus on the things that mattered most to him, both on and off the court.
- McMenamin and Kevin Pelton of ESPN examine why the first-round series with the defending-champion Nuggets will be an “uphill battle” for the Lakers, writing that Denver’s frontcourt size and skill presents a unique issue for L.A. While many of their games have been close, the Nuggets have dominated in the clutch against the Lakers, going 8-0 in their last eight matchups, including last season’s sweep in the Western Conference Finals.
Spurs’ Zach Collins To Undergo Shoulder Surgery
Zach Collins dislocated his right shoulder in the Spurs‘ season finale on Sunday and a subsequent MRI revealed a torn labrum, the team announced in a press release. Collins will undergo surgery and is expected to be fully healed to open the 2024/25 season, per the Spurs.
A 6’11” big man, Collins dealt with multiple major ankle injuries earlier in his seven-year career, playing just 39 total games from 2019-22. However, he was relatively healthy in 2023/24, appearing in 69 games while averaging 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 22.1 minutes per contest.
The 26-year-old opened ’23/24 as the Spurs’ starting center, but he was moved to the bench in December, when head coach Gregg Popovich slid Victor Wembanyama up a position in the frontcourt. Collins wound up making 29 starts, often manning the middle in the 11 games Wembanyama missed.
While it’s obviously very unfortunate that Collins sustained another significant injury, the good news is that he’ll have the entire offseason to recover. The fact that San Antonio expects him to be ready for the start of next season is a positive sign as well.
Collins signed a two-year, $34.8MM extension with the Spurs last October, which begins next season. He’s under contract through ’25/26.
Larsson, Hall, Sears Among Latest Draft Early Entrants
Arizona guard Pelle Larsson, who is ranked No. 45 on ESPN’s big board, is forgoing his final season of college eligibility and entering the 2024 draft, agent Daniel Poneman told Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link).
A native of Sweden, Larsson averaged 12.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 3.7 APG with an impressive .519/.426/.750 shooting line in 36 games as a senior for the Wildcats in 2023/24 (30.1 MPG). Arizona made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, when it lost to Clemson.
Speaking of Clemson, big man PJ Hall, another potential second-round pick who is No. 59 on ESPN’s board, was on a list of college senior early entrants that was sent to NBA teams a couple days ago, according to Givony (Twitter links). As far as we’re aware, Hall did not make an announcement on whether he intends to test the draft waters or forgo his final year of eligibility.
Alabama’s Mark Sears was on that early entrant list as well, and he recently announced (Instagram link) that he’ll be testing the draft waters. The No. 90-ranked prospect on ESPN’s board, Sears helped lead the Crimson Tide to the Final Four before losing to eventual champion UConn.
Here are a few other players who appeared on the senior early entrant list that Givony provided and are not on our own early entrants list:
- Joseph Bamisile, VCU
- Koby Brea, Dayton (also in transfer portal)
- Jack Brestel, Roanoke College
- CJ Huntley, Appalachian State
As with Hall, we haven’t seen announcements from these four players, so we’re not sure if they’re testing the draft waters or intend to stay in the draft. May 29 is the deadline for college early entrants to withdraw from the draft and return to school, Givony notes.
Injury Notes: Embiid, Sixers, Cavs, Hornets, Rozier
After previously being listed as questionable, reigning MVP Joel Embiid was subsequently ruled out by the Sixers ahead of Sunday’s season finale against Brooklyn, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. Embiid’s official injury designation was left knee injury recovery, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
When asked if he expected Embiid to play as long as he didn’t have any issues pregame, head coach Nick Nurse shifted around a bit while saying, “Yeah, same on the (other) questionable guys” (Twitter video link via PHLY Sixers).
De’Anthony Melton (back injury recovery) and KJ Martin (left great toe contusion), the other two players with questionable tags, were later ruled out as well.
