Post Draft Breakdown Of G League Atlantic Division Rosters

The G League Draft is in the rear view mirror. Training camp is in progress and the regular season is on the horizon. There are many promising prospects that will take the G League by storm this season. The Atlantic Division features many two-way players that are worth following their progression, while there are five solid shot blockers and several top notch scorers.

Here's a breakdown of each team in the Atlantic Division following the G League Draft.

Westchester Knicks

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Kadeem Allen returned to the New York Knicks under a two-way contract after playing well in the second half of last season. Allen is a strong defensive minded guard who gets others involved. He averaged 6.6 assists in Westchester and 4.0 assists in New York. The third-year guard is one of many talented players in Westchester that will play a role in the team’s success.

Despite falling out of the Memphis Grizzlies’ plans due to the stellar play Brandon Clarke, Ivan Rabb possesses NBA experience (85 games) and could thrive under a new setting with the New York Knicks. He can play with his back to the basket and showed he could be a good rebounder in college, but only showed glimpses of his rebounding ability in Memphis. Rabb is a skilled big and had the opportunity to display his talents last season with the Hustle.

Amir Hinton showcased his scoring and driving ability at Shaw where he lead the collegiate ranks in points per game (29.4). That will be one part of his game he could immediately contribute in Westchester, while he works into developing into a point guard. He is a solid guard who can slash to the basket and isn’t afraid of drawing contact. Hinton showed to be an above average defender at Shaw and led the team in steals (2.3).

While Kenny Wooten may not contribute much on the offensive end, his impact will come on the defensive end. He will be really effective on that end of the court due to his ability to protect the rim and he’ll make it difficult for opposing players to finish at the basket. His athleticism and length (7-2 wingspan) make him an effective shot blocker. He is a solid pick and roll defender. Don’t be surprised if Wooten is one of the top shot blockers in the G League this season.

Lamar Peters can contribute in many facets in his rookie season with the Knicks. He has a quick first step and can use various moves to get to his spots and drain shots. Peters is a pesky defender who has good hands, as he averaged 1.7 steals as a junior at Mississippi State. He is a solid penetrating guard who can drop it off to a big or kick it out to a shooter.

VJ King has good size (6-7 with a 6-9 wingspan) who works well in the open court and is great in transition. He has a good mid-range shot and shot 42.1 percent from three in his freshman at Louisville. With his size, and if he can consistently drain perimeter shots, he can be a 3&D prospect.

Zak Irvin made a great impact in Westchester due to his efficient shooting, versatility, and defense. He was one of the consistent players on last year’s roster that propelled the Knicks into the G League postseason. Irvin played stellar ball to close out last season, which saw him enter conversations for an NBA call-up. He averaged 11.8 points and 8.6 rebounds last season.

Training Camp Roster
Draft Picks: Tyler Hall (No. 4), Tim Bond and Kavin Gilder-Tilbury (trade)

Maine Red Claws

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Standing in at 7’7” with a 8’2.5 wingspan, two-way player Tacko Fall will use his size to his advantage by making his presence felt in the interior and blocking shots. His role will primarily be as a defender, rebounding, and blocking shots. Most of his offense came from posts up— he ranked in the 83rd percentile post up possession (0.988 points)— and he did most of his work in the post in his senior season at UCF. He is a great target for lobs and works the offensive glass well.

While two-way player Tremont Waters is undersized for a guard (5’11” and 175 pounds), he brings value in different facets of the game. Not only can he score the ball and get the team involved, but he is active on the defensive end. His playmaking will fit in with shooters like Kaiser Gates and Yante Maten.

Waters was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team last season, while taking home the SEC Defensive Player of the Year honor as well. He has great anticipation to get his hands in the passing lane, which will be one of several areas he’ll contribute in Maine.

After being acquired in a trade with the Windy City Bulls, Kaiser Gates will make an impact with his ability to stretch the floor. He closed out the season with several productive games from deep and shot 44.7 from the perimeter in March of 2019. He brings value to Maine this season and will be a G League prospect to follow.

Yante Maten was effective during his rookie season as a two-way player with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He showcased his scoring ability and efficiency where he averaged 23.5 points on 53.9 percent shooting from the field. Maten’s presence on the low-post and on the perimeter helped him produce a stellar rookie season.

John Bohannon returns to Maine for a second season and will bring a rebounding presence and has a high basketball IQ. The 6’11” big man is a good passer for his size and showed he could be a solid shot blocker. The five-year veteran averaged 3.2 assists and 1.5 blocks last season. Bohannon won't be relied on for his offense, but he’ll make an impact in Maine this season.

