jcollingsworth
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The Current Buckeye Tally in the NBA Stands at 5
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Ohio State University is a storied program in both football and basketball. Many top-notch talents have walked the Oval heading to both classes and practice.
Current basketball players that recently wore scarlet and gray before journeying to the next level, that being the NBA, is a talented lot. As the basketball season begins to unfold both at the Collegiate and Professional levels I felt a need to check out whom of former Buckeyes are on a current NBA roster and how they have done – and are doing.
The School that leads with current players on NBA rosters is Kentucky. They have an amazing 21. Kansas tilts the number at 19. Duke fits in at 18. And North Carolina has 15. Even a school like Arkansas, which I never imagined, has 6 listed on rosters. The Buckeyes come in with 5 – indeed respectable. Oklahoma has 1. Louisville has 4. Cincinnati is listed with 1. Xavier comes in with 1. Maryland has 3. *ichigan State – well – they have 5! And sad to announce my fellow Buckeyes TTUN has 6 names listed on NBA rosters as we speak.
Anyway – before I get disorientated on that meaningless statistic – let us discuss the current Buckeyes in the NBA and just how they’ve done and are doing.
Mike Conley
Mike is our Senior Statesman. In 2007 he would be the 4th player taken in the draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. The 6’1” PG has only played in Memphis in his 9 years in the NBA. In his rookie year in 53 games Mike would average 26.1 minutes of play while averaging 9.40 points per game and 4.19 assists. As I mentioned, now in his 9th year with the Grizzlies, thus far this young season, Mike has played in all of the 29 games they’ve been in – averaging 31.7 minutes of play. He has scored a total of 425 points which averages out to 14.66 per game, along with 6.3 assists.
In 2013 Mike would be named on the NBA Defensive 2nd Team. An honor he relished. “…I love playing D.” He would be quoted as saying in Slam Magazine.
In 2014 Mike would be awarded the NBA Sportsman Award.
The Grizzlies have been in five consecutive playoffs dating back to the 2010-11 season. In that season in the Opening Round they’d move on by beating the Spurs 4 games to 2. In the Conference Semi-Finals they’d be dropped by the Thunder in 7 games 3-4. But in the 2012-13 season they’d advance to the Conference Finals only to lose to the Spurs in a sweep 0-4. And last season (2014-15) they would take a trip to the Conference Semi Finals only to lose to the Warriors 2-4.
The Grizzlies are a promising team on the verge. Their success is inclusive of the addition of Mike Conley back in 2007. His development has been astonishing. Mike is one of the premier PG’s in the NBA today. And as a Knicks fan I would love to see him in the Garden.
Kosta Koufos
In the 2008 Draft Kosta, a 7’0” Center would be picked 23rd overall by the Utah Jazz. In that first year with the Jazz Kosta in 48 games averaged 11.8 minutes of play while averaging 4.67 points along with a Total Rebound average of 2.88. He would play one more year with Utah before moving on. There would be stops in Minnesota for 1 year, Denver for 3 years, and in the last 2 years, he’d be a teammate of Mike Conley’s in Memphis.
Currently the big man is in Sacramento with the Kings. In 28 games he is averaging 22.5 minutes of play with 8.25 points per game and 6.61 Total rebounds. He is sharing play time with DeMarcus Cousins at Center (One of the 21 from KY) and is indeed pulling his share.
Big men in the NBA are a high commodity. At 26 years of age as long as Kosta remains healthy he has a long career ahead of him.
Evan Turner
In the 2010 Draft Evan would be the 2nd player taken after John Wall (another KY man). The Philadelphia 76ers was happy to get the 6-7 Forward as GM Tony DiLeo said: “We got our man!”
Evan’s first year in Philly he would average 23 minutes of play in 78 games. He’d also end the year with an average of 7.24 points per game. His last year (2013-14) in Philadelphia Evan would have his best as a 76er. In 54 games before being traded to Indiana he would average 34.9 minutes of play for an average of 17.4 points per game.
In his short visit to Indiana he would play in 27 games with an average of 21.2 minutes of time and 7.11 points. Evan after the completion of that season (2013-14) was free to move on. He would sign with the Celtics.
