We’ve reached the dog days of summer, but 85 days still remain until A-10 basketball returns. While we’re waiting, let’s take a look at some of our former A-10 favorites and how they’re doing either in the NBA or trying to crack into the league.
Langston Gallaway – St. Joseph’s
Galloway has cemented himself as a regular in the NBA over the past 5 seasons. During the 2019 season, he played in 80 games for the Pistons, averaged 8.4 points and 2.1 rebounds, and had five games where he scored over 20 points. His current 3 year/ $21,000,000 contract expires after this upcoming season, and he will likely sign a more lucrative deal as a consistent role player just entering his prime.
DeAndre’ Bembry – St. Joseph’s
Bembry has taken advantage of a weak Atlanta Hawks team to showcase his considerable talent. This past season he played in all 82 games for the Hawks and averaged 23.5 minutes, 8.4 points, and 4.4 rebounds. This was an incredible leap for the third-year veteran, who was named the most improved player for Atlanta in 2019 by Fansided. It’s too early to call Bembry an NBA success, but the former A-10 Player of the Year appears to be in Atlanta’s long term plans and should continue to see considerable playing time.
Treveon Graham – VCU
Graham has had an up and down NBA career since leaving VCU. He’s shown flashes of brilliance, shooting 44% from downtown in his first two seasons in the NBA, but shot only 29% (41% from the field) in 35 games for the Nets before getting injured last season. However, his poor play with the Nets could be attributed to a hamstring injury he suffered just two games into the season. The Nets were not interested in waiting to see if he could fix his shooting woes, as he was shipped to Golden State in the D’Angelo Russel deal. Graham was then immediately moved to Minnesota, where he will likely spend the 2019-2020 season.
Kostas Antetokounmpo – Dayton
Kostas played only 11 NBA minutes in his first season, spending the bulk of his time with the Mavericks G-League affiliate, where he averaged 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds. Antetokounmpo played only 13 mpg in the Summer League and shot only 39% from the field. He was claimed by the Lakers off of waivers in July. He remains on a two-way contract but could see some time in the NBA, especially with the Lakers short bench.
Yuta Watanabe – GW
Yuta played in 15 NBA games last season for the Memphis Grizzlies and scored a total of 39 points, including this three-pointer, which went semi-viral.
"Yuta, what's your dream?"
"My dream is to play in the NBA."
With his parents in attendance tonight, Yuta Watanabe made his 2nd career #NBA three-pointer. #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/DwMGJyjcXe
— NBA (@NBA) February 6, 2019
He also scored 13.5 ppg on 50% shooting from the field during the Summer League. Yuta will likely start out the 2019-2020 campaign in the G-League, but has played well enough to deserve a real chance in the NBA at some point next season.
Jaylen Adams -St. Bonaventure
Jaylen Adams was granted significant playing time in his first season trying to crack the NBA. He was even handed the backup point-guard role after the trade of Jeremy Lin. He played in 34 games, averaged 12.6 mpg, but only scored 3.2 ppg while shooting 33.8% from behind the arc. However, Jay was a force in the G-League, averaging 15.3 points in just over 30 minutes per game. Adams was waived by the Hawks before his contract became guaranteed in July. No updates on his plans for the 2019-2020 season have been provided, but given his success in the G-League, there should be a few teams that are interested in him.
Charles Cooke -Dayton
Cooke saw time in the NBA only during the 2017-2018 season. He played in 13 games and scored a total of 6 points. He spent the entire 2018-2019 season in the G-League for the Miami Heat, where he averaged 14.4 points and 2.3 assists in 31.6 minutes per game. He played for the Heat again during the 2019 Summer League session, but did not receive a contract and has since signed to play in the Basketball Bundesliga.
