THE FLATS – Thaddeus Young gets his due for a great season in Chicago as he receives NBA Hustle Award … Josh Okogie working to represent Nigeria in the Tokyo Olympics … Derrick Favors on disappointing playoff loss to Clippers … more in this week’s #ProJackets Report.
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THADDEUS YOUNG RECEIVES NBA HUSTLE AWARD
Chicago Bulls forward Thaddeus Young is the winner of the 2020-21 NBA Hustle Award, which honors the player that makes the energy and effort plays to help his team win throughout the season. Since the award debuted following the 2016-17 season, Young has finished in the top nine each year before finally breaking through and winning the award in his 14th NBA season, beating out Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, Houston’s Jae’Sean Tate, Golden State’s Draymond Green and Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday.
He finishes the season averaging 12.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and a career-best 4.3 assists per game, as well as 1.1 steals and a career-high 55.9-percent field goal clip.
Bulls forward Thaddeus Young led all NBA players in charges drawn and offensive loose balls recovered on a per-minute basis.https://t.co/5nZp79O5oz pic.twitter.com/NzXm9FaXFf
— NBA (@NBA) June 23, 2021
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YOUNG APPEARS ON CROSSOVER NBA SHOW
Thaddeus Young joins Howard beck to discuss the highs and lows of his 14-year NBA career and all the madness currently going on in the NBA playoffs now.
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OKOGIE NAMED TO PRELIMINARY OLYMPIC ROSTER FOR NIGERIA
Minnesota Timberwolves’ guard Josh Okogie was one of 13 NBA players named on Nigeria’s Olympic Games preliminary roster by head coach Mike Brown at a training camp in California. Nigeria opened camp on June 20 in preparation for the Games in Tokyo, which start on July 23, and will play exhibition games against the USA, Argentina, and Australia between July 10 and 13. The 49-man preliminary roster also includes U.S. college players with NBA prospects, according to ESPN.com’s Colin Udoh.
Okogie is among five players making their return to the team after taking part at the 2019 FIBA World Cup where Nigeria became the first African team to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
Josh Okogie (Minnesota Timberwolves) will join other NBA players who include Gabe Vincent (Miami Heat), Al-farouq Aminu (Chicago Bulls), Jordan Nwora (Milwaukee Bucks)……. pic.twitter.com/icsyy99vF8
— #NBBF (@nbbfonline) June 22, 2021
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FAVORS AND JAZZ END SEASON IN DISAPPOINTING FASHION
Derrick Favors had an up an down postseason with the Jazz, looking terrific against the Memphis Grizzlies, then struggling against the Clippers smaller lineups.
The reserve center offered the most credit to the Clippers for their series victory, rather than pinning the shortcomings on the Jazz.
“The Clippers just made plays,” Favors said. “Paul George, he’s a tough cover one on one for anybody. And when have the role players on the team hitting shots and making plays they become tough to guard. They just had a good game plan and play the good series.”
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BOSH ON NEW BOOK, THE BIG 3, HOW HIS CAREER ENDED AND FINDING PEACE
Bosh discusses what inspired his new book, “Letters to a Young Athlete,” recalls the one moment during the Big 3 era when he felt the greatest bond and camaraderie with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and shares the heartache that came with the way his NBA career was ended prematurely by blood clots.
More from the Greg Cote podcast/Miami Herald
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NOT INVITED TO COMBINE, ALVARADO FACES STAY-OR-RETURN DECISION
Georgia Tech guard Jose Alvarado did not make the NBA draft combine after participating in a 40-player G League camp, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll be returning for his second senior season with the Yellow Jackets.
Alvarado, who declared for the draft in April but left the door open to return to Tech, was one of 40 draft prospects invited to the G League camp in Chicago that began Saturday. Four players from the camp were selected to advance to the combine, also in Chicago, but he did not make the cut when the selections were announced Tuesday.
More from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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#ProJackets on Social Media
Thaddeus Young is your 2020-21 NBA Hustle Award winner 👏 pic.twitter.com/3B1tiBznPr
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 23, 2021
HUSTLIN.