Currently Evan is playing off the bench for the Celtics. In 28 games he averages 26.5 minutes of play with 9.11 points per game.
Jared Sullinger
In the 2012 Draft Jared a 6-9 F/C was taken 21st overall by the Boston Celtics. In all 3 years of service in the NBA he has not departed from Beantown.
His rookie year (2012-13) Jared would show his face in 45 games where he’d average 19.8 minutes of play, 6 points per game and .78 assists. His 2nd year would see improvement. The 2014-15 season in 58 games Jared would average 13.28 points per game in 27.6 minutes of play.
Currently in this season (2015-16) Jared has played in 27 games with an average of 25.4 minutes of play with 10 points.
D’Angelo Russell
Last Draft (2015) the Lakers got Kobe’s replacement in the First Round, 2nd overall. The 6-5 SG D’Angelo is thrilling to watch. He is perhaps one of the best ball-handlers and key assist-makers that have hit the court since John Stockton. (Huge claim I do understand) The Lakers knew this too.
Thus far this season D’Angelo in 27 games has averaged 28.3 minutes of play time with 11.9 points per game and 3.56 assists. On face value those numbers do not appear extraordinary and if we were talking about most other players I’d agree. But it is essential to note here that Kobe Bryant …. I will say it again …. Kobe Bryant… is ending his career. He is a future Hall of Famer who has brought much joy to Tinsel Town over many, many years. In his final year in the NBA the Lakers have no problem starving the talents of their next great player – D’Angelo.
His day will come. And you can bet Tinsel Town will be abuzz again. The Lakers love them or hate them, know how to draft. In D’Angelo they got a certified Superstar Apprentice. And who better to learn under – for one year – than Kobe Bryant?
That’s it. Those are our Buckeyes in the NBA. They are a talented group that we can be proud of. And as crazy as it may sound to you at this moment of the season, from all we have witnessed, expect that number to rise in a couple of years as this current crop matures.
The post The Current Buckeye Tally in the NBA Stands at 5 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Ohio State University is a storied program in both football and basketball. Many top-notch talents have walked the Oval heading to both classes and practice.
Current basketball players that recently wore scarlet and gray before journeying to the next level, that being the NBA, is a talented lot. As the basketball season begins to unfold both at the Collegiate and Professional levels I felt a need to check out whom of former Buckeyes are on a current NBA roster and how they have done – and are doing.
The School that leads with current players on NBA rosters is Kentucky. They have an amazing 21. Kansas tilts the number at 19. Duke fits in at 18. And North Carolina has 15. Even a school like Arkansas, which I never imagined, has 6 listed on rosters. The Buckeyes come in with 5 – indeed respectable. Oklahoma has 1. Louisville has 4. Cincinnati is listed with 1. Xavier comes in with 1. Maryland has 3. *ichigan State – well – they have 5! And sad to announce my fellow Buckeyes TTUN has 6 names listed on NBA rosters as we speak.
Anyway – before I get disorientated on that meaningless statistic – let us discuss the current Buckeyes in the NBA and just how they’ve done and are doing.
Mike Conley
Mike is our Senior Statesman. In 2007 he would be the 4th player taken in the draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. The 6’1” PG has only played in Memphis in his 9 years in the NBA. In his rookie year in 53 games Mike would average 26.1 minutes of play while averaging 9.40 points per game and 4.19 assists. As I mentioned, now in his 9th year with the Grizzlies, thus far this young season, Mike has played in all of the 29 games they’ve been in – averaging 31.7 minutes of play. He has scored a total of 425 points which averages out to 14.66 per game, along with 6.3 assists.
In 2013 Mike would be named on the NBA Defensive 2nd Team. An honor he relished. “…I love playing D.” He would be quoted as saying in Slam Magazine.
In 2014 Mike would be awarded the NBA Sportsman Award.
