NBA G League's Alen Smailagic Selected in 2019 NBA Draft
June 20, 2019 - NBA G League (G League) News Release
NEW YORK - Santa Cruz Warriors forward Alen Smailagic of Serbia (6-10, 215) was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the 39th overall pick in the NBA Draft 2019 presented by State Farm. He is the third international player drafted into the NBA from the NBA G League, joining Thanasis Antetokounmpo (Greece) and Chukwudiebere Maduabum (Nigeria), and the seventh overall to play in the NBA's official minor league before being drafted by an NBA team.
Smailagic appeared in 47 regular season games (four starts) for the Warriors last season and averaged 9.1 points on 49.5 percent shooting from the field to go with 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists. He was selected by selected by the South Bay Lakers with the fourth overall selection in the 2018 NBA G League Draft before his rights were traded to Santa Cruz. He made his NBA G League debut at 18 years and 77 days old, becoming the youngest player in league history.
Smailagic joins Mike Taylor (55th overall, 2008), Latavious Williams (48th overall, 2010), Maduabum (54th overall, 2011), Glen Rice, Jr. (35th overall, 2013), P.J. Hairston (26th overall, 2014) and Antetokounmpo (51st overall, 2014) as players with NBA G League experience to be selected in an NBA Draft.
NBA G League Stories from June 20, 2019
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