THE FLATS — Derrick Favors and Thaddeus Young landed with new teams during the recent free agent period … Anthony Morrow and Will Bynum join Dion Glover come to Atlanta with the Big3 summer league … more in the Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.
The Utah Jazz did not exercise its option to keep Derrick Favors for another season, ending his tenure with the club at nine seasons, and instead traded him on draft night to the New Orleans Pelicans for second-round draft choices in 2012 and 2023.
“We are ecstatic to be able to introduce a player and person of Derrick’s caliber to our Pelicans’ family,” said Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin. “As a selfless, 27-year old elite rim protector, with what we believe is untapped offensive potential, he is just entering his prime. We believe he will be a vital piece of our nucleus moving forward.”
Favors, 6-10, 265, appeared in 76 games (70 starts) for the Jazz last season, averaging 11.8 points on .586 shooting from the floor, 7.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.4 blocks in 23.2 minutes per contest. Selected by the New Jersey Nets with the third overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft out of Georgia Tech, Favors has appeared in 632 career regular season games with New Jersey and Utah, averaging 11.6 points on .525 shooting from the floor, 7.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.3 blocks per contest. Additionally, Favors has appeared in 31 postseason contests for Utah, including three straight playoff appearances from 2016-19, averaging 9.4 points on .574 shooting from the field, 6.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks.
Thaddeus Young became a free agent at the end of the 2018-19 season, and ended a three-year stint with the Indiana Pacers by signing a three-year, $41 million contract with the Chicago Bulls, according to the Chicago Tribune. “Young, who at 31 will become the oldest Bull, has been a model of consistency throughout his 12-year career,” write K.C. Johnson of the Tribune. “The 6-foot-8 forward, originally the 12th pick by the 76ers in the 2007 draft, has averaged 13.4 points and 6 rebounds in 901 games, including 671 starts. He is a career 50.1% shooter.”
“As you guys probably know in Indiana, that was one of the biggest things; we had to switch up the culture,” Young told reporters in Las Vegas. “In switching up that culture we were able to have two consecutive 48-win seasons and I would like to think I was a big part of helping us switch the culture. I just want to do the same thing similar to what I did in Indiana, bring that hard work mentality, that hard hat mentality each and every night. Being there for my guys and staying healthy and making sure I am willing my guys to victory and just bringing that leadership and attitude and that dog and that grit to each and every game.”
Iman Shumpert remains a free agent after finishing the 2018-19 season in Houston, but could re-sign with his former team. The Houston Chronicle reports “In 20 regular-season games with the Rockets, he averaged 4.6 points, making 34.7 percent of his shots and 29.6 percent of his 3s and without the defensive play he had displayed previously in his career or would in the postseason … The Rockets will have Bird rights to sign Shumpert. If they are to have trouble bringing back or landing other reserves when limited to their mid-level exception and minimum contracts, they could have much more flexibility to sign Shumpert.”
2004 Final Four star Will Bynum, four-year sharpshooter Anthony Morrow and star guard Dion Glover, came to Atlanta with one of the Big3 summer league’s four new teams, Bivouac. They visited with our writer Matt Winkeljohn to give Georgia Tech fans some perspective on life in the league. Morrow, a nine-year NBA veteran who did not play last season but is not yet ready to hang it up, talks about why he joined the Big3 with the website Heavy.com.
Josh Okogie, who is participating in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, and former Tech post player Alade Aminu were named to a preliminary 44-man training camp roster for Nigeria in advance of the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China. Former Tech point guard and current G-League assistant coach Mfon Udofia is serving on the country’s coaching staff.
Above: Thaddeus Young signs with the Bulls.
| PLAYER | SEASON STATS | TEAM RECORD | |
 | DERRICK FAVORS, F New Orleans Pelicans Number: tba NBA Experience: 9 seasons Years at Georgia Tech: 2009-10 Hometown: Atlanta, Ga. Status: ACTIVE | 11.8 ppg 7.4 rpg 1.4 bpg 58.6 FG% | 50-32 overall 5th – 7 GB Streak: L 1 Last 10: 8-2 |
 | MARCUS GEORGES-HUNT, F Maine Red Claws (G League) Number:13 NBA Experience: 1 season Years at Georgia Tech: 2012-16 Hometown: College Park, Ga. Status: ACTIVE | 13.1 ppg 4.6 rpg 1.7 apg 43.8 FG% | 19-31 overall 13th – 15 GB L 2 Last 10: 2-8 |
 | JOSH OKOGIE, G Minnesota Timberwolves Number:20 NBA Experience: 1 season Years at Georgia Tech: 2016-18 Hometown: Snellville, Ga. Status: ACTIVE | 7.7 ppg 2.9 rpg 1.2 apg 38.6 FG% | 36-46 overall 11th – 21 GB Streak: L 3 Last 10: 4-6 |
 | IMAN SHUMPERT, G Houston Rockets Number:9 NBA Experience: 8 seasons Years at Georgia Tech: 2008-11 Hometown: Oak Park, Ill. Status: ACTIVE | 7.5 ppg 3.0 rpg 1.8 apg 37.4 FG% | 53-29 overall 4th – 4 GB Streak: L 1 Last 10: 8-2 |
 | THADDEUS YOUNG, F Chicago Bulls Number:21 NBA Experience: 12 seasons Years at Georgia Tech: 2006-07 Hometown: Memphis, Tenn. Status: ACTIVE | 12.6 ppg 6.5 rpg 2.5 apg 52.7 FG% | 48-34 overall 5th – 12 GB Streak: W 1 Last 10: 4-6 |
Glen Rice Jr. (6’6”-G/F-91, graduated ’12, plays pro in Mexico) could not help Halcones de Ciudad Obregon (21-13) in their last game. Despite his good performance Halcones de Ciudad Obregon lost105-92on the road to the lower-ranked (#3) Mantarrayas. Rice Jr. recorded 14 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists in 29 minutes. Rice Jr. has individually a very good year with high stats. He averages 22.2ppg, 6.7rpg, 5.6apg and 1.8spg in 18 games he played so far.