The Grizzlies have been in five consecutive playoffs dating back to the 2010-11 season. In that season in the Opening Round they’d move on by beating the Spurs 4 games to 2. In the Conference Semi-Finals they’d be dropped by the Thunder in 7 games 3-4. But in the 2012-13 season they’d advance to the Conference Finals only to lose to the Spurs in a sweep 0-4. And last season (2014-15) they would take a trip to the Conference Semi Finals only to lose to the Warriors 2-4.
The Grizzlies are a promising team on the verge. Their success is inclusive of the addition of Mike Conley back in 2007. His development has been astonishing. Mike is one of the premier PG’s in the NBA today. And as a Knicks fan I would love to see him in the Garden.
Kosta Koufos
In the 2008 Draft Kosta, a 7’0” Center would be picked 23rd overall by the Utah Jazz. In that first year with the Jazz Kosta in 48 games averaged 11.8 minutes of play while averaging 4.67 points along with a Total Rebound average of 2.88. He would play one more year with Utah before moving on. There would be stops in Minnesota for 1 year, Denver for 3 years, and in the last 2 years, he’d be a teammate of Mike Conley’s in Memphis.
Currently the big man is in Sacramento with the Kings. In 28 games he is averaging 22.5 minutes of play with 8.25 points per game and 6.61 Total rebounds. He is sharing play time with DeMarcus Cousins at Center (One of the 21 from KY) and is indeed pulling his share.
Big men in the NBA are a high commodity. At 26 years of age as long as Kosta remains healthy he has a long career ahead of him.
Evan Turner
In the 2010 Draft Evan would be the 2nd player taken after John Wall (another KY man). The Philadelphia 76ers was happy to get the 6-7 Forward as GM Tony DiLeo said: “We got our man!”
Evan’s first year in Philly he would average 23 minutes of play in 78 games. He’d also end the year with an average of 7.24 points per game. His last year (2013-14) in Philadelphia Evan would have his best as a 76er. In 54 games before being traded to Indiana he would average 34.9 minutes of play for an average of 17.4 points per game.
In his short visit to Indiana he would play in 27 games with an average of 21.2 minutes of time and 7.11 points. Evan after the completion of that season (2013-14) was free to move on. He would sign with the Celtics.
Currently Evan is playing off the bench for the Celtics. In 28 games he averages 26.5 minutes of play with 9.11 points per game.
Jared Sullinger
In the 2012 Draft Jared a 6-9 F/C was taken 21st overall by the Boston Celtics. In all 3 years of service in the NBA he has not departed from Beantown.
His rookie year (2012-13) Jared would show his face in 45 games where he’d average 19.8 minutes of play, 6 points per game and .78 assists. His 2nd year would see improvement. The 2014-15 season in 58 games Jared would average 13.28 points per game in 27.6 minutes of play.
Currently in this season (2015-16) Jared has played in 27 games with an average of 25.4 minutes of play with 10 points.
D’Angelo Russell
Last Draft (2015) the Lakers got Kobe’s replacement in the First Round, 2nd overall. The 6-5 SG D’Angelo is thrilling to watch. He is perhaps one of the best ball-handlers and key assist-makers that have hit the court since John Stockton. (Huge claim I do understand) The Lakers knew this too.
Thus far this season D’Angelo in 27 games has averaged 28.3 minutes of play time with 11.9 points per game and 3.56 assists. On face value those numbers do not appear extraordinary and if we were talking about most other players I’d agree. But it is essential to note here that Kobe Bryant …. I will say it again …. Kobe Bryant… is ending his career. He is a future Hall of Famer who has brought much joy to Tinsel Town over many, many years. In his final year in the NBA the Lakers have no problem starving the talents of their next great player – D’Angelo.
His day will come. And you can bet Tinsel Town will be abuzz again. The Lakers love them or hate them, know how to draft. In D’Angelo they got a certified Superstar Apprentice. And who better to learn under – for one year – than Kobe Bryant?
That’s it. Those are our Buckeyes in the NBA. They are a talented group that we can be proud of. And as crazy as it may sound to you at this moment of the season, from all we have witnessed, expect that number to rise in a couple of years as this current crop matures.
The post The Current Buckeye Tally in the NBA Stands at 5 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...