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Jeff Borzello: Morehead State star Johni Broome declares for the NBA draft, but is not signing with an agent. Averaged 16.8 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.9 blocks this season, had 32 points in the OVC title game vs. Murray State.
However, while I was there, I also noted a freshman guard named Tevin Brown who seemed to have enough size, shooting and athleticism to possibly crack the league. Four years later, Brown is the best player on a Murray State team that ran the table in the Ohio Valley Conference and will likely enter the tournament as a No. 8 or 9 seed. Brown is shooting 38.9 percent from 3 this season on mad volume (13.3 flings per 100 possessions), has shown enough as a passer to be a serviceable secondary playmaker and has athleticism indicators that show he can hang if he moves up a level. He’ll be 24 years old by the time his first NBA season starts, which is a draft-stock killer, but he’ll be in the mix as a second-rounder or two-way guy.
Jordyn Adams, a Silsbee High School graduate, declared Monday for this summer’s NBA draft. The announcement comes after he averaged 17.4 points per game at Austin Peay and was named as the Ohio Valley Conference’s Freshman of the Year.
Morant rose to national prominence as the Racers advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament this spring. He became the first player in NCAA history to average at least 20 points and 10 assists per game in a single season, dunking and dishing his way to Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year honors. With Memphis going all in on Morant, this leaves Duke standout forward R.J. Barrett available to be drafted by the Knicks, who have the No. 3 pick. Morant and Barrett were expected to be the second and third picks behind Zion Williamson.
A large NBA contingent -- scouts, executives and general managers -- has flocked to Evansville, Indiana this weekend. They all want a closer look at Ja Morant. Cleveland Cavaliers GM Koby Altman included. Altman -- and others -- watched the Murray State star dazzle in the Ohio Valley Conference Semifinals, leading his team to the title game with a narrow 76-74 win against Jacksonville State Friday night. Morant scored 29 points, including a game-winning three-point play with eight seconds left. The nation’s leader in assists also added eight to go with six rebounds in 40 minutes.
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And though Morant's draft stock is rising and financial advisers have been in constant contact with dad Tee Morant, any decision about his son's future will have to wait until the spring. Morant said he isn't thinking about turning pro. He's focusing on helping the Racers (19-4) repeat as OVC champions. Nobody is counting him out, not after his performance in the game he injured his ankle. He returned after the injury and finished with 20 points and nine assist in a 79-66 loss to Belmont.
The Brooklyn Nets have signed guards Tahjere McCall and Shannon Scott. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not released. McCall (6’5”, 190) joins Brooklyn after playing last season for the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s NBA G League affiliate. In 37 games (31 starts) for Long Island, McCall recorded averages of 9.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals in 28.2 minutes per contest. On the collegiate level, McCall played two seasons at Tennessee State (2015-17) after spending his first two years at Niagara University (2012-14). While at Tennessee State, McCall earned All-Ohio Valley Conference first team honors twice and was the conference’s defensive player of the year in both seasons. The Philadelphia native saw action in 117 career collegiate games (93 starts), recording averages of 10.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.9 steals in 26.0 minutes per game.
When they met that night in Ray’s office, Anderson got directly to the point. “Thank you for the opportunity, and I appreciate what you’ve done for me,” he told Ray, “but I’m planning to declare for the NBA draft.” Ray was taken aback: How could Tony Anderson, after averaging 5.0 points on the last-place team in the Ohio Valley Conference, decide to go one-and-done? “This is something,” Anderson explained, “that God called me to do.” (In an interview, Anderson elaborated on that calling by saying, “My passion is basketball, and God turned basketball into an assignment for him and his kingdom. He’s calling me to something greater than myself, as far as getting to the NBA level to reach people for him. That’s what it came down to, and I accepted it.”)
The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent guards Ian Clark and Juwan Staten along with free agent forwards Tony Mitchell and Jarell Eddie to contracts, the team announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not released. Clark, 24, holds career NBA averages of 2.4 points and 6.9 minutes in 53 games over two seasons with the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets. Prior to signing with Utah in 2013-14, Clark spent the 2013 NBA Summer League with the Warriors, earning MVP honors in the championship game to help Golden State complete a perfect 7-0 campaign in Las Vegas. The 6’3” guard is the all-time leader in points (1,920) and three-point field goals (340) at Belmont University, where he was named the Ohio Valley Conference Co-Player of the Year as a senior in 2012-13.
Payne, 6-foot-2, 183 pounds, averaged 20.3 points, six assists, 1.8 steals and 2.5 made 3-pointers per game as a sophomore at Murray State this past season. The 2015 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers (second and 27th overall picks), Sacramento Kings (sixth), Denver Nuggets (seventh), Indiana Pacers (11th) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (14th) and met with the Boston Celtics (16). The southpaw sharpshooter ranked in the top 15 among NCAA Division I players last season in points and assists per game. Draftexpress.com currently projects Payne to be drafted by the Thunder with the 14th pick.
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Covington was eligible for the 2013 NBA Draft following a standout four-year career at Tennessee State. He earned Second Team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors as a senior and a sophomore and First Team distinction as a junior. In a related move, the Sixers waived Chris Johnson.
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