THE FLATS – Never too early to think about the start of the NBA season, a Phoenix Suns fan site has begun a series of player previews, starting with our own Josh Okogie … Chris Bosh recalls a difficult pre-draft workout … Moses Wright may play for Cyprus … more in this week’s #ProJackets Report.
JOSH OKOGIE 2024-25 PREVIEW
Bright Side of the Suns embarks on a series of previews in each member of the Phoenix Suns…
Josh Okogie (Shooting Guard/Small Forward, 6’4”, 213 pounds, 26 years old, 6 years of NBA experience). You love him. You’re frustrated by him. When things go wrong, you wish he was in the game. When he’s in the game, you see why he shouldn’t be.
Every team needs high-energy players, and JO certainly brings that. What he lacks in physical deliverables, he makes up for with hustle and grit. Players like Okogie will always have a place on a team, and will always be beloved by the fan base for the traits they display on the hardwood.
His nickname is “Call Me Non-Stop”, and he lives up to that moniker in every sense of the word. If only he could hit the three-ball.
Okogie played plenty last season, posting minutes in 54 of the Suns’ first 60 games. But his averages and contributions were mundane, scoring 4.9 points on 41.7/29.7/74.0 splits. As the season progressed, head coach Frank Vogel slowly moved away from Okogie. And once the trade for Royce O’Neale occurred, his minutes were all but gone.
JO signed a two-year deal this offseason after declining his player option. The contract is for $16 million, and he’s slated to make $8.3 million of that this year.
Player Preview: Josh Okogie returns with a higher salary. What does that mean for his future with Phoenix?
(by @DarthVoita)https://t.co/p8qTPEtNt5
— Bright Side of the Sun (@BrightSideSun) September 16, 2024
CHRIS BOSH RECALLS ROUGH PRE-DRAFT WORKOUT
The entire NBA Draft process is hectic and meticulous, with players subjected to every possible test and evaluation. One moment can make or break a player’s future in the league, and Chris Bosh knows this all too well.
In 2003, Bosh was a highly-touted prospect from Georgia Tech. While many experts pegged him to be taken early in the draft, thanks to his stellar performance in his one-and-done season in the NCAA, where he averaged 15.6 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, the 6-foot-11 was skeptical after doing poorly in a pre-draft workout for the Chicago Bulls.
Expectations were high for the crafty lefty from Texas, and Bosh was eager to prove himself to NBA teams that he was worthy of an early selection in a draft class teeming with talent. However, in a workout for the Bulls—they held the seventh pick in that draft—Chris folded against the best big men of that class.
June 26, 2003: With the fourth pick in the NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select Chris Bosh from Georgia Tech. pic.twitter.com/sLLmccj96F
— NBA Cobwebs (@NBACobwebs) June 26, 2024
MOSES WRIGHT MIGHT PLAY FOR CYPRUS
Olympiacos Piraeus might soon have another European citizen on their roster.
According to SDNA’s Magic EuroLeague, Moses Wright is in discussions with Cyprus about becoming the country’s citizen and playing for their national team.
As such, Wright would become recognized as a European player, which would open up more pathways for him in the future, as some leagues, such as the Spanish Liga Endesa, have much more relaxed rules for European Union passport holders.
Wright’s debut could come on November 24th against the same opponent – France.
In his first season in the EuroLeague, the 25-year-old big man averaged 8.1 points and 2.9 rebounds for 10.2 PIR for Olympiacos last year
Moses Wright is in advanced talks to become a Cypriot citizen😳
Source: @IONIKOS1972 #basketballmaniacs #basketball #cyprus #wright #greece #olympiacosbc pic.twitter.com/YGA4Jf6FJO
— Basketballmaniacs_ (@bballmaniacs_) September 14, 2024
#PROJACKETS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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EuroBasket Pro Yellow Jackets Weekly Update
Courtesy of Eurobasket LLC
Former Georgia Tech players who play in pro basketball:
- Glen Rice Jr. (6’6”-F-1991, played in 2009-12, plays for Cocodrilos in Venezuela
- Charles Mitchell (6’8”-F/C-1993, played in 2014-16, plays for Dorados de Chihuahua in Mexico
- Thaddeus Young (6’8”-F-1988, played in 2006-07) played for Phoenix Suns in the NBA
- Josh Okogie (6’4”-G-1998, played in 2016-18) plays for Phoenix Suns in the NBA
- Jose Alvarado (6’0”-PG-1998, played in 2017-16) plays for New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA
- Brandon Alston (6’5”-G-1995, played in 2017-19) played for Parnu in Estonian KML
- Moses Wright (6’10”-C-1998, played in 2017-21) signed for Olympiacos in Greek GBL
- Ben Lammers (6’10”-C-1995, played in 2014-18) signed for MoraBanc Andorra in Spanish Liga Endesa
- Avi Schafer (6’9”-C-1998, played in 2017-19) played for SeaHorses Mikawa in Japanese B1 League
- Adam Smith (6’1”-PG-1992, played in 2015-16) played for Surne Bilbao Basket in Spanish Liga Endesa
- James Banks III (6’10”-F/C-1998, played in 2018-20) signed for Aris Midea in Greek GBL
- Marcus Georges-Hunt (6’5”-F-1994, played in 2012-16) played for Shabab Al Ahli in UAE ULB
- Khalid Moore (6’7”-F-2000, played in 2018-22) signed for Saint-Quentin Basket-Ball in French Betclic ELITE ProA
- Abdoulaye Gueye (6’9”-C-1994, played in 2014-15) signed for TED Ankara in Turkish TBL
- Jordan Usher (6’7”-SF-1998, played in 2019-22) signed for JL Bourg en Bresse in French Betclic ELITE ProA
- Ja’von Franklin (6’7”-F/C-1998, played in 2023-23) signed for Yukatel Merkezefendi Belediyesi Basket Denizli in Turkish BSL
- Derrick Favors (6’10”-F-1991, played in 2009-23) played for Windy City Bulls in the NBA G League
- Josh Heath (6’1”-PG-1994, played in 2014-17) played for Spirou Basket Charleroi in Belgian Pro Basketball League
- Michael Devoe (6’5”-G-1999, played in 2018-22) signed for SYNTAINICS MBC Weissenfels in German BBL\
- Rodney Howard (6’11”-F, played in 2020-23) signed for Craiova in Romanian Liga Nationala
- Evan Jester (6’7”-F-1999, played in 2017-19) played for Atlanta Aliens in the ABA
- Trae Golden (6’3”-PG-1991, played in 2013-14) played for Ahly Benghazi in Libyan D1
- Gani Lawal (6’9”-F/C-1988, played in 2007-10) plays for Toros Del Valle in Colombian Liga WPlay
Notice: The list above includes only some of alumni playing currently in pro basketball. Check complete list of Georgia Tech basketball alumni.