In his fifth game back following a torn left meniscus in January, which required surgery, Embiid appeared to tweak the same knee in Friday’s win over Orlando, calling to be subbed out a couple minutes before the first half ended. He returned for the second half and finished the game, but was noticeably grimacing at times.
Sunday’s game has major playoff implications for the 76ers, who currently have the same record as Orlando and Indiana at 46-35 but are the No. 7 seed due to tiebreakers. Still, Embiid’s health outlook is much more critical for the postseason and the future — Philadelphia went just 15-27 without the 30-year-old this season.
Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:
- The Cavaliers, who have secured at least the No. 4 seed in the East and could move as high as No. 2, will be without some of their top players on Sunday, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Donovan Mitchell (knee), Darius Garland (lower back contusion), Caris LeVert (knee soreness), Sam Merrill (neck strain) and Dean Wade (knee sprain) are all out. “It’s not rest,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said prior to tipoff. “Those guys have things they are dealing with that we are trying to protect over the long term. Not guys who are just taking today off. That was the thinking going into it — if we can get them yesterday and today and get out throughout this week, hopefully by Saturday or Sunday, whenever we play, that’s an advantage for us. We will go out and compete our tails off to make sure whatever may happen. So much is out of our control. It’s not a situation where we are going in and saying, ‘We need to do this or do that.’ We don’t control the outcome. So many other teams that have their own plans and own minds that they are trying to make up. We’re going out and trying to compete our tails off and see what happens.”
- The Cavs are facing the Hornets on Sunday, and Charlotte will also be very undermanned, the team announced (via Twitter). Miles Bridges (right wrist), Brandon Miller (right wrist), Davis Bertans (left Achilles), Nick Richards (right plantar fascia) and Grant Williams (right ankle) were all downgraded from questionable to out, joining four other players who are dealing with long-term injuries.
- Heat guard Terry Rozier underwent additional testing on his neck injury in recent days, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscriber link). Head coach Erik Spoelstra continues to refer to Rozier as day-to-day, but he’ll miss his fourth straight game on Sunday, leaving his postseason status up in the air. Rozier has been taking anti-inflammatories to deal with the issue, Winderman adds.
Draft Notes: Simpson, Sallis, Christie, Dixon, No. 1 Pick
Colorado point guard KJ Simpson, a junior who is ranked No. 46 on ESPN’s top-100 list, is declaring for the 2024 NBA draft and forgoing his remaining college eligibility, he announced on Twitter.
A member of the All-Pac-12 First Team in 2023/24, Simpson averaged 19.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.9 APG and 1.6 SPG on .475/.434/.876 shooting in 37 games this season for the Buffaloes (35.1 MPG), who lost to Marquette in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Another potential second-round pick, Wake Forest guard Hunter Sallis, is entering the draft while maintaining his college eligibility, he tells Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link).
After spending his first two seasons playing a limited role off the bench for Gonzaga, Sallis transferred to Wake Forest and had a breakout junior season for the Demon Deacons, averaging 18.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.5 APG and 1.1 SPG on .487/.405/.783 shooting in 34 appearances (35.4 MPG). He earned a spot on the All-ACC First Team for his efforts.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony says Sallis is an impressive shooter, but there are questions about his passing, defense and thin frame. Sallis is No. 49 on ESPN’s board.
Here are few more notes on the 2024 draft:
- Minnesota guard Cam Christie announced (via Twitter) that he’s testing the draft waters while maintaining his college eligibility. Christie says he’s “eager to receive feedback” from NBA teams. As a freshman for the Golden Gophers, he averaged 11.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 2.2 RPG while shooting 39.1% from three-point range in 33 games (30.1 MPG). Christie is the younger brother of Lakers guard Max Christie.
- Villanova’s Eric Dixon is declaring for the draft and his announcement (via Instagram) doesn’t say anything about returning to college, so we’re assuming he’s turning pro. As a senior in ’23/24, the 6’8″ forward averaged 16.6 PPG and 6.5 RPG on .465/.346/.862 shooting in 34 games for the Wildcats (30.6 MPG).
