Basketball Players Union Rumors

And-Ones: Wright-Foreman, B. Johnson, Canada, Banchero

April 21st, 2021 at 10:44am CST by Luke Adams

A pair of former NBA players who were on two-way contracts during the 2019/20 season have signed new contracts overseas.

Point guard Justin Wright-Foreman, the 53rd overall pick in the 2019 draft, has joined Chorale Roanne Basket in France for the remainder of the season, the team said in a press release. Wright-Foreman spent all of ’19/20 on a two-way deal with the Jazz, but appeared in just four games and wasn’t retained in the fall. He played for the Erie BayHawks in the G League bubble this winter.

Meanwhile, small forward B.J. Johnson, who appeared in 10 games last season while on a two-way contract with Orlando, has inked a rest-of-season contract with the Brisbane Bullets, the Australian team announced. Like Wright-Foreman, Johnson hasn’t played in the NBA at all in 2020/21, but participated in the NBAGL bubble, averaging 18.4 PPG and 5.6 RPG in 14 games (31.1 MPG) for the Long Island Nets.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Blake Murphy and Eric Koreen of The Athletic take a look at which players might represent Team Canada in its Olympic qualifying tournament this summer. If they’re healthy and interested (and some have already expressed interest), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Andrew Wiggins, RJ Barrett, Luguentz Dort, Kelly Olynyk, Dillon Brooks, and Chris Boucher would be among the roster’s headliners. Twenty-four teams will participate in four qualifying tournaments, with the four winners advancing to the Tokyo Olympics and joining the eight countries that have already secured their spots.
Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic examines how the NBA G League’s players union – the Basketball Players Union, formed in 2020 – is putting more power into the hands of its players.
Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link) has updated his mock draft for 2022, moving Duke commit Paolo Banchero up to No. 1, as Chet Holmgren – who committed this week to Gonzaga – slides to No. 2.

David Stockton To Play In Puerto Rico

October 26th, 2020 at 9:17am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran free agent guard David Stockton, the son of Hall-of-Famer John Stockton, has agreed to join Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico, reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

Stockton, 29, went undrafted out of Gonzaga in 2014 and has spent most of his professional career since then in the NBA’s G League. In five total seasons with the Reno Bighorns and South Bay Lakers, he has averaged 17.5 PPG, 7.1 APG, and 3.5 RPG on .450/.372/.823 shooting in 169 games (30.0 MPG).

Stockton has also appeared in six total NBA games for the Kings and Jazz, and has some international experience, having played in Croatia in 2016, New Zealand in 2016/17, and Germany in 2018/19.

The timing of Stockton’s move to Puerto Rico is interesting, since a recent report said he has been named vice president of the new G League players’ union (the Basketball Players Union). That report indicated that Stockton was part of the BPU’s “interim” executive committee, so perhaps he’ll be replaced now that he’s apparently headed to Puerto Rico.

Stockton is the second former NBA player to reach an agreement with Mets de Guaynabo this month. Terrence Jones reportedly struck a deal with the Puerto Rican club last week.

Andre Ingram Becomes President Of NBAGL Players’ Union

October 19th, 2020 at 4:04pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA G League veteran Andre Ingram has been named the president of the Basketball Players Union, the newly-formed union for NBAGL players, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

According to Charania, guard David Stockton has been named the vice president of the union, while top prospect Isaiah Todd will be the secretary-treasurer. Charania classifies the group as an “interim” executive committee — it’s not clear whether that means those players could be replaced in the near future or whether more positions will be added.

As we detailed in July, the Basketball Players Union (BPU) will represent players on all NBA G League teams, including the Select Team that will be launched in 2020/21. Players on two-way contracts or on NBAGL assignments from NBA rosters will continue to be repped by the National Basketball Players Association.

The BPU will have its work cut out for it in its first year, given the uncertain outlook for the G League’s 2020/21 season amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Ingram’s G League résumé makes him an ideal fit as the BPU’s first president. The 34-year-old shooting guard is the all-time leader in NBAGL games played (449), having been part of the league since the 2007/08 season. Ingram has played in just six NBA games during that time, racking up 19 points during a memorable debut for the Lakers in April 2018.

Stockton, the son of Hall-of-Famer John Stockton, is also a G League veteran, having appeared in 169 games for the Reno Bighorns and South Bay Lakers since 2014. Todd, meanwhile, is an NBAGL rookie — the five-star recruit will be part of the new Select Team, the G League Ignite, next season.

NBA G League Players Form Union

July 21st, 2020 at 10:17am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s G League players have organized and formed a union, temporarily named the Basketball Players Union (BPU), the National Basketball Players Association announced in a press release. Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported the news (via Twitter).

According to today’s announcement, approximately 80% of players voted to unionize, and the NBA G League has agreed to voluntarily recognize the BPU as the players’ representative.

The newly-formed union will represent players on all NBA G League teams, including the Select Team that will be launched in 2020/21. However, players on two-way contracts or on NBAGL assignments from NBA rosters will continue to be repped by the NBPA.

“We are extremely pleased that our brothers in the G League elected to form their own union,” said Anthony Tolliver, a member of the NBPA’s executive committee. “The many NBA players with prior experience in the G League can personally attest to the value an organized union brings to players’ careers. We would like to especially thank Andre Ingram and John Holland who gave so much of their personal time to the organizing process.”

G League players earn $35K per season and don’t have anywhere near the same number of benefits enjoyed by NBA players. Now that they’re unionized, the BPU will have the opportunity to collective bargain salaries, benefits, and other working conditions with the NBAGL, so those negotiations will be worth keeping an eye on.