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Pelicans star Zion Williamson leaves loss to 76ers early with hamstring injury

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New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson left their loss to the Philadelphia 76ers early Monday night due to a hamstring injury.

While it’s unclear how severe Williamson’s injury is at this point — coach Willie Green said he only knew that it was Williamson’s right hamstring after the game, nothing more — it comes amid an impressive stretch of play from Williamson and the Pelicans.

“It was right at a pivotal moment in the game,” Green said of the injury, via ESPN’s Andrew Lopez. “We’ll get some imaging and look at him and hopefully he’s OK. It was a tough loss for us.”

Williamson went down in the third quarter shortly after grabbing a defensive rebound. Williamson tried to push the ball up the court, but suddenly pulled up and started grabbing at his right leg as he quickly handed the ball off.

Williamson then checked out of the game after a foul on the other end, and didn’t return. He finished the night with 26 points, seven assists and six rebounds while shooting 10-of-12 from the field.

Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 42 points and 11 rebounds in the 120-111 Philadelphia win, while James Harden added 27. The 76ers have now won 10 of their last 12.

Williamson is averaging 29.1 points and 6.3 rebounds in his past 10 games for the Pelicans, who sit just one game back from first place in the Western Conference. After missing the entire 2021-22 campaign with a foot injury and significant time in his first two professional seasons, Williamson has played in 29 of a possible 37 games this season — missing games only due to minor injuries or in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

It’s unknown how long Williamson will be out, if at all. Yet given his injury history and the fact that it’s still early January, there’s no real reason to rush him back. The Pelicans will host the Houston Rockets next on Wednesday before games against the Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

It’s unclear how severe Zion Williamson’s hamstring injury is, or if he’ll miss any time for the Pelicans. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

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Zion Williamson closes out Pelicans win over Suns with 360 windmill dunk

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No player in the NBA can throw it down quite like Zion Williamson, and the New Orleans Pelicans star used the end of a game on Friday to provide a demonstration.

In the final minutes of a 128-117 win over the Phoenix Suns, Williamson got the ball with an empty court in front of him and used the occasion to deliver a 360 windmill dunk that wouldn’t have looked out of place as an NBA Slam Dunk Contest entry.

The crowd, predictably, loved it:

The dunk capped off a 35-point game for Williamson, who was 13-of-17 from the field with seven rebounds, four assists and a steal. Not a single one of his baskets came outside the paint.

Of course, not everyone loved Williamson’s display of dunking prowess. You can even hear a member of the Pelicans’ broadcast say “No, no, no” as Williamson prepares to take flight.

You could make an argument that yamming on a defeated team for no other reason than to show off is bad form, but let’s be real. The people in the Smoothie King Center paid good money to see, among other things, Zion Williamson dunk a basketball. They got to see him dunk a basketball even better than usual. Maybe it hurt the Suns’ feelings, an odd consideration given that they are professionals, but the NBA is an entertainment product at its core, and it’s hard to imagine living in a world where Williamson’s dunk isn’t entertaining.

Yes, those two extra points won’t help the Pelicans in the long run outside of their media team’s highlight reels, but they were the exclamation point on a big win for the 17-8 Pelicans, who currently sit in first place in the Western Conference.

Zion Williamson moved the Suns into first place in style. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

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Warriors observations: Jordan Poole, short-handed Dubs crushed by Pelicans

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No Stephen Curry, no Draymond Green, no Klay Thompson, no Andrew Wiggins added up to no chance for a Warriors victory Monday night in New Orleans.

Overmatched from the start, falling behind 10 in the first six minutes and by 24 after 11 minutes, the Warriors absorbed a 128-83 beating by the Pelicans at Smoothie King Center.

Four Warriors (8-10) scored in double figures, led by 26 points from Jordan Poole and 18 from Jonathan Kuminga.

On the whole, this was about as bad as the Warriors can look. They had almost twice as many turnovers (27) as assists (16).

Here are three observations from four starters watched in street clothes and the fifth, Kevon Looney, played only five minutes:

Warriors play Santa

Christmas might be 34 days away, but the Warriors didn’t want to wait so long to get in the spirit of giving.