Bryce Brown is entering his rookie season after a successful season at Auburn that saw the Tigers make a Final Four appearance. He showed an improved play making ability, while becoming more of an offensive threat with an improved perimeter shot. Brown showed he was a solid defender his senior season and will form a really good backcourt alongside Waters.

Coming out of Virginia Tech in 2018, Justin Bibbs was known for his strong defense and efficient three-point shooting. He was usually tasked with guard the opposing team’s best player in college and that will be a part of his game where he’ll contribute with the Red Claws.

Dorian Pickens is getting his first taste of G League action this season after spending his rookie season in Belgium with Limburg United. He showed a solid perimeter game in his senior season at Stanford where he shot 40.2 percent from deep. Pickens was a solid contributor in Belgium last season and could fill a similar role this season in Maine.

Training Camp Roster
Draft Picks: Wesley Person Jr. (No. 32,), T.J. Lang (No. 44), Jay Wright (No. 60), Curtis Washington (No. 88)

Long Island Nets

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The Long Island Nets have two players Henry Ellenson (76 games) and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (171 games) who possess the most NBA experience out of every affiliate’s two-way players.

Ellenson is still a young player (he’ll be 23 in January) and he’ll have the opportunity to show that he can develop into a rotational player. He improved on his shooting last season with the New York Knicks albeit it was a short sample size. Ellenson produced in his time with the Grand Rapids Drive as a scorer and rebounder, but he’ll need to show more to show he can carve out his role with Brooklyn.

Coming into the NBA, Luwawu-Cabarrot possessed great size and athleticism for a wing. He showed good scoring instincts before arriving in the NBA. Luwawu-Cabarrot has the length, athleticism, and lateral quickness to be a solid defender and can play multiple positions. The 24-year-old will have a great opportunity to further develop his game in Long Island and make a great impact on the team.

Deng Adel shined in the G League last season and signed a two-way contract in his rookie season. He is a fluid athlete who can score in multiple ways and has the strength to finish through contact. He competes on the defensive end and has the potential to be a 3&D player. He has a smooth handle and stroke and will make a valuable contributions in Long Island this season.

John Egbunu showed he could be a solid individual defender and great shot blocking instincts in his three years at Florida and USF. His offense primarily consisted of dunks and he mostly impacted the game on the defensive end. He averaged 7.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks on 49.2 percent from the field in his final collegiate season.

After being selected with the No. 56 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Nets are using “Draft Rights Player” rule on Jaylen Hands, which allows the team to draft him then sign him to a G League contract. He is an explosive 6’3” guard who is a good rebounder for his position and can use his quickness to get to the rim. Hands is comfortable shooting off the dribble and getting his teammates involved. He averaged 14.1 points and 6.0 assists in his sophomore season at UCLA.

CJ Massinburg is a solid offensive player who can shoot the three and is great at finishing at the rim, along with possessing a great finishing touch. He showed he can be a good rebounder (7.3 rebounds) in his junior season at Buffalo and has a great feel for the game. He showed he could heat up from three-point land, as he shot 40.5 from the perimeter as a junior and had a 43-point game last season.

Devin Cannady will provide Long Island with shooting, especially perimeter shooting, as he shot above 40 percent from three in his first two seasons at Princeton. He improved on his rebounding in his final two seasons (averaged more than five rebounds) and showed to be more active defensively last season (averaged 1.5 steals).

Training Camp Roster
Draft Picks: Jahmal McMurray (trade) No. 27, Myles Stephens (No. 37), Joe Cremo (No. 107)

Delaware Blue Coats

Two-way player Norvel Pelle excelled with the Delaware Blue Coats with his shot blocking prowess, rim running, and rebounding ability. Pelle will make a similar impact this season in Delaware and will continue to make it hard for opposing offensive players to get to the basket. He was a force on the defensive end, which saw him named to the G League All-Defensive Team.

Two-way player Marial Shayok looked to capitalize on his transfer to Iowa State, as he looked to show he could handle more of a scoring role. He doubled his scoring average— 8.9 points as a junior to 18.7 points as a senior— while shooting nearly 50 percent (49.6) from the field. Shayok is an efficient scorer and can move well without the ball.

