By R.L. Bynum
After breaking the North Carolina school double-double career record with 87, what else would you expect Armando Bacot to do in his professional debut?
Bacot, wearing a 00 jersey, produced an impressive double-double with 17 points and 18 rebounds Saturday night while going 3 of 9 from 3-point range with five assists and two steals in his first G League game.
Bacot’s Memphis Hustle lost 103–97 at Rio Grande after starting the game with a 9–0 run. The Hustle, which plays its home games in the Memphis suburb of Southaven, Miss., play their first home game Monday at 8 p.m. against Mexico City.
Harrison Ingram, Leaky Black, Pete Nance, Nassir Little and Sterling Manley also had impressive G League openers this weekend.
Bacot, Black, Nance and Little each got waived before the season and signed to the G League affiliates of the teams that let them go: the Memphis Grizzