Georgia Tech #ProJackets Basketball Report

THE FLATS – First-round draft choice Josh Okogie has been highlight-worthy at times for the Timberwolves during the early going … Thaddeus Young has helped the Pacers to third place in the East through 10 games … That and more in this edition of the Georgia Tech #ProJackets Basketball Report.

Okogie, selected 20^th overall by Minnesota in the recent NBA Draft, has averaged 9.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists through the Minnesota Timberwolves’ first nine games. The former Yellow Jacket All-ACC performer ranks No. 5 in the Kia Rookie Ladder, earning high praise in the early going after not seeing action in the Wolves first two games. He ranks eighth among rookies in scoring average, sixth in rebound average, and leads rookies in steals per game (1.7).

Some of his activity on the court has been chronicled in video, like this dunk over Portland’s Jusuf Nurkic.

Thaddeus Young surpassed the milestone of 600 NBA starts over the weekend (165 of those with Indiana) and is being widely praised for his positive effect on the Pacers, who reached the playoffs last year and are off to a 7-4 start.

“Indiana outscored opponents by 344 points in his time on the floor over the past three seasons, which is a simple enough way of saying the Pacers win when Thad is deflecting passes, grabbing steals, and getting buckets and rebounds for Indiana. Young always makes his teams better …” wrote Ben Gibson of the Pacers’ FanSided site, 8.9. “Having an efficient player that makes the most of limited chances makes him a perfect teammate for those bigger names. He can save the day at times, and of course, it often happens when he isn’t supposed to be the one doing it.

Meanwhile, Derrick Favors posted a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds, three steals, two blocks) in 23 minutes Monday night against Toronto, but the Jazz have stumbled out of the gate to a 4-6 start. Favors has reached double figures in scoring in six of nine appearances and grabbed seven-plus boards in six of nine. This was the fifth time Favors has finished with at least two blocks, and he continues to make his presence felt, particularly on defense.

Iman Shumpert made a recent trip to Atlanta with his Sacramento team and scored eight points (3-8 FG, 2-7 3Pt), with four rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block in 24 minutes during the Kings’ 146-115 win over the Hawks.

“Shumpert’s contributions have been modest but perhaps better than expected coming into the campaign,” wrote the staff of fantasy site Rotoworld. “He’s likely not someone to rely on for a lot of counting stats. Still, Shumpert provides superb defensive effort along the wing and a willingness to fire away from beyond the arc, which are both areas where the Kings need his help.

Marcus Georges-Hunt, who spent last season with the Timberwolves and was unable to stick with the Boston Celtics after training camp this season, was assigned to his former G League team, the Maine Red Claws, and has gotten off to a good start, starting both games and averaging 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds. He got into the starting lineup in the second game and has averaged nearly 28 minutes.