Pullin, Chandler, Chance Claim NBA G League Awards
Free agent guard Zyon Pullin, who opened the 2025/26 season with the Iowa Wolves after being released by the Timberwolves in October, has been named the NBA G League’s Player of the Month for November, according to the NBA (Twitter link).
In seven Tip-Off Tournament games (34.0 minutes per contest) with Iowa this season, Pullin has averaged 27.7 points, 5.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds, with a scorching-hot shooting line of .667/.545/.903.
A 6’4″ guard out of Florida, Pullin played for UC Riverside from 2019-23 before transferring to the Gators for his super-senior year. He was an All-SEC honoree in 2023/24 after averaging 15.5 points, 4.9 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per contest in 33 games (27 starts), with a shooting line of .444/.449/.847.
Pullin quickly signed a two-way contract with the Heat after going undrafted in 2024, but was cut in July and opened last season in the G League prior to signing another two-way deal in January, this time with Memphis. He played three NBA games for the Grizzlies, having spent most of his rookie campaign in the NBAGL with the Sioux Falls Skyforce (Miami’s affiliate) and the Memphis Hustle.
The 24-year-old signed a two-year, two-way deal with the Grizzlies but didn’t play out the entire contract, having been cut in July. He caught on with Minnesota for training camp, inking a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 deal.
The NBA also announced (Twitter links) the G League’s Player of the Week (for games played from Nov. 24-30), which went to Delaware Blue Coats point guard Kennedy Chandler, and the Coach of the Month, which was won by Jacob Chance of the Austin Spurs.
Chandler, the 38th pick in the 2022 draft, has been playing for the Sixers‘ affiliate this fall after signing an Exhibit 10 deal with Philadelphia for training camp. He averaged 25.0 points and 12.3 assists in three games last week — the Blue Coats went 2-1 in those contests.
In eight games this fall (36.0 MPG), the 23-year-old Chandler is averaging 21.8 PPG, 10.1 APG, 2.9 RPG and 1.8 SPG on .468/.265/.667 shooting.
As for Chance, he guided Austin to a 9-1 record in November the second-best mark in the NBAGL. Raptors 905 coach Drew Jones was also deserving of the coaching award, notes Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (via Twitter) — Toronto’s affiliate is undefeated at 8-0 and has the best defensive and net ratings in the G League.
Spurs Hire Jacob Chance To Coach G League Team
The Spurs have hired Jacob Chance as the head coach for their NBA G League affiliate in Austin, the team announced in a press release. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first reported the news (Twitter link).
Just 31, Chance has an extensive background coaching in Australia. He was on the NBL’s Perth Wildcats staff when they won four titles. He then moved to the Tasmania JackJumpers as an associate head coach under Scott Roth before joining Melbourne United’s staff. Chance has also made his mark as an assistant for the Australian national team under former head coach Brian Goorjian.
He served as the national team’s head coach during a qualifying window in February.
“All the way through, it was even more than I imagined,” Goorjian told ESPN’s Olgun Uluc. “He’s just elite in all aspects, the film aspect of it, on the floor with the individuals, understanding offensive and defensive schemes. Just an unbelievable feel for that. He had a unique ability to get players to buy in. You had guys like Joe Ingles and Patty Mills – two guys he didn’t have a background with – and he did a great job of being really good on his feet and building those relationships, and had good feel about what to say, when to go there, and when to back off. Those seniors guys are not gonna come near you if you’re not competent. They were attracted to him.
“As I walked away from the Boomers, my advice to Basketball Australia for the window stuff is that Chancey can do this; you’re identifying something that’s really talented, and you’re gonna get rewarded for it. I’ve been around; I think the world of him.”
Australia’s Matt Nielsen was Austin’s former head coach and is currently on the Spurs’ staff.
“To go back and work with Matty, who essentially got me into the industry… in 2015, to come full circle and be back with him and hopefully be around him in this first little bit of time with the Spurs, it was hard to say no to,” Chance said. “He’s a good friend, a big-time mentor, and excited to get to work with him again.”