By CHARLIE PARENT
Class of 2024 five-star Dink Pate has signed a two-year deal with the G-League Ignite, making the 17-year-old the youngest American player to ever turn pro.
“I’m extremely excited to join Ignite,” Pate said. “The opportunity to develop on and off the court alongside top prospects and veterans is the best route for me in order to accomplish my dreams of playing in the NBA. I wouldn’t be here without the support from my family, trainers, coaches and teammates.”
The 6-foot-8 guard will not be eligible for the 2024 NBA Draft but will only be 19 by the time the 2025 Draft rolls around.
In his last season at L.G. Pinkston High School in Dallas, Pate averaged 20.3 points per game and was named the 2022-23 District 13-4A Most Valuable Player. He was also selected to the 2022-23 University Interscholastic League Boys 4A All-Region Team and All-State Team.
Pate, who graduated early from Pinkston, signed a two-year agreement with Ignite. He is the fourth player to sign with Ignite for two seasons, joining Babacar Sane (2022-23 and upcoming 2023-24 season), London Johnson (2022-23 and upcoming 2023-24 season) and Scoot Henderson (2021-22 and 2022-23).
Pate joins Johnson and Sane on Ignite’s 2023-24 roster as the latest group of top national and international prospects preparing for the NBA Draft. Ignite has produced three top 10 NBA Draft picks in the previous two years – the most by any program in that span – in Jalen Green (2021, No. 2), Jonathan Kuminga (2021, No. 7) and Dyson Daniels (2022, No. 8). Ignite has had a total of six NBA Drafts picks in the last two years, which matches the highest total for a program in that period.
Pate also mentioned to ESPN that he would have reclassed to the class of 2023 and enrolled at Alabama or Arkansas if the G-League opportunity wasn’t available.
“I was leaning toward Alabama,” Pate said” I liked the facility, especially the football team. Coach Oats and Coach Musselman are both great coaches.”
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