THE FLATS –Michael Devoe and Jordan Usher both signed contracts as free agents Thursday night following the NBA Draft, Devoe with the Los Angeles Clippers and Usher with the Utah Jazz … Thaddeus Young’s return to Toronto could be complicated … Jose Alvarado talks about influence of NY Liberty star … more in this week’s #ProJackets Report.
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DEVOE, USHER GET PRO OPPORTUNITIES
From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “Georgia Tech’s Michael Devoe agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Clippers after he wasn’t selected in the NBA draft Thursday, according to several reports. An Exhibit 10 deal is a one-year minimum contract that guarantees a training-camp invitation. It could be converted into a two-way contract for Devoe to play with the G League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers. Devoe also will play with the Clippers in the Las Vegas Summer League next month. In addition, Tech’s Jordan Usher agreed to a summer league deal with the Jazz, according to a person familiar with the situation, after he wasn’t drafted. It’s a foot in the door for the energetic and versatile Usher, who had a pre-draft workout with the Jazz.”
Georgia Tech draft picks and free agent signings all-time
Tech’s Michael Devoe, Jordan Usher get pro opportunities https://t.co/YJwyHdzFvz
— Atlanta Journal-Constitution (@ajc) June 24, 2022
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MICHAEL DEVOE DRAFT NIGHT ACTIVITY
From Jackson Caudell at Yardbarker.com: “Devoe’s biggest strength is his ability to score. He is a career 39.3% three-point shooter and is a playmaker for the offense. He is a good defender, although not an elite one. His weaknesses are that he is not the best rebounder and is just an average athlete. He can also be inefficient at times. I think he can overcome weaknesses because of his ability to score. That and his size at 6-5 195 LBS are going to be appealing to NBA teams, but it might not result in Devoe getting drafted. Most projections have him going in the second round or undrafted and that is what I expect as well.”
Georgia Tech guard Michael Devoe has agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, source tells ESPN. He will get the opportunity to compete for a two-way contract.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 24, 2022
Michael DeVoe (6’5 W/G, Georgia Tech) is in this year’s draft and he brings a crafty scoring package to the table. He averaged 17.9 PPG on 56.9% TS this past season. He has some craft and he is great at recognizing and exploiting advantages. Rarely out of control pic.twitter.com/gTjtLkF69S
— Bryce Hendricks (@BryceHendrick14) June 23, 2022
Michael Devoe, one of the top players to go undrafted this year, has reached a deal with the Clippers.
Last season for @GTMBB he averaged 17.9ppg, 4.9rpg, and 3.1ast. Shooting an impressive 46% from the field and 37% from deep. He was named All ACC 3rd team.
📸: @jdopefx pic.twitter.com/ItmAFsbyWl
— GREENLIGHT MEDIA (@atlgreenlight) June 26, 2022
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JORDAN USHER DRAFT ACTIVITY
Georgia Tech’s Jordan Usher who worked out for the @utahjazz today had a great media session.
Said when he did the Jazz lay up drill, (6 full court layups) he told the Jazz he wanted to be timed at 32 seconds with guards rather than the 34 seconds they give big men.
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) June 2, 2022
Georgia Tech’s Jordan Usher has agreed to a summer-league deal with the Utah Jazz, according to a person familiar with the situation. A foot in the door for the energetic and versatile Usher. Usher had worked out for the Jazz pre-draft.
— Ken Sugiura (@ksugiuraajc) June 24, 2022
I always believed in you! pic.twitter.com/vicvgEKj58
— Jordan Usher (@Callmeush) June 23, 2022
After a mostly quiet night of not trading any rotation players or making any draft picks, the Utah Jazz signed a trio of undrafted free agents — UCLA guard Johnny Juzang, Illinois center Kofi Cockburn, and Georgia Tech forward Jordan Usher. https://t.co/5XD52flERo pic.twitter.com/zfmFw7gdbe
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) June 24, 2022
“I rinse out my rag everyday”
One of my favorite sound bites from the 2022 NBA pre-draft process comes from Georgia Tech’s Jordan Usher (@Callmeush) interviewing for the @Lakers #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/21U9taHPC5
— Next Ones (@NXT1S) June 23, 2022
New Jazz player Jordan Usher pic.twitter.com/mVOKhhXg0g
— Jared (@gothedistance49) June 24, 2022
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TECH’S NBA DRAFT HISTORY
Overall – A total of 45 Georgia Tech players have been selected in the NBA Draft (see chronological list), Josh Okogie being the most recent in 2018. Since the draft was reduced to two rounds in 1989, 24 Yellow Jackets have been selected. Nine other players have been signed as free agents in the aftermath of the draft and spent time on active NBA rosters.