Robert Sampson (6’8”-F-92, graduated ’15, plays in the Eurobasket Summer League) led Team Minnesota to an easy victory against the Team New Orleans (1-2) crushing them 95-59 in a derby game in the Eurobasket Summer League on Sunday night. Sampson recorded a double-double by scoring 16 points and getting 10 rebounds. He also added 3 blocks. The Team Minnesota has 2-2 record this season. The Regular Season already ended in the Eurobasket Summer League. This season Sampson averages 9.0ppg, 6.8rpg and 1.5bpg. He is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market.
Josh Okogie (6’4”-G-98, graduated ’18, currently in the NBA) led Minnesota Timberwolves to a victory over the Atlanta Hawks (1-3) crushing them 90-66 in the NBA Summer League in Sunday night’s game. He was MVP of the game. Okogie scored 15 points, had 7 rebounds and made 3 blocks in 22 minutes; quite an impressive performance considering it’s only his first season in pro basketball. The Minnesota Timberwolves have 4-0 record this season. So far his team won all four games in the Preseason Tournament. They will play only one more game in the NBA Summer League Preseason Tournament. And that game will be critical. Okogie has relatively good stats this year 12.5ppg, 4.8rpg and 2.8apg in four games. He is a naturalized Nigerian.
Brandon Alston (6’5”-G-95, graduated ’19, plays pro in the Eurobasket Summer League) was not able to help the Team Charlotte in their game against the Team New York (1-3) in the Eurobasket Summer League. Despite his very good performance on Sunday night Alston was the top scorer with 15 points. He also added 4 rebounds. The Regular Season already ended in the Eurobasket Summer League. This season Alston averages 8.3ppg, 4.0rpg and 2.0spg. He is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top summer league for players who want to play basketball overseas.
Other former Georgia Tech players, who play in pro basketball:
Charles Mitchell (6’8”-F/C-93) played for Ferro in Argentinian La Liga
Avi Schafer (6’8”-C-98) played for Toyota Alvark Tokyo in Japanese B1 League
Thaddeus Young (6’8”-F-88) signed for Chicago Bulls in the NBA
Iman Shumpert (6’5”-G-90) played for Houston Rockets in the NBA
Derrick Favors (6’10”-F-91) plays for Utah Jazz in the NBA
Trae Golden (6’3”-G-91) signed for Bahcesehir Koleji Istanbul in Turkish BSL
Jeremis Smith (6’8”-F-86) played for Bigua in Uruguayan LUB
Ben Lammers (6’10”-C-95) plays for RETAbet BB in Spanish Liga Endesa
Tony Akins (5’11”-G-80) played for KCC Egis in South Korean KBL
Jarrett Jack (6’3”-PG-83) played for Sioux Falls Skyforce in the NBA G League
Gani Lawal (6’9”-F/C-88) plays for Meralco Bolts in Filipino PBA
Zachery Peacock (6’8”-C-87) plays for JL Bourg Basket in French Jeep ELITE ProA
Alade Aminu (6’10”-F/C-87) played for Hapoel SP Tel-Aviv in Israeli Winner League
Daniel Miller (6’11”-C-91) played for Sendai 89ers in Japanese B2 League
Quinton Stephens (6’9”-F-95) played for Leyma Basquet Coruna in Spanish LEB Gold
Anthony McHenry (6’8”-SF-83) played for Shinshu BW in Japanese B2 League
Adam Smith (6’1”-PG-92) played for Orasi RAV in Italian Serie A2
Tadric Jackson (6’2”-G-94) played for Contern in Luxembourg Total League
Lewis Clinch (6’3”-G-87) played for Grindavik in Icelandic Dominos League
James White (6’8”-F-93) plays for San Lazaro in Dominican Rep. TBS
Joshua Heath (5’11”-PG-94) played for Ankara D.S.I. in Turkish TBL
Dion Glover (6’5”-G-78) plays for Bivouac in the Big3
Will Bynum (6’0”-PG-83) plays for Bivouac in the Big3
Anthony Morrow (6’5”-G-85) plays for Bivouac in the Big3
