2023-10-11 10:11:24
Chicago Bulls open training camp at Belmont
Chicago Bulls coach Bill Donovan said he wanted to mix things up so the decision was made to move training camp to Nashville.
With the 2023-24 NBA season bouncing into action on Oct. 24 it’s time to check on expectations from some of the players with ties to Tennessee. There currently are 29 players who either played in high school, college or both in Tennessee now in the NBA.
Austin Peay
Terry Taylor, Chicago Bulls, F: The two-time Ohio Valley Conference player of the year and Austin Peay’s all-time leading scorer signed with the Bulls on Aug. 14. Taylor spent time with the Bulls and Indiana in 2022-23. He comes into this season having played in a total of 64 NBA games with a career scoring average of 6.4 points and 3.4 rebounds.
Belmont
Ben Sheppard, Indiana, G: The Pacers selected Sheppard in the first round with the 26th pick in the draft in June. He was a three-year starter at Belmont and a two-time All-OVC and one-time All-Missouri Valley Conference performer after the Bruins changed conferences his senior season.
Dylan Windler, New York Knicks, F: Windler spent the last three seasons with Cleveland where he played in a total of 84 games averaging 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds. The 2019 first-round pick played in only three games last season due to ankle, hamstring and foot injuries. He also played in 11 G League games. Windler became an unrestricted free agent after the 2022-23 season and signed a two-way contract with the Knicks on June 26.
Lipscomb
Garrison Mathews, Atlanta, G: The 2019 Atlantic Sun player of the year and three-time all-conference performer from Franklin went undrafted and signed a two-way contract with Washington. He made his NBA debut on Oct. 23 of the 2019-20 season. Two months later Mathews scored 28 points in a win over Miami. Mathews spent the following season with Washington before being claimed off waivers by Houston in 2021-22. He averaged a career-high 10.0 points and 2.9 rebounds for the Rockets. Garrison played nine games with the Hawks last season and was retained in June.
Memphis
Precious Achiuwa, Toronto, F: Achiruwa has started in 44 games over the last three years after spending one season in Miami and the last two in Toronto. He averaged 9.2 points and 6.0 rebounds last season. He is expected to play a larger role in the offense this season but is currently sidelined with a groin injury.
Kendric Davis, Golden State, G: Davis, who finished his college career at Memphis after also playing at TCU and SMU, signed a free agent deal with the Warriors in September after going undrafted in June. Davis scored 2,000 career points in college. He was the Tigers’ leading scorer (21.9 ppg).
Jalen Duren, Detroit, C: The 6-foot-11 Duren made the NBA All-Rookie second team last season. He had 30 points and 17 rebounds in a double-overtime win over San Antonio. He finished the season with 31 starts averaging 9.1 points and 5.5 rebounds.
Josh Minott, Minnesota, F: Minott was selected in the second round of the 2022 draft by Charlotte then traded to the Timberwolves. He saw action in 15 games as a reserve last season.
Lester Quinones, Golden State, G: After spending two seasons in the G League, Quinones signed a 10-day contract with the Warriors in March but never saw any action. Two weeks later he signed a two-way contract and made his NBA debut on March 31 against San Antonio. Quinones signed another two-way contract in July.
Derrick Rose, Memphis, G: Rose has spent more time in the NBA than any player with Tennessee ties as he heads into his 15th season. It will be his first with the Grizzlies. The three-time NBA All-Star has played in 699 games. His career average is 17.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists.
James Wiseman, Detroit, C: The 7-foot former Ensworth and Memphis East star was the second overall pick in the 2020 draft by Golden State. After playing one season with Golden State he missed the next with a knee injury when the Warriors won the NBA championship. Wiseman was traded to Detroit on Feb. 9 in a four-way trade then made his debut with the Pistons on Feb. 15. He finished the season averaging a career-high 12.7 points and 8.1 rebounds.
Tennessee
Tobias Harris, Philadelphia, F: Harris is the longest tenured former UT player in the NBA heading into his 13th season. He began his career with Milwaukee (2011-12) and became a part-time starter the following season. His playing time increased after moving to Orlando in 2013-14 and he remained a starting role over the better part of the last 10 seasons. Harris has averaged 16.2 points and 6.1 rebounds for his career.
Keon Johnson, Phoenix, G: The Shelbyville native made the SEC All-Freshman team in 2021 before being selected in the first round by the Knicks and then traded to the Clippers where he played in 15 games in the first half of 2021-22 before being traded to Portland in a three-way deal. He has played in a total of 77 games and started in 24 over four seasons.
Julian Phillips, Chicago, F: After being selected in the second round of the 2023 draft by Boston then traded to Chicago, Phillips played well in the NBA’s summer league. The Bulls are in need of an offensive spark and hope Phillips will provide it. The native of Blythewood, South Carolina, spent only one season with the Vols.