Then again, they were in New Orleans.

Golden State committed 27 turnovers, handing the Pelicans 31 points, eclipsing the previous season high of 23 turnovers the Warriors delivered in their first trip to the Big Easy in Nov. 4.

The Warriors wasted no time setting a charitable tone, committing seven giveaways in the first quarter, accounting for nine of the Pelicans’ 35 points in the first 12 minutes.

Most everybody got into the act, with rookie Ryan Rollins committing five in 16 minutes and Poole committing four in 27 minutes. Ten players took the court, and all by Looney committed at least two giveaways

The Pelicans, playing at near full strength, didn’t need any help. They got it anyway.

The flying Mr. Kuminga

Given the length, speed and athleticism of the Pelicans, this game figured to be one that suited the best attributes of Kuminga.

 

And the 20-year-old forward, in his second season, managed to showcase his gifts several times, serving up high-quality video highlights.

The first came in the second minute of the game, when the athletic marvel that is Zion Williamson grabbed a rebound and set sail for a coast-to-coast voyage sure to end with an easy bucket. Nope. Kuminga chased him down and slapped the shot off the backboard.

The second came late in the second quarter, when Poole’s 3-point shot bounced high off the rim. Kuminga, flying in from the wing, grabbed the ball with his right hand and jammed it through, with his hand narrowly missing the backboard.

JK finished with 18 points, three rebounds and a couple memorable moments.

Why not Wiseman?

While the NBA Golden State Warriors were frolicking in New Orleans, James Wiseman was toiling away in Salt Lake City with the G League Santa Cruz Warriors.

Insofar as the Warriors rested their starters, turning the game over to players in and out of the rotation, it would not have been illogical give Wiseman a few NBA minutes.

Asked before the game if there was any consideration for bringing Wiseman in for this game – rookies Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins – coach Steve Kerr said there was not.

“No, not for tonight. We felt it was really important for him to get a really good stretch in Santa Cruz of practicing,” he said. “The practice is the big thing. When you get individualized attention, like the guys do in the G League, it’s easier to make more progress rather than the stops and starts that happen during the NBA season when you’re not in the rotation.”

RELATED: Kerr believes G League will help Wiseman build foundation

It’s a rational explanation, on the surface, but would have more credibility if the Warriors had not summoned rookies Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins from Santa Cruz on Sunday evening.

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Portland Trail Blazers’ defense, Jerami Grant, lead way in 106-95 win at New Orleans Pelicans: At the buzzer

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Damian Lillard was not pleased that the Portland Trail Blazers sat him as a precaution for their visit to New Orleans Thursday night as he continues to ease back from a calf injury.

It spoiled an anticipated matchup against CJ McCollum, his longtime former teammate and good friend.

Next came news that Jusuf Nurkic (right adductor soreness) and Shaedon Sharpe (right finger sprain) also would be sidelined with injuries.

With so many key bodies down, the Blazers appeared to be a long shot to win at the Smoothie King Center.

But once again, the Blazers’ available players elevated their games, the defense continued to thrive and Portland pulled off a 106-95 victory.

Jerami Grant led the Blazers with 27 points and Anfernee Simons scored 23. But it was the defense that carried the night, holding down a Pelicans team that entered Thursday averaging 118.2 points per game, third-best in the NBA.

Simons began slowly, going scoreless and missing all five of his shots in the first quarter. But like he always does, Simons kept firing and eventually his shots began to fall. He scored 10 points in the second quarter, then added 11 more in the third.

The Blazers shot 43.5% from the field, including 35.3% from three-point range. And perhaps the most encouraging statistic was nine — as in nine turnovers. The team had been averaging 17.2, tied for the most in the NBA.

“Obviously, the thing I’m most proud of in this game is our turnovers,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “When you don’t turn it over, teams don’t score in transition on you. I like our defense in the half court. They do a decent enough job. I thought our zone was incredible in this game tonight. We just kept fighting.”

Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 29 points. McCollum finished with 13 points and seven assists. Brandon Ingram, who fouled out with 3:32 remaining, had 14 points and five rebounds.