Some of @yungsmoove21‘s top hustle plays of the season 😤 pic.twitter.com/AOxaix1oBJ
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) June 23, 2021
“I can go out and score 12 points a game without having plays run for me… there is no doubt in my mind I can continue to play this game for a very, very long time.”
Thad caught up with @SamSmithHoops:
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) June 24, 2021
.@callme_nonstop, Season 3 ⚡️
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) June 16, 2021
Happy Father’s Day To Everyone…Best Gift Ever❣️ Love you naz https://t.co/497zVCcHMe
— Jose Alvarado (@AlvaradoJose15) June 20, 2021
The ACC POY is headed to the NBA Draft combine 🗣@mant12_ #TogetherWeSwarm pic.twitter.com/mDWSq0MH48
— Georgia Tech Men’s Basketball (@GTMBB) June 16, 2021
Hey @Raptors I see you got the fourth pick in this year’s draft.
I’d say it went pretty well the last two times, right @mrvincecarter15 😉? pic.twitter.com/fa8haT8mko
— Chris Bosh (@chrisbosh) June 23, 2021
“It’s the ex that both of you guys did better… there’s a little bit of pain or tweak when you talk about it… that was the hardest decision I had to make…” – Basketball HOF @chrisbosh tells me about his relationship with the @Raptors and Toronto #DrinkswithBinks @fuboSports pic.twitter.com/6juUqp5aAU
— Julie Stewart-Binks (@JSB_TV) June 23, 2021
#PROJACKETS IN THE NBA/G LEAGUE IN 2023-24
| PLAYER | DATA | NUMBERS | TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|
 | JOSE ALVARADO Team: New Orleans Pelicans Number: 15 NBA Experience: 3rd year Years at Georgia Tech: 2017-21 Hometown: Brooklyn, N.Y. Status: Active | 6-0, 179 lbs 2023-24 Stats 7.1 ppg 2.3 rpg 2.1 apg 41.2% FG | Record: 49-33 Standing: 7th place, -8.0 GB Streak: L1 Last 10: 5-5 |
 | JAMES BANKS III Team: Maine Celtics Number: 5 G League Experience: 3rd year Years at Georgia Tech: 2018-20 Hometown: Atlanta, Ga. Status: Active | 6-10, 250 lbs 2023-24 Stats 5.3 ppg 4.7 rpg 1.5 bpg 54.2% FG | Record: 21-13 Standing: 2nd place, -1.0 GB Streak: W1 Last 10: 8-2 |
 | MICHAEL DEVOE Team: Memphis Hustle Number: 10 G League Experience: 2nd year Years at Georgia Tech: 2017-21 Hometown: Orlando, Fla. Status: Active | 6-4, 183 lbs 2023-24 Stats 13.9 ppg 3.9 rpg 3.1 apg 47.4% FG | Record: 15-19 Standing: 12th, -9.0 GB Streak: W1 Last 10: 3-7 |
 | DERRICK FAVORS Team: Windy City Bulls (G League) Number: 14 NBA Experience: 12 seasons Years at Georgia Tech: 2009-10 Hometown: Atlanta, Ga. Status: Active | 6-9, 265 lbs 2023-24 Stats 6.2 ppg 4.7 rpg 0.7 bpg 66.7% FG | Record: 15-19 Standing: 13th place, -7.0 GB Streak: L1 Last 10: 4-6 |
 | JOSH OKOGIE Team: Phoenix Suns Number: 2 NBA Experience: 5 seasons Years at Georgia Tech: 2016-18 Hometown: Snellville, Ga. Status: Active | 6-4, 213 lbs 2023-24 Stats 4.6 ppg 2.6 rpg 1.1 apg 41.7% FG | Record: 49-33 Standing: 6th place, -8.0 GB Streak: W3 Last 10: 7-3 |
 | THADDEUS YOUNG Team: free agent Number: 30 NBA Experience: 16 seasons Years at Georgia Tech: 2006-07 Hometown: Memphis, Tenn. Status: Active | 6-8, 235 lbs 2023-24 Stats 4.2 ppg 3.0 rpg 1.7 apg 60.2% FG | Record: 49-33 Standing: 6th place, -8.0 GB Streak: W3 Last 10: 7-3 |