- Unlike last year, there is no consensus choice for 2024’s No. 1 overall pick. As Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN write (Insider link), different teams may favor different prospects depending on their evaluations and what they need. Zaccharie Risacher and Alexandre Sarr — a pair of French prospects — are considered the top contenders to go No. 1, but UConn’s Donovan Clingan, Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham, and Serbia’s Nikola Topic could all factor into the equation. It’s also possible that one of Reed Sheppard (Kentucky), Stephon Castle (UConn), Matas Buzelis (G League Ignite) or Ron Holland (Ignite) could end up being the No. 1 pick if they have a strong pre-draft process, according Givony and Woo.
Central Notes: Pistons, Lillard, Portis, Pacers, Carter
No matter what happens in today’s game vs. San Antonio, the Pistons will finish with the worst record in franchise history in a season that featured a record-breaking 28-game losing streak.
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic takes a look at Detroit’s disastrous 2023/24 campaign, writing that there is plenty of blame to go around. Changes could be on the horizon, however.
League sources tell Edwards that owner Tom Gores is considering hiring a president of basketball operations who would potentially become general manager Troy Weaver‘s new boss.
While Edwards suggests that Weaver and head coach Monty Williams seem likely to return in ’24/25, the situation appears to be “fluid,” since a new top decision-maker might want to overhaul the staff.
Here are a few more notes from the Central Division:
- Bucks guard Damian Lillard, who was sidelined for Friday’s loss to Oklahoma City, is probable for Sunday’s regular season finale in Orlando, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. As Chiang notes, the Heat need Milwaukee to beat the Magic to have a chance of moving out of the play-in tournament. If the Bucks win, Milwaukee would secure the East’s No. 2 seed.
- Bucks forward/center Bobby Portis believes he should be the frontrunner for the Sixth Man of the Year award and his teammates agree with that assessment, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “We’ve played together four years now,” two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “I think every single year he’s been the Sixth Man of the Year, hands down.” The award typically favors high-usage guards, not big men whose offensive roles are limited by the team’s roster construction, Nehm observes, but Portis has put together a strong season, averaging 13.7 PPG and 7.4 RPG on .506/.401/.787 shooting while appearing in every game (24.4 MPG).
- Pacers forward Obi Toppin sustained a left ankle sprain in Friday’s close loss to Cleveland, as Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files relays (via Twitter). Toppin is questionable for today’s game vs. Atlanta, as are reserve big men Isaiah Jackson (left hamstring strain) and Jalen Smith (left ankle sprain), per the league’s latest injury report. If the Pacers beat the Hawks and the Bucks defeat the Magic, Indiana would move up to the No. 5 seed in the East.
[Update: Head coach Rick Carlisle says all three players will be active today, tweets Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star]. - While Jevon Carter‘s first NBA season in his hometown hasn’t gone the way he envisioned when he signed with the Bulls in free agency, he has been a positive voice in the locker room and has stayed professional even when he hasn’t been part of the rotation, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I’ve been here before,” Carter said. “This is my sixth year in the league. Every year, I’ve had to prove myself. But I never lose that confidence. I work too hard.”
Knicks Notes: Brunson, Randle, Anunoby, Bogdanovic, Seeding
The Knicks have some big decisions coming this offseason beyond OG Anunoby potentially hitting free agency, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post, as both Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle will be extension-eligible.
Offering Brunson the maximum extension they’re able to is pretty straightforward, but he can earn significantly more money on his next contract if he declines his 2025/26 player option and hits free agency next year, so he might not be interested in locking in a new deal quite yet.
Still, as Bondy details, there are reasons why Brunson may accept the extension. For starters, he would be eligible for another deal sooner, potentially closing the earnings gap down the road — similar to what Giannis Antetokounmpo did just before this season started. Long-term financial security is another factor that might work in the Knicks’ favor, Bondy adds.