The Blazers held the Pelicans to 41.8% shooting.

“Very huge win,” Blazers forward Justise Winslow said. “This is a team we’re going to see four times this year. They’ve been playing well. We had people down and out. But it’s alway next-man up mentality. Guys stepped up and guys made necessary plays when we needed.”

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022. The Trail Blazers won 106-95. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) APAP

WHAT IT MEANS

Before the season started, this six-game trip looked like it would be a doozy for the Blazers (9-3). But they surprisingly have won four of the first five games, even though Lillard has sat three times, Nurkic and Simons have each missed two games and Grant has been sidelined once. The Pelicans fell to 6-6.

“We’ve played some really good teams on this trip and we’ve earned every single thing on this trip, so far,” Billups said. “We thought that it was going to be a very challenging trip and it has been.”

JERAMI GRANT DELIVERS

Before the game, Billups said he told Grant, who played 42 minutes, that the team would need everything he had given how shorthanded they were.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) slam dunks over New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III, right, and forward Herbert Jones, left, in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022. The Trail Blazers won 106-95. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) APAP

In fact, Billups told Grant and Simons to take some questionable shots here and there in order to create offense with Lillard, Nurkic and Sharpe out.

“I thought Jerami was big time all night,” Billups said.

One of Grant’s biggest moments came with 4:56 remaining when drove the lane, elevated and dunked over two Pelicans defenders to give the Blazers a 97-89 lead.

“For a guy that’s not aggressive, there was a lot of aggression on that dunk,” Billups said. “I think he knows that once you go down there, if you don’t dunk it hard, they could block it … I though it was just a great move and an even better finish.”

NASSIR LITTLE

With three key players out, that left the Blazers’ bench thin. Coach Chauncey Billups went with an eight-man rotation, and Nassir Little was a key option. He came through with 15 points and four rebounds, while hitting 6 of 11 shots. He made several key baskets in the second half.

Portland Trail Blazers forward Nassir Little goes to the basket between New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) and guard CJ McCollum (3) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022. The Trail Blazers won 106-95. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) APAP

“I was really proud and happy for Nas,” Billups said.

The only other players to come off of the bench were Trendon Watford and Jabari Walker. The pair combined for six points and eight rebounds. Watford had three steels.

Billups said both did a good job of helping the offense become less stagnant late in the game by making smart plays with the ball.

“Those guys we depend on to just make things go,” Billups said. “Their numbers most of the time won’t be noticeable on the stat sheet.”

NEXT UP

The Blazers close out their six-game trip Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Dallas (6-5).

— Aaron Fentress reported from New Orleans.

— Aaron Fentress | afentress@Oregonian.com | @AaronJFentress (Twitter), @AaronJFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Facebook). Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts



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Zion Williamson’s long-awaited return somehow overshadowed by Pelicans’ team dominance

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BROOKLYN – As expected, all eyes were on Zion Williamson in his first regular season game in over 17 months. And one of the NBA’s biggest stars delivered the kind of offensive performance we’ve grown used to seeing from him when he’s healthy: 25 points, nine rebounds and tons of paint points.

Instead, Williamson’s night was a small part of a much bigger statement made by the New Orleans Pelicans in their regular-season opener on Wednesday. Williamson was inspired by the Notorious B.I.G. in his return, but it was the Pelicans who kicked in the door and steamrolled the Brooklyn Nets in a 130-108 romping that, frankly, wasn’t as close as the final score indicated.

Zion’s 25-9 line was noteworthy, but he was surpassed by his teammate, Brandon Ingram, who had 28 points, seven rebounds and five assists. CJ McCollum also chipped in 21 points and six assists.

After a preseason filled with nagging injuries, it was the first time the Pelicans’ Big 3 took the floor in a game situation. It looked as if they had been playing together for years.

The Pels’ starting five outscored Brooklyn by 23 points in the 14 minutes they played together. New Orleans racked up 31 assists as a team and poured in 72 second-half points as they pulled away from a Nets squad that struggled to find answers on defense.



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Zion Williamson day-to-day for Pelicans after tweaking ankle

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11:22 PM ET

  • Andrew LopezESPN

MIAMI — New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson understands the microscope he’s under when it comes to injuries.

It’s why when he left Wednesday night’s 120-103 preseason loss to the Miami Heat with left ankle soreness, he knew what to expect on social media before he even looked at his phone.

“Twitter already did its thing,” Williamson said jokingly. “They are the doctors apparently.”

It was easy for Williamson to joke since he avoided a serious injury. Both Williamson and Pelicans coach Willie Green said they expect the 22-year-old to be day-to-day moving forward. He was removed from Wednesday’s game for precautionary reasons.

Green said the team does not expect Williamson to miss an extended period of time.

Williamson rolled his ankle with 9:30 left in the second quarter on a drive to the basket. When he planted his left foot trying to get into the lane around Heat center Dewayne Dedmon, Williamson tweaked the ankle.

He continued to play for almost another three minutes before checking out for good with 6:42 left in the second quarter.

Williamson had 11 points on 3-of-7 shooting while going 5-of-6 from the line in just under 11 minutes of work. He added four assists and two rebounds.

“It was one of those things where it happened and I popped back up, like, ‘Yeah, I’m straight,'” Williamson said. “Played a few minutes after that, it felt fine. Then they sent me to the back just to double check. We wanted to look at it, had a doc look at it, and he just said a little day-to-day soreness. And, but outside of that, I personally feel fine. Wasn’t bad news from the docs.”

The Pelicans finish the preseason on Friday in Birmingham, Alabama, against the Atlanta Hawks. They tip off the regular season on Oct. 19 in Brooklyn against the Nets.

Asked whether he gets the uproar surrounding his injuries, Williamson, who played in 85 games over his first two seasons before missing last year with a broken right foot, said it takes him back to the Notorious B.I.G. album “Ready to Die.” Williamson said the album “changed his life” and helped him focus throughout his rehab last season.

“I mean, you just learned that you, that’s just how the world is,” Williamson said. “There’s nothing I can do to change that. That’s just how the world is.”

The Pelicans were hopeful to have their projected starting lineup in action Friday, as the group hasn’t played together yet this preseason. Brandon Ingram has yet to make his preseason debut because of left fifth toe soreness, while CJ McCollum played in just his second game of the preseason on Wednesday.

Prior to Wednesday’s game, Ingram told ESPN that he “felt good” and was making progressions in his rehab process to put him in a position to play against the Hawks.

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Zion Williamson’s contract extension with Pelicans contains a weight clause, per report

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Zion Williamson’s new max contract extension with the New Orleans Pelicans contains a weight clause, according to Christian Clark. Williamson will have periodic weigh-ins throughout the course of the deal, and if his weight plus body fat percentage is above 295, he could lose money. 

Despite some speculative discussions about Willamson’s future with the Pelicans over the last few months, there was no drama when he became eligible to sign a new deal. Williamson and the team quickly agreed on a five-year rookie max extension worth at least $193 million. The new deal will kick in at the start of the 2023-24 season, and the figure could rise to $231 million if Williamson makes an All-NBA team or wins a major award next season. 

“For the Pelicans to come give me this birthday gift, I’m not going to let them down,” Williamson said after officially signing his extension on his birthday, July 6. “I’m not going to let the city down. I’m not going to let my family down. Most importantly, I’m not going to let myself down.”

“The ultimate goal is to win a championship. That’s what we’re all striving for. We’re hungry.”

The No. 1 overall pick in 2019, Williamson’s career has been plagued by injuries and concerns about his conditioning. He missed nearly his entire rookie season after undergoing knee surgery, was shut down early in his second season with a broken finger and did not play at all last season due to a broken foot that required surgery and did not heal as quickly as expected. 

When he has been on the floor, he’s been spectacular. In his second season, when he played 61 games, he averaged 27 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 61.1 percent from the field, and was named an All-Star. His combination of size, strength and athleticism is something we have rarely seen in the league and makes him a must-watch attraction. 

