Shamorie Ponds, Lance Stephenson, LiAngelo Ball, Zaire Wade among prominent names in NBA G League draft | Zagsblog
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Saturday / November 23.
  • Shamorie Ponds, Lance Stephenson, LiAngelo Ball, Zaire Wade among prominent names in NBA G League draft

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    By ADAM ZAGORIA

    Former St. John’s star Shamorie Ponds, former NBA standout Lance Stephenson, LiAngelo Ball and Zaire Wade were among the prominent names taken in Saturday’s NBA G League Draft.

    Ponds, who led St. John’s to its last NCAA Tournament appearance in 2018, went No. 1 overall to the Delaware Blue Coats (76ers). In 2020-21, Ponds played 5 games with OKK Spars Sarajevo of the Bosnian Premijer Liga BiH, where he averaged 6.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.8 assists. The Brooklyn-native appeared in 4 games with the Toronto Raptors during the 2019-20 NBA season, and played 18 games with Raptors 905 during the same year, averaging 14.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Toronto affiliate.

    Wade, the son of Utah Jazz minority owner and former NBA star Dwyane Wade, was selected No. 10 by the Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz). Wade played alongside Bronny James and Clippers and former Kentucky guard B.J. Boston at Sierra Canyon (CA).

    The 6-5 Stephenson was drafted 13th overall by the Grand Rapids Gold. The nine-year NBA veteran last played in the league during the 2018-19 season with the Los Angeles Lakers and spent the 2019-20 season with the Liaoning Flying Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association. 

    Stephenson, 30, was “99 percent” set to sign a deal with the Indiana Pacers before the pandemic hit in March 2020, but was not permitted to sign with the league after spending the first part of this season in China, he and his agent, Reggie Brown, said last summer.

    “Lance and we here at Priority Sports are excited about this new G League opportunity with the Denver Nuggets Grand Rapids Affiliate,” Brown said Saturday.

    “He’s not looking to go in and average 30 points a game, although he’s more than capable of doing so. Lance will show his leadership skills and maturity by guiding the younger players. He’s in the best shape of his life. NBA teams will see the much improved skills, especially his 3-point shooting and defense along with the intangibles that impact winning.”

    The Greensboro Swarm selected the 6-5 Ball with the 14th overall pick. Ball, the brother of Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball and Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball, most recently played for Charlotte during the 2021 NBA Summer League.

    Among some other notable names to get drafted were:

    –Former Kentucky guard Brandon Knight at No. 6 to the Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat)

    –Former Syracuse and Illinois forward Alan Griffin went No. 12 to the Santa Cruz Warriors.

    –Former Iona guards Isaiah Ross (No. 6 to Maine Celtics) and Asante Gist (third round to Westchester Knicks).

    -Joel Ntambwe, older brother of Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, went in the third round to Sioux Falls.

    Full results from the 2021-22 NBA G League Draft are below.

    ROUND ONE

    1. Delaware – Shamorie Ponds
    2. College Park – Tyler Hagedorn
    3. Fort Wayne – Gabe York
    4. Westchester – Justin Turner
    5. Agua Caliente – Nate Darling
    6. Sioux Falls – Brandon Knight
    7. Texas – Eddie Stansberry
    8. Motor City – Jaylen Johnson
    9. Iowa – Michael Gbinije
    10. Salt Lake City – Zaire Wade
    11. Texas – Loudon Love
    12. Santa Cruz – Alan Griffin
    13. Grand Rapids – Lance Stephenson
    14. Greensboro – LiAngelo Ball
    15. Lakeland – TJ Haws
    16. Cleveland – BJ Taylor
    17. Windy City – Scottie Lindsey
    18. Maine – Isaiah Ross
    19. Iowa – Ruot Monyyong
    20. Lakeland – Marlon Stewart
    21. Stockton – Joe Young
    22. Iowa – Samir Doughty
    23. Greensboro – Chudier Bile
    24. Capital City – Rodney Pryor
    25. Windy City – Tim Bond
    26. Greensboro – Tyree White
    27. Cleveland – Montell McRae
    28. Rio Grande Valley – Cullen Russo
    ROUND TWO

    1. Memphis – Karim Mane
    2. College Park – Kalob Ledoux
    3. Memphis – Gerard Tarin
    4. Delaware – Barra Njie
    5. Raptors 905 – Tahj Eaddy
    6. Grand Rapids – Trevon Duval
    7. Lakeland – Gary Chivichyan
    8. Motor City – Ryan Daly
    9. Wisconsin – Keaton Wallace
    10. Salt Lake City – Pedro Bradshaw 
    11. Austin – Alexis Wangmeme
    12. Fort Wayne – Ian DuBose
    13. Sioux Falls – Mike Smith
    14. Lakeland – Jaire Grayer
    15. Raptors 905 – Blake Francis
    16. Cleveland – Jack Pagenkopf
    17. Lakeland – Devonte Patterson
    18. Fort Wayne – Jordan Allen
    19. Birmingham – Devearl Ramsey
    20. Long Island – Chris Walker
    21. Rio Grande Valley – Eric Demers
    22. Birmingham – Derrick Griffin
    23. Santa Cruz – Ja’Quan Lyle
    24. Capital City – Jachai Taylor
    25. Westchester – Lydell Elmore
    26. Greensboro – Ikenna Ndugba
    27. Oklahoma City – Tevin King
    28. Agua Caliente – Kammeon Holsey
    ROUND THREE

    1. South Bay – Elijah Cain
    2. College Park – Landon Taliaferro
    3. Fort Wayne – Will Vorhees
    4. Westchester – Asante Gist
    5. Stockton – Princepal Singh
    6. Grand Rapids – Trevor John
    7. Raptors 905 – Tristan Jarrett
    8. Motor City – Devon Baulkman
    9. Wisconsin – Jaylen Bland
    10. Salt Lake City – JC Show
    11. Austin – Passed
    12. Memphis – Passed
    13. Sioux Falls – Joel Ntambwe
    14. Delaware – Passed
    15. Texas – Lamonte Bearden
    16. Stockton – Passed
    17. Delaware – Passed
    18. Maine – Lindsey Drew
    19. Iowa – Artur Labinowicz
    20. Long Island – Jaylen Fisher
    21. Agua Caliente – Randy Onwuasor
    22. Iowa – Seth Allen
    23. Santa Cruz – Jovan Mooring
    24. Capital City – Jermaine Haley
    25. Windy City – Kerwin Roach
    26. Greensboro – Isaiah Blackmon
    27. Oklahoma City – Marlon Taylor
    28. Rio Grande Valley – Jimond Ivey
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    Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle. A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.

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