“I mean, obviously that’s a thing that you want to have, security,” said Brunson — who, even if he makes All-NBA, is not eligible for a super-max extension because he signed with the Knicks as a free agent. “But I’m just focusing on finishing the season, doing the best we can to make sure everyone’s back healthy and just doing my part. That’s at the forefront of my mind and I’ll worry about that stuff later.”
Bondy argues it wouldn’t make sense to extend Randle, given the injuries the three-time All-Star has sustained over the past year and Brunson’s stellar play in his absence. It would also limit the club’s flexibility moving forward, something the Knicks have been heavily focused on since president of basketball operations Leon Rose took over in 2020.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- While Boston didn’t have much to play for on Thursday, having locked up the East’s No. 1 seed a long time ago, New York’s dismantling of the NBA’s top team was impressive, led by another dominant performance from Brunson, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic. “The way he plays, the things he can do, it’s definitely special,” Anunoby said of Brunson. “He’s one of the best in the league. He’s playing like an MVP; (he) should win MVP.” Brunson finished with 39 points on 15-of-23 shooting in 30 minutes against the Celtics’ second-ranked defense.
- In the closing seconds of a chippy game, Nets guard Cam Thomas shoved Brunson to the ground out of frustration in Brooklyn’s loss to New York on Friday, prompting Anunoby to stand up for his teammate, per Andrew Battifarano of The New York Post. “It means a lot,” Brunson said (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv). Both Thomas and Anunoby received technical fouls for the incident.
- Bojan Bogdanovic‘s transition to New York hasn’t gone smoothly, but he’s been strengthening his case for having a rotation role in the playoffs with his recent play, Bondy writes for The New York Post. “I’ve been confident, even with a lot of ups and downs that I’ve had with the Knicks,” said Bogdanovic, who was acquired at the trade deadline from Detroit. “I’m feeling more comfortable in my role right now. Kind of adjusting a little bit because it’s not the same. I’ve been a starter for 10 years, but here going into the playoffs, I hope that I’m starting to play way better and keep my level up.”
- It wasn’t their best performance on a second of a back-to-back, but Friday’s victory secured a top-four playoff seed for the Knicks, as Peter Botte of The New York Post relays. Many of the final seedings in both conferences remain up in the air — New York can still finish anywhere from No. 2 to No. 4.
Sean Marks To Return As Nets’ GM In 2024/25
A couple months ago, there was some speculation that Sean Marks‘ job with the Nets might be in jeopardy amid a disappointing 2023/24 season which saw the team dismiss former head coach Jacque Vaughn.
At one point in mid-December, the Nets were 13-10. After Friday’s loss to the Knicks, they’re now 32-49 with one game left in the regular season.
However, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, Marks will return as Brooklyn’s general manager next season. Multiple league sources tell Lewis that Marks will be in charge of hiring a new head coach, with the team expected to “cast a wide net” in its search.
“(Owner) Joe (Tsai) and I have always been in complete partnership,” Marks said in February. “And it doesn’t mean we always agree. I mean, you have to have good discussions and robust discussions, but Joe and I will make this decision, and he has given me no reason to believe that I won’t be able to make that decision.
“By the end of this I have no doubt that we’ll come and find the best person fit for this job.”
Marks has been Brooklyn’s GM since 2016. The Nets had made the playoffs each of the past five seasons prior to ’23/24, but were quickly eliminated in the first round on four of those occasions.
Interim head coach Kevin Ollie is expected to receive consideration for the permanent position. The Nets have gone 11-17 under Ollie, a longtime former NBA player who took over for Vaughn a couple months ago.
“Yeah, I’m the interim, so I’ve got to find out if I’m keeping the job first,” Ollie replied recently to a question from The Post about his status. “We’re going to have some exit meetings here shortly, probably Monday or Tuesday and then we’ll talk. I’ll talk with Sean, our medical staff.
“We do everything as an organization, we do everything as a community. We make sure we have the same voice, surround-sound system with our players, making sure we’re saying the same things. So we’ll have those talks.”