All of which is why, despite his injury history, the Pelicans were eager to extend him as soon as possible. At the same time, giving $193 million to a player who has been on the court just 85 times is a risky proposition, and the Pelicans were looking for a bit of protection for their cap sheet and bottom line if Williamson can’t stay healthy or in shape. 

Adding that clause, which seems to be pretty easily attainable considering Williamson’s listed playing weight is 284 pounds, seems like a fair compromise. Williamson still gets his huge extension despite the injuries, and the Pelicans have a safety net if things go wrong. 

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New Orleans Pelicans draft pick E.J. Liddell suffers torn ACL in right knee, out indefinitely

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7:27 PM ET

  • Andrew LopezESPN

LAS VEGAS — New Orleans Pelicans second-round pick E.J. Liddell suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during Monday’s summer league contest and will be out indefinitely.

Liddell went down in the third quarter of the game against the Atlanta Hawks when his right knee buckled underneath him. In two games in Las Vegas, Liddell averaged 4.5 points and 4.0 rebounds.

The Pelicans feared the worst as soon as the injury happened on Monday as he was carried off the court by teammates. An MRI on Monday night in Las Vegas confirmed the injury.

Liddell, who spent three years at Ohio State, had a first-round grade for the 2022 NBA draft from many draft experts including ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, who had him as the No. 21 overall prospect. However, Liddell slid to the Pelicans at No. 41 overall.

Liddell was a third-team All-American during the 2021-22 college season while also being named to the All-Big Ten first team and All-Big Ten defensive team first team. He averaged 19.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.6 blocks per game in 32 games for Ohio State last year.

New Orleans has 15 guaranteed contracts on its roster after 14 carried over from 2021-22 and the team selected Dyson Daniels with the No. 8 pick in the draft.

The Pelicans could free up a space for a contract for Liddell or slot him into one of their two-way spots.

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Recap: Blazers Blow Out Pelicans, 85-68

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Injuries and defense were the story of the day for the Blazers in their second Vegas Summer League game. Portland’s defense shifted into overdrive, bringing high energy against the overwhelmed Pelicans. After an early lead, New Orleans struggled to find points without rookie Dyson Daniels, who exited in the first half with an injury. The Blazers outscored the Pelicans 31-17 and 23-9 in the second and third quarters, respectively.

The game was dwarfed by the Blazers’ earlier announcement that Shaedon Sharpe suffered a labral tear in his left shoulder. Sharpe, the 7th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, injured the shoulder against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, and his recovery timeline is unclear.

This was expected to be a showcase for Sharpe and 8th pick Daniels. But Dyson became the third single-digit pick to suffer an injury at Summer League (the other being Detroit’s Jaden Ivey), rolling his ankle on a drive. The Pelicans looked unmistakably lost after his exit, with some prodding by Portland’s frantic defense.

The Players

Pretty much every Blazers player review could be shortened to “didn’t shoot too well, but really worked hard on defense”.

Jabari Walker looks good. For any second-round pick, the hope is that they simply can hold their own at Summer League, and Walker has done just that. He sparked the key 18-point Blazers first half run that flipped the score and broke the game open. He had 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block in 18 minutes.

Keon Johnson’s defense led to multiple turnovers, and his offense was fine. Good night for Keon, who may have tweaked his ankle at one point. He filled up the stat sheet with 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, but 3 turnovers.

Greg Brown III’s performance is reminiscent of last year’s Summer League. Tons of energy, plenty of hops, and always visible. He finished with 7 points (on 2 shot attempts), 4 rebounds, and the usual highlight block.

Didi Louzada was generally invisible. He didn’t score, but did have 2 assists and 2 rebounds.

Trendon Watford was the steady, grizzled veteran of the team. Never too high, never too low, and knew where to be on the court. He led the team with a double-double, 17 points and 11 rebounds, plus 5 assists.

Brandon Williams didn’t shoot well, but got enough attempts to reach double figures. He scored 14 points on 4-14 shooting.

Kyle Alexander (4-5, 9 points), Craig Randall II (6 points), and Colbey Ross (4-5, 8 points) each had solid offensive performances, floating extra points to the Blazers at key moments off the bench.