Josh Richardson, Miami, G: After beginning his NBA career in Miami (2015-16), Richardson returned to the Heat in June. He spent time in Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston and San Antonio before playing with New Orleans last season. He averaged 7.5 points and 2.4 rebounds for the Pelicans. Richardson returned to Miami with a career scoring average of 11.8 points.
Admiral Schofield, Orlando, F: After being selected in the second round of the 2019 draft by Philadelphia then spending two seasons with Washington, Schofield was in the G League for part of the 2021 season before signing with Orlando. He has played an average of about 12 minutes in 75 games and started one for the Magic over the last two seasons.
Jaden Springer, Philadelphia, G: Springer was selected in the first round of the draft by the Sixers in 2021 then spent most of his rookie season in the G League. He led the Delaware Blue Coats to the G League title last season and was named MVP of the championship game. Springer scored 14 points with two 3-pointers and grabbed five rebounds in the first preseason game against the Celtics.
Grant Williams, Dallas, F: The 2019 SEC player of the year spent his first four seasons with Boston before being sent to Dallas in a three-way trade in July. Williams started in 58 games last season with the Celtics and averaged 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds. He also appeared in 61 playoff games.
Tennessee State
Robert Covington, L.A. Clippers, F: Covington is among the longest tenured NBA players from Tennessee as he heads into his 11th season. He is in his third season with his fifth team. Covington, who made the NBA All-Defensive Team in 2018, has averaged 11.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks in the 585 NBA games in which he has played.
Vanderbilt
Darius Garland, Cleveland, G: A former Brentwood Academy star who spent only one season at Vanderbilt, Garland is among the best guards in the NBA. He was selected as a reserve for the 2022 NBA All-Star game. After four NBA seasons, Garland’s career average is 18.5 points, 6.7 assists and 2.1 rebounds.
Damian Jones, Cleveland, C: The 6-11 Jones has spent more time currently in the NBA than any other Vanderbilt player. Jones, who came into the league in 2106, has been with Golden State, Atlanta, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Sacramento and is in his first season with Cleveland. He’s come off the bench for most of career though he did start in 27 games for Atlanta in 2019-20. He’s averaged 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds for his career.
Luke Kornet, Boston C: The Commodores’ all-time leader for blocked shots and the NCAA all-time leader for 3-pointers made by any player 7-foot tall or taller is headed into his sixth NBA season. He has bounced back and forth between the NBA and G-League through his career, which has included time with the Knicks, Chicago, Cleveland, Milwaukee and Boston. He was with Boston in the early part of the 2020-21 season and returned last season. He averaged 3.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in 69 games in 2022-23.
Saben Lee, Phoenix, G: Lee was selected in the second round of the 2020 draft by Utah then traded to Detroit where he spent two seasons. He posted a double-double (11 points, 12 assists) in a win over Oklahoma City. Lee was briefly with Philadelphia last season before being released in December. He signed back-to-back 10-day contracts with Phoenix in January and February and played in 23 games with one start.
Aaron Nesmith, Indiana, F: The 14th overall pick in the 2020 draft, who began his career in Boston, became a starter in his first season with the Pacers in 2022-23. After averaging 4.2 points in two seasons with the Celtics Nesmith improved his average to 10.1 last season.
Scotty Pippen Jr., L.A. Lakers, G: Pippen spent most of his time last season with the South Bay Lakers in the G League. He played sparingly in six games with the Lakers but was sidelined for several weeks with an ankle injury. Pippen remained with L.A. in the summer league and re-signed with the Lakers on Sept. 7.
Liam Robbins, New Orleans, C: The 7-foot Robbins, who also played at Drake and Minnesota, signed a free agent deal with the Pelicans after going undrafted in June. He made the 2023 All-SEC first team and was the SEC defensive player of the year after averaging 15 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game.
Matt Ryan, Minnesota, F: Ryan, who also played at Chattanooga and Notre Dame, made his NBA debut on April 10, 2022 while on a 10-day contract for Boston in a game against Memphis. Ryan signed with the Lakers in the 2022-23 preseason and played in 12 games before being waived. He then signed a two-way contract with Minnesota, played in 22 games, and re-signed in September.
Other Nashville-area players
Braxton Key (Christ Presbyterian Academy, Alabama, Virginia), Denver, F: After spending a couple of seasons in the G League, Key signed a 10-day contract with Philadelphia in 2022. He signed another 10-day contract with Detroit three months late and spent most of the season in the G League. Denver signed Key, who has played in a total of 14 NBA games, to a two-way contract in July.
Brandon Miller (Cane Ridge, Alabama), Charlotte, F: After playing one season at Alabama, Miller was taken with the second overall pick of the 2023 draft by the Hornets. He was a McDonald’s All-American and Tennessee Mr. Basketball in 2022 and the SEC player and freshman of the year at Alabama last season.
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