D-League Rewind: Underappreciated Point Guards Abound
The end is nigh as the D-League season barrels toward the playoffs, and while call ups have seen a recent uptick, there are still some lead guards waiting by the phone. The NBA’s minor league is guard heavy, so standing out at the point guard position can be a vexing aspect of life for these guys.
Two of the four guards highlighted in today’s Rewind have playoff spots wrapped up — they also happen to be brothers — and the other two are still doing all they can to help their teams reach the promised land of the postseason.
Call Ups
As of today there have been 35 call ups (29 different players). Here are the players currently on 10-day deals with clubs: Greg Smith (Timberwolves), Axel Toupane (Nuggets), Coty Clarke (Celtics), Xavier Munford (Grizzlies), Jared Cunningham (Bucks), Tim Frazier (Pelicans), Henry Sims (Nets) and Lorenzo Brown (Pistons).
Acquisitions
Ronnie Aguilar via player pool — Texas Legends
Justin Harper re-acquired after two 10-day deals with Detroit — L.A. D-Fenders
Melvin Johnson III via player pool — Maine Red Claws
Ladarius White via player pool — Maine Red Claws
Bruce Massey via player pool — Grand Rapids Drive
Trey Zeigler via player pool — Bakersfield Jam
Jalil Abdul-Bassit via player pool — Idaho Stampede
Justin Martin via player pool — Texas Legends
Briante Weber re-acquired after 10-day with Memphis — Sioux Falls Skyforce
Orlando Johnson re-acquired after 10-day with New Orleans — Austin Spurs
Highlight of the Week
Cory Jefferson has spent a brief period of time in the NBA, so he had no fear going up against 7-3 Edy Tavares while Tavares was on assignment from the Atlanta Hawks. It’s okay, big fella. It happens to the best of ’em.
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Look at the disappointment on his face when he realizes what just happened. Ha!
NBA D-League Performer of the Week
Terrico White earned this award for helping the Bakersfield Jam go 2-1 last week. He averaged 29.7 points and seven rebounds on 62 percent from the field. He also hit 10-22 shots from 3-point range and he’s really coming on strong for the Jam of late. The Jam have not been officially eliminated from the playoffs, but it might be too little, too late for White and the Jam.
The Captain Who Runs the Ship in Reno
It has to be tough trying to make a name for yourself when your father is Hall of Fame point guard John Stockton. Not only did David Stockton choose hoops as his profession, he even went to pops’ alma mater in Spokane! After going undrafted last year, Stockton entered the D-League Draft and saw himself traded to the upstart Reno Bighorns under first-time head coach David Arseneault Jr. once the Maine Red Claws selected him.
Stockton would probably have been described as a “game manager” in the NCAA ranks, but his game has blossomed under the Bighorns staff. He wasn’t asked to score at Gonzaga but that doesn’t mean he is incapable of putting the ball in the basket, and he’s been proving that in his first two years as a pro. David got a brief taste of the NBA at the end of last season with the Kings calling him up. He played in three games for a total of 33 minutes and finished with eight points and nine assists — typical for him.
Through 38 games this year, he’s averaging 17.2 points along with 7.2 assists (3rd in the league) and he’s shooting 43 percent from the field. Many times he’s overlooked on the Bighorns as Ricky Ledo and Erick Green garner most of the acclaim, but at 24-years-old, Stockton is proving he deserves a real shot at sticking with an NBA club this offseason.
The Musketeer Turned Legend
Tu Holloway is 26-years-old and has played professional basketball in Turkey, Puerto Rico, Belgium, Venezuela, Mexico and now the United States. This is his first season in the D-League and he’s really been the anchor for the Texas Legends all season long. The Legends aren’t likely to make the playoffs but Holloway has done all he can to try and earn them wins. He’s averaged 22.8 points (4th in the league) and 6.4 assists (7th) while shooting 46 percent from the floor.
Holloway is the definition of a scoring guard in today’s pro game. He gets to the line frequently with his attacking style and once his defender is off balance, he pulls up from 3-point range where he shoots a very respectable 41 percent.
Holloway is average on defense and at 6-0 opposing guards take advantage of him in the post when they have the opportunity. Despite being one of the top guards in the league for most of the season, Holloway has gone unnoticed by NBA clubs and might ultimately be better off heading to Europe for his big payday this offseason.
The Diminutive D-Fender
Like Holloway, Magette is 26-years-old. And while he isn’t as well-traveled as Tu, he’s played in both the Netherlands and Greece. Magette was one of the better point guards in the D-League back in 2013-14 when he played with the D-Fenders, and after a season in Greece’s top league he’s been even better this season.
Magette leads the league in assists (9.1) and steals (2.5) and is the consummate pro in Los Angeles. Vander Blue, Jabari Brown and Jeff Ayres got most of the publicity for the D-Fenders, but anyone who watches the game knows who runs that offensive juggernaut — and it’s Magette. Although he’s stands at only 6-1 and 160 pounds soaking wet, he gets after it on the defensive end and helps set the tone on both ends.
His Achilles heel this season has been his shooting as he’s currently hitting 39 percent of his field goals and only 34 percent of his 3-pointers. He plays with some adept scorers, so he gets open looks and to make that next leap to the NBA he has to be a knock-down shooter. He hasn’t mastered that part of his game just yet and that’s why he hasn’t earned the call-up he’s been yearning for.
Magette is a true point guard and he would make any team in the league better on both ends of the floor. While that’s admirable, it’s doubtful he returns to the D-League next season. Josh will get a lot of international offers this summer and that’s likely where he ends up — no shame in that, either.
Leading the Charge from Behind the Scenes
We’ve already looked at David Stockton and now we shift to his older brother, Michael Stockton, who is the backup point guard for the Canton Charge. The Charge are headed to the playoffs this season and Quinn Cook has the starting point guard position locked up. Stockton is 26-years-old and spent the last three seasons playing pro in Germany. He started in Germany’s second tier league but played well in the German BBL for the last two seasons, then ultimately took a shot with the D-League in hopes of garnering more interest.
Stockton isn’t a starter like the other three on this list, so his averages are modest at 8.3 points and 4.5 assists in around 22 minutes per game. His strength comes on the defensive end where he is a real pest for opposing guards. His outside shooting hasn’t been great this season at only 29 percent, but he shoots a very presentable 44 percent overall.
He’s played 45 games with Canton this year, starting in 15 games. In the games he’s started, his numbers have jumped to 11.3 points and 5.8 assists on 49 percent shooting. By all measures, Stockton isn’t likely to be on an NBA roster anytime soon, but he’s definitely proven he can play in some more prestigious international leagues and he will certainly get some opportunities to do so after this successful run for Canton.