Brianté Weber – VCU
Weber has bounced around from team to team since breaking into the NBA. From 2015 to 2018, he played on the Grizzlies, Heat, Warriors, and Hornets, and had many stints with their affiliated G-League teams. He never averaged more than 5 ppg, and rarely played over 20 mpg. This past winter he signed with a Greek team to play in the Euroleague. He was waived in April.
Youssou Ndoye – St. Bonaventure
Ndoye is an interesting case. After failing to break into the league with the Spurs during the 2015-2016 season, he signed with French Pro A team JL Bourg and has flourished into an overseas star, even winning a championship in 2017. This summer he earned a Summer League contract with Mavericks, but played in only two of their 5 games, scoring only 4 total points. Youssou will likely continue his stellar career overseas.
Jordan Sibert – Dayton
Sibert has yet to spend more than 10 days in the NBA. However, he did tear up the Summer League, scoring 14.8 ppg for the Hawks in four contests. After stints overseas, Sibert will likely begin this season where he ended last season, with the Erie Bayhawks of the G-League.
Dyshawn Pierre – Dayton
Pierre signed with Pacers Summer League team in 2016 before heading overseas to Germany in his first professional season. In 2017, Pierre signed with an Italian basketball team. He also played for the Mavericks during this past Summer League session, but scored only 2 ppg over 5 games, and shot 29% from the field.
Xavier Munford -Rhode Island
The oldest player on this list, Munford returned to the U.S. to sign a two-way contract with the Wisconsin Herd (Milwaukee’s G-League affiliate) in 2019 after a stint with the Fujian Sturgeons of China. Munford averaged 6.6 points and 2.8 assists in 5 games for Milwaukee’s Summer League team.
Javon Bess – Saint Louis
After leading the Billikens to an A-10 Championship, Bess signed a Summer League contract with the New Orleans Pelicans but scored only 2 points in 5 games. He’ll likely spend the year in the G-League.
Isaiah Miles – St. Joseph’s
Miles decided to return to the U.S. after playing for various teams overseas for the past 3 seasons. Miles played with the Magic this summer and managed 6.3 ppg and 2.3 rpg. Instead of heading back overseas though, he signed an Exhibit 10 contract (convertible to a traditional two-way contract at the team’s option) with the Sixers.
T.J. Cline – Richmond
Aside from two stints in the Summer League, Cline has spent his professional career overseas in Israel. T.J. played marginal minutes for the Bucks in the past two Summer League sessions but did not receive an NBA contract after either stint. He’ll spend 2019-2020 with Hapoel Holon, who he won the Israeli cup with in 2018.
Marquise Moore – George Mason
Moore has played for the Iowa Wolves (Minnesota’s G-League affiliate) for the past two seasons. Last year, he averaged 9 points, 5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 43 games. He scored only 3 points and functioned as a reserve on Minnesota’s Summer League team this year.
Tyler Cavanaugh – Richmond
Cavanaugh had a solid rookie season with the Atlanta Hawks in 2017-2018, bouncing from the G-League to the NBA. He averaged 4.7 points and shot 36% from deep. However, he was waived by the Hawks in May 2019 and picked up the Utah Jazz. He played only 11 games at the NBA level this past season. He had a very respectable summer campaign with the Knicks, where he averaged 10 ppg on 52% shooting from the field. He’ll play the 2019-2020 season with Alba Berlin of the Basketball Bundesliga.
Jared Terrell – Rhode Island
Terrell played in 14 games for Minnesota after going undrafted in 2018. His best performance came against the Lakers, where he scored 10 points on 4-5 shooting from the field. This summer he averaged 5.3 points over 7 games for the T’Wolves, and will likely return to the Iowa Wolves this winter.
B.J. Johnson – La Salle
Johnson has spent the bulk of his professional career in the G-League. However, at the end of last season, he was offered a 10-day contract with the Hawks. He played in six games, was waived, picked up by the Kings, played one game, and was waived again at the end of the 2019 season. Johnson averaged 7.3 points and 2.0 rebounds over three games with the Kings during the Summer League.