Christ Koumadje is a 7’4” center that runs the floor well for his size and is solid at catching lobs. He can score in the paint and has a nice hook shot in his arsenal. He didn't see much action in his collegiate career— he average 16.0 minutes as a junior and 15.6 as a senior— but showed his shot blocking ability by averaging 1.4 blocks in his final two seasons.

After spending the past three seasons overseas (France and Turkey), Isaiah Miles is set to play professionally in the states for the first time. He has a good inside-outside game who can attack the basket and finish at the rim. Miles showcased his efficient shot in his three-year career, as he shot 47.0 percent plus from the floor and 40.0 percent plus from deep, and is good at cutting to the basket.

Haywood Highsmith returns to Delaware after a finishing last season as a two-way player. He showed flashes throughout his rookie season where he made contributions on the offensive end. He averaged 14.9 points on 41.9 percent from deep in November. Highsmith is a solid rebounding forward (6.9 rebounds) and showed he can find his teammates (3.0 assists in March).

Julian Washburn spent time in the G League and played overseas, along with earning an NBA call-up last season, in his four-year career. With his experience, he’ll be a productive player with the Blue Coats due to his efficient shooting he displayed with the Hustle. He shot 52.3 percent from the field and 46.8 from three last season. Washburn is a slashing guard who has a solid mid-range game and can defend well.

Shizz Alston Jr possesses many skills that will be valuable in Delaware. He improved on his scoring during his collegiate career and he is a good shooter all over the floor. Alston Jr is a good playmaker (averaged 5.0 assists as a senior) and is a combo guard that can play both guard positions.

Terry Harris took on an increased role in his senior season at North Carolina A&T and improved his perimeter game. He shot 33.3 percent as a junior and made a leap to 41.1 percent as a senior. If he’s able to carry that into his rookie season, Harris will play an important role in Delaware’s offense.

Training Camp Roster
Draft Picks: Terrence Drisdom (No. 45), Martaveous McKnight (No. 75)

Raptors 905

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After two years at Syracuse, Oshae Brissett is ready to tackle his rookie season as a two-way player with the Toronto Raptors. He is an explosive athlete and has great size for a wing (6’8” and 6’11” wingspan). He can rebound the ball well (8.20 rebounds in two collegiate seasons). Brissett has the ability to finish around the rim and doesn't shy away from contact. He works well scoring in the post against smaller players and is good at scoring on the move.

Shamorie Ponds is the team's second two-way player and will bring scoring to the Raptors 905 in his rookie season. He has good instincts as a scorer where he will use different moves and shots fakes to create space off the bounce. He can attack you in various ways offensively by scoring off the dribble, catch-and-shoot, and fadeaways. Ponds is a solid slashing guard and improved as a playmaking guard in his three years at St. John’s.

Sagaba Konate was one of the top shot blockers the past two seasons at West Virginia and has great strength for a 6’8” forward. He’ll work to develop his offensive game with the Raptors 905, but he’ll make a great impact on the defensive end due to playing with intensity and being a leader on that end. Most of his offensive game comes from putbacks and inside shots, but he started taking threes in his junior season and it may be something he’ll work on this season.

Matt Morgan displayed his athleticism and improved outside shot in his four years at Cornell. He was a consistent contributor on offense, especially in his final two seasons, where he averaged 22.1 points and shot 51.2 percent from the floor and 43.1 from three as a senior. Along with his effective shooting and not needing to take many shots, he can get to the rim often; whether it’s off backdoor cuts or attacking closeouts.

In his two seasons with the Washington Wizards as a two-way player, Devin Robinson showed he was one of the main cogs with the Capital City Go-Go. He was one of the leading scorers and lead the team in rebounds last season, while showcasing his athleticism and finishing with ridiculous dunks. Many know him for his leaping ability, but he converted on 38.1 percent of his threes during his rookie season.

Tyler Ennis joins the Raptors 905 with plenty of NBA experience (186 games) and will be one veteran that will be using the G League to get back to the Association. While he suffered a gruesome injury last season in the EuroLeague, Ennis stated he was healthy for training camp (h/t Blake Murphy of The Athletic). The Raptors believe the former first-round pick could possibly provide depth in the backcourt.

Isaiah Taylor will provide depth off the bench due to his scoring and ability to drain outside shots. In 29 games in his G League career, he averaged 21.0 points on 51.1 percent from the field and 45.6 percent from three. He is a quick 6’3” combo guard who will provide efficient shooting and scoring with the Raptors 905.

Training Camp Roster
Draft Picks: Leland King (No. 68), Mike Parks Jr. (No. 77), Mike Davis (No. 78)