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January 14, 2015 - NBA G League (G League) News Release


ON WITH THE SHOWCASE

A year ago, Troy Daniels stood in the back of the Reno Events Center, having made five three-pointers in his NBA D-League Showcase debut, and declared himself "the best shooter in the D-League."

The storybook weeks in Daniels' future -- setting the league's single-season three-point record in January, getting called up to the Houston Rockets in February, hitting an NBA playoff game-winner in April -- are what the Showcase is all about.

It's a path the dozens of prospects who will convene in Santa Cruz, Calif., this week can only dream of following as their time to shine, with spots in the NBA up for grabs, arrives.

That opportunity to be "next" leads the list of storylines in play as the Showcase gets set to tip off Thursday:

Who Will Steal the Show?

Players across the league jockey for position in the Call-Up pecking order every time they step on the floor -- which is tracked at NBADLeague.com in its weekly Prospect Watch -- but nothing can give a prospect a leg up better than performing in front of an audience of NBA scouts. Every move made, whether it's reading a ball screen or reading body language in a huddle, will be closely monitored, and you can bet a handful of the elite players will rise to the occasion as No. 1 prospect Pierre Jackson did last year.

Who Will Pull a Shabazz Muhammad?

"I think I needed to come down here and do this." Those were the words of Shabazz Muhammad, then a struggling rookie, after scoring 46 points in two games for the Iowa Energy a year ago. Now he's one of the NBA's most promising young scorers, and he's recognized his four-game NBA D-League stint in 2014, which began at the Showcase in his home state of Nevada, as the turning point. Which NBA up-and-comer will make a surprise appearance this week? Who will use the 2015 Showcase as a launching pad?

2015 NBA D-LEAGUE SHOWCASE SCHEDULE:

Thurs. Jan. 15 :

1 p.m. ET - Texas vs. Bakersfield (Cup Game 1)

3:45 p.m. ET - Austin vs. Grand Rapids (Cup Game 2)

6:30 p.m. ET - Maine vs. Sioux Falls (Cup Game 3)

10 p.m. ET - Santa Cruz vs. Canton (Cup Game 4)

Fri. Jan. 16 :

1 p.m. ET - Erie vs. Rio Grande Valley

3:45 p.m. ET - Fort Wayne vs. Los Angeles

6:30 p.m. ET - Delaware vs. Iowa

10 p.m. ET - Reno vs. Westchester

Sat. Jan. 17 :

1 p.m. ET - Oklahoma City vs. Idaho

3:45 p.m. ET - Cup Semi-Final A (Winner Cup Game 1 vs. Winner Cup Game 3)

6:30 p.m. ET - Cup Consolation B (Loser Cup Game 2 vs. Loser Cup Game 4)

10 p.m. ET - Cup Semi-Final B (Winner Cup Game 2 vs. Winner Cup Game 4)

Sun. Jan. 18 :

1 p.m. ET - Cup Consolation A (Loser Cup Game 1 vs. Loser Cup Game 3)

3:45 p.m. ET - Iowa vs. Erie

6:30 p.m. ET - Los Angeles vs. Delaware

10 p.m. ET - Rio Grande Valley vs. Reno

Mon. Jan. 19 :

1 p.m. ET - Cup Championship Game

3:45 p.m. ET - Westchester vs. Oklahoma City

6:30 p.m. ET - Idaho vs. Fort Wayne

PROSPECT REPORT

Bryce Cotton, Austin Spurs -- Numbers don't always tell the story for an underdog like Cotton, but they can certainly help paint a picture. Lightly recruited out of high school before signing with the Providence Friars, Cotton averaged 4.0 points in 15.2 minutes as a freshman. As a senior in 2013-14, those numbers rose to 21.8 points in 39.9 minutes, as the Friars went to their first NCAA Tournament in 10 years. Cotton's stellar senior campaign wasn't enough to hear his name called on Draft Night this past June, though he didn't wait long for the San Antonio Spurs to come knocking with a partially guaranteed contract, which led to an eventual training camp invite. Cotton didn't make the final cut, but he's stayed in the Spurs' program in Austin, appearing in 21 games this season and averaging 20.2 points, 4.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds. Cotton (6-1, 165) will always be fighting an uphill battle from a physical standpoint, along with questions about his defense and ability to run a team. His greatest attributes from an NBA standpoint are his ability to shoot, his determination to improve and his overall feel for the game.

NEWS & NOTES

Prospect Watch: Week Nine

Glen Rice Jr. is back to square one after being released by Washington Wizards and picked up the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. His performance as the Vipers made an NBA D-League title run in 2012-13 propelled him into the second round of the 2013 NBA Draft. He's a versatile scorer who's still in search of an elite skill to hang his hat on.

AROUND THE D-LEAGUE

The Iowa Energy has acquired forward Tyrus Thomas, the fourth overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft. Thomas (6-9, 225), who most recently played with the Charlotte Bobcats (2009-2013), holds career averages of 7.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 400 career games (129 starts) with the Bobcats and Chicago Bulls. At LSU, Thomas earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors following the 2005-2006 season ... The Oklahoma City Thunder has recalled forward Grant Jerrett from the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA D-League. Jerrett has appeared in eight games (seven starts) for the Blue this season, averaging 13.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 24.5 minutes. During the Blue's 130-126 victory on Tuesday over the Los Angeles D-Fenders, Jerrett recorded 19 points, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocks in 30 minutes.

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