The NBA futures of three former Hoosier players hung in the balance Thursday night.
Both OG Anunoby and Thomas Bryant heard their names called during the NBA Draft Thursday, while according to a report by the Vertical’s Shams Charania, James Blackmon Jr. signed a free agent deal with the Philadelphia 76ers after going undrafted.
Anunoby was the first IU player selected, falling to the Toronto Raptors at pick No. 23.
“This gives him a chance to develop, it really does,” former IU coach Tom Crean said on the Vertical Draft Show online. “He is going to bring a ready made, get on the court to defend darn near anybody. Is he going to be ready to do that this year? I don’t know. I wouldn’t bet against him.”
Anunoby was limited to 16 games last season after sustaining a knee injury that required surgery. He averaged 11.1 points and 5.4 rebounds, shooting just over 70-percent from two-point range.
“Healthy, he’s no question a top-10 guy in my mind,” Crean said on the Vertical Draft Show. “I’m really proud of him.”
In his freshman season, he was a key piece off the bench, helping IU win the Big Ten regular season title and advance to the Sweet Sixteen. He averaged 13.7 minutes per game to go along with 4.9 points per game. On limited attempts from three, he shot 44.8-percent.
“Just a rush of excitement and just happy to be here,” Anuonoby said in a video on the Raptors website.
Bryant was the other Hoosier drafted Thursday, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round with the No. 42 pick.
“It just felt great to hear my name called up on the draft boards and be able to go up there, grab the hat and shake the commissioners hand, it just felt great to be drafted and be a part of the NBA,” Bryant said in a lakers.com video.
Bryant played two seasons at IU, averaging 12.2 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game, shooting 37.3-percent from three-point range. Last season, he started all 34 games for the Hoosiers and averaged 12.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. His freshman year, his field goal percentage of 68.3-percent set the single-season IU record.
“His length around the rim, he’s disruptive,” Lakers GM Rob Pelinka said in a video on lakers.com. “But when he steps up to the top of the key, you’ve got to guard him because he’s got a beautiful three-point shot. I think he’ll be able to help us defensively as a rim protector and opening the floor as a shooter.”
Blackmon played three seasons at IU, averaging 16.3 points per game. Last season, he was named to the Third Team All-Big Ten by the media after he led IU in scoring and three-pointers made. He provides the 76ers with great shooting from beyond-the-arc as he shot 41.5-percent from three during his career. He made 205 threes in his career as a Hoosier.
Last year, both Yogi Ferrell and Troy Williams went undrafted, but caught on with NBA teams during the season.
Andrew Hussey