First-round picks – Georgia Tech has had 19 players taken in the first round overall, 17 of them since 1989. Josh Okogie was the last Yellow Jacket to be selected in the first round, 20th overall in 2018 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, with whom he still plays. Two Georgia Tech players been selected in the first round of the NBA Draft in the same year once – Thaddeus Young (12th overall) and Javaris Crittenton (19th) in 2007.
Lottery picks – Eight Tech players have been “lottery picks” (one of the top 14 players chosen) since the lottery was implemented in 1985. They are: John Salley (11th overall to Detroit, 1985), Tom Hammonds (9th overall to Washington in 1989), Dennis Scott (4th to Orlando in 1990), Kenny Anderson (2nd to New Jersey in 1991), Stephon Marbury (4th to Milwaukee in 1996), Chris Bosh (4th to Toronto in 2003), Thaddeus Young (12th overall to Philadelphia in 2007) and Derrick Favors (3rd overall to New Jersey in 2010).
Highest draft pick – Kenny Anderson (No. 2 overall to New Jersey in 1991)
Next highest picks – Derrick Favors (No. 3 overall to New Jersey), Stephon Marbury (No. 4 overall to Milwaukee in 1996, traded to Minnesota); Dennis Scott (No. 4 overall to Orlando in 1990); Chris Bosh (No. 4 overall to Toronto in 2003)
Early NBA entries – Though they were seniors and have graduated, Jose Alvarado and Moses Wright are considered early entries to the draft since they had the option of returning to Georgia Tech for an extra year of eligibility. They are the 13th and 14th Tech players to make an early entry into the NBA draft. The other early entries were Dennis Scott (1990), Kenny Anderson (1991), Stephon Marbury (1996), Dion Glover (1998), Chris Bosh (2003), Jarrett Jack (2005), Thaddeus Young and Javaris Crittenton (2007), Gani Lawal and Derrick Favors (2010), Iman Shumpert (2011) and Josh Okogie (2018).
Two players drafted in the same year – The last time two Georgia Tech players were selected in the same draft was 2010, when Derrick Favors was taken third overall by the New Jersey Nets, and Gani Lawal went in the second round, 46th overall, by the Phoenix Suns. Overall, two players have been selected in the same draft 10 times.
Draft choices by team – The hometown NBA team, the Atlanta Hawks, has drafted three Georgia Tech players in its history – guard Phil Wagner in 1968 (6th round), guard George Thomas in 1983 (8th round) and guard Dion Glover in 1999 (1st round), while New Jersey, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Seattle (now Oklahoma City) also have selected three Tech players each. Franchises which have never selected a Tech player in the draft – Charlotte, Cleveland, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis, New Orleans and San Antonio.
Notable – From 1985 to 2001, at least one Georgia Tech player was selected in every draft except 1994.
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YOUNG’S RETURN TO RAPTORS COMPLICATED
The Raptors’ path to creating the deepest roster possible for this coming season involves keeping both Chris Boucher and Thaddeus Young, both of whom will be free agents. The Raptors have both players’ Bird rights, which means they can exceed the salary cap by any amount they choose in order to retain them.
Eric Koreen from The Athletic lays out the numbers for teams with which Young could potentially land.
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ALVARADO TALKS ZION, WEATHERSPOON
If you enjoyed watching New York City’s Jose Alvarado on the court with the Pelicans this season, you should thank ex-Liberty star and Hall of Famer Teresa Weatherspoon.
Alvarado credits Weatherspoon, an assistant coach with Pelicans, with helping him on and off the court during his rookie season.
While chatting at a New Era event last week, Alvarado recalled a conversation with Weatherspoon early last year that left an impact.
“I asked her, ‘Do you think I’m ever going to play in the NBA?’ She was like, ‘Man, quit it! I don’t want to hear (that) from you no more,’” Alvarado recalled with a laugh. “She believed in me from the jump. She helped me a lot, she made me mentally strong, and obviously helped me get better with the game because she was good, she passed the ball, she played defense. She gave me that mindset.”
Jose Alvarado talks Teresa Weatherspoon’s role in his development, the importance of the upcoming offseason, playing with Zion Williamson & more at New Era event: https://t.co/5hevhiGrLD
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 22, 2022