Next Game

The Blazers pick up Monday night against the New York Knicks.

Box Score

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Sports

Bradley Beal, Bobby Portis, Nicolas Batum, Lakers, Nets

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One of the top free agents on the market has made a decision regarding his player option.

Below is the latest intel gathered by HoopsHype on some of the top names on the free agent market, including Bradley Beal, and notable prospects in this year’s draft class like Jake LaRavia.

Bradley Beal

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal will decline his $36.4 million player option for the 2022-23 season and enter unrestricted free agency this summer, a league source told HoopsHype.

Beal can sign a five-year, $248 million deal with the Wizards in free agency, as our HoopsHype salary cap expert Yossi Golzan outlined in a recent story outlining all the player and team option decisions.

The three-time All-Star is currently ranked fourth overall in our HoopsHype free agent rankings.

Bobby Portis

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After previously taking a discount to re-sign with the Milwaukee Bucks, many around the league expect Bobby Portis to decline his $4.6 million player option for the 2022-23 season and enter unrestricted free agency.

Portis is one of the top free agents on the market this summer after averaging career-highs in points (14.6) and rebounds (9.1) per game. He ranks 12th in our HoopsHype free agent rankings and should command a massive pay raise this summer.

Nicolas Batum

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Nicolas Batum will decline his $3.3 million player option, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. From every public indication from Batum, it would be a surprise if he left the Clippers, as LA Times beat writer Andrew Greif noted.

The Clippers can offer him a higher annual rate through his Early Bird Rights. Rival NBA executives who spoke with HoopsHype believe Batum could command an average annual salary of $10 million.

Los Angeles Lakers

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The expectation around the NBA is the Los Angeles Lakers will exercise the $2.35 million team option on forward Stanley Johnson. New Lakers coach Darvin Ham publicly stressed the importance of role players like Johnson. Johnson shot a career-high 46.6 percent with the Lakers.

The Lakers have inquired about buying a second-round pick in this year’s draft, league sources told HoopsHype. The team has worked out several projected second-round picks to prepare for such a scenario.

Brooklyn Nets

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While the latest buzz surrounds Kyrie Irving’s long-term future with the Nets, multiple rotation players have drawn interest on the trade market.

Nets have received calls on swingman Joe Harris and guard Cam Thomas from several teams around the league gauging Brooklyn’s interest in moving either player, league sources told HoopsHype.

Rival executives believe Thomas could command a potential first-round pick in trade talks, and Joe Harris is the team’s most realistic trade asset should Brooklyn try to upgrade at a different position. Rival teams believe Harris could be more available than in years past, with fellow sharpshooter Seth Curry under contract for $8.5 million next season.

However, internally, the Nets believe Harris’ size can help them on the boards next season, and his floor spacing would help Ben Simmons thrive with the team in transition and create driving lanes for the Australian forward. A potential lineup of Irving, Curry, Harris, Simmons, and Kevin Durant would provide maximum floor spacing for Simmons to thrive and be a nightmare to cover defensively.

New Orleans Pelicans

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Pelicans guard Devonte Graham is available on the trade market, league sources told HoopsHype.

Graham, who started 63 of 76 games last season, is owed $36.3 million over the next three seasons, but only $2.85 million is guaranteed for the 2024-25 season, as noted on our HoopsHype Pelicans salary page.

Cleveland Cavaliers

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As reported in our previous HoopsHype aggregate mock draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers are open to moving back in the draft if they can acquire an additional future first-round pick.

Several teams have inquired about Cleveland’s 14th overall pick, including the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, and Milwaukee Bucks, league sources told HoopsHype.

Milwaukee Bucks

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Projected first-round pick Jake LaRavia visited with the Milwaukee Bucks and worked out for the team twice, league sources told HoopsHype.

LaRavia is projected 26th overall in our LIVE aggregate HoopsHype mock draft. Find out why executives and scouts like his game, which former All-Star he’s compared to, and more in our HoopsHype interview.

You can follow Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) on Twitter.



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