Player of the Week:
Zavier Simpson, Lakeland Magic
One of the most efficient college point guards of the last decade is up to his old tricks to start the G-League regular season. Simpson is just fifth on his team in points per game, but an absurd 10.7 assists per game is the best in the league through two weeks. On top of that, he is averaging less than three turnovers per game, making consistent plays without allowing opponents to get out in transition due to a lot of turnovers.
Crafty has always been the word to define Simpson, from his dazzling handles to his unique sky hook that he can make over any defender, but G-League star and NBA role player are starting to take over as the words to define the 25-year-old Michigan product.
Who’s Hot?
Scoot Henderson, G-League Ignite
The most electric player in the G-League and in this summer’s draft class is finally back on the court, much to the joy of Ignite and basketball fans everywhere. It took no time at all for Henderson to get back into the flow of things as he scored 20 points with five assists in his first game action in over a month.
His averages are hovering around those numbers through seven games and after a miserable start to the season without him, the Ignite are 5-2 in Henderson’s games and holding onto a playoff spot in the young regular season.
Sharife Cooper, Cleveland Charge
In his most recent game, Cooper posted a career high 43 points in a win over the Mad Ants, but it was his game last Monday against the Westchester Knicks that impressed me the most over the past two weeks. The former Auburn superstar scored 34 points with six assists and just three turnovers on 75% shooting from the field.
Cooper only had to play 24 minutes because of a 28-point lead through three quarters and it’s performances like these that remind scouts and coaches just how special of a talent he is. The best version of the young guard is when he stays within himself and slows the game down as a result. Consistent displays like this, and obviously not to this extent, will earn him another chance in the NBA in no time.
Who’s Not?
London Johnson, G-League Ignite
I’m sure I sound like a broken record, but the simple truth of the matter is that young guards who come to play for the Ignite before they enter the draft need to be okay with the struggle that ensues in their first season. The one exception to that rule has been Scoot Henderson, speaking to how special of a prospect he is.
Johnson is in the other boat, struggling to play against the elite level of competition he knew he was signing up for to challenge himself before entering the NBA. In 23 minutes per game to start the regular season, Johnson is only responsible for seven points per game with just as many turnovers as assists (13). His high school scoring is yet to translate as well, with him only shooting 27% from the field in his appearances.
Trevor Keels, Westchester Knicks
Since his breakout debut performance for the Blue Devils at Madison Square Garden, Keels has struggled to define a consistent role for himself in Durham and now with the Westchester and New York Knicks. The 6-4 combo guard had one of the best performances of his G-League season on Wednesday, but is still just shooting 39/28/47 in 19 games this year.
Top 5 One-and-Done Performances of the Regular Season
I’m loosely defining a one-and-done performance as a game by a player who only went down to the G-League for a “confidence booster” before returning to the NBA shortly after. I will only include players who have one game in the regular season, so any games they played during the showcase or before will be voided for argument’s sake.
5. Jonathan Isaac, Lakeland Magic
The initial motivation for this list didn’t come from Isaac’s long-awaited return, but there was no way to keep him off after his dramatic return to the floor after over two years of waiting. Isaac looked terrific in his first 15 minutes since the injury, scoring 15 points on 50% shooting despite missing all three attempts from the perimeter. Welcome back Jonathan! It’s great to have you back!
4. Mamadi Diakite, Cleveland Charge
When he isn’t hitting buzzer-beaters in March Madness, Diakite is surely making his presence felt somewhere else on a basketball court. The 6-9 forward was a standout star at the Winter Showcase and in his lone appearance in the regular season before earning a call-up to the Cavaliers in late December. A 28-point effort with five 3-pointers and three blocks is what earned him that call-up that he is working to make permanent.
3. Luka Garza, Iowa Wolves
Iowa’s all-time leading scorer is no stranger to filling up a stat sheet and his game logs from the G-League this season have been the greatest indicator of that. While Garza has appeared 10 times for the Wolves, only one came in the official regular season, where he knocked down five of eight 3-point attempts and scored 31 points in a loss to the South Bay Lakers.
2. Bryce McGowens, Greensboro Swarm
Despite his struggles with the Hornets, McGowens has had no problem putting together elite performances in his brief stints with the Swarm. In his lone performance of the regular season, the former Cornhusker made 13 of 18 shots and finished with 37 points in a loss to the Capital City Go-Go. This would easily be the top performance if former Arkansas star Jaylin Williams was called up a day earlier at the end of December.
1. Jaylin Williams, Oklahoma City Blue
The aforementioned Williams looked like an NBA player in his final performance with the Oklahoma City Blue, posting a triple-double in a win over the Skyforce. A 12-assist and zero turnover stat-line could not be denied the top spot on this list, but Williams is looking to rekindle some of that magic with the Thunder at the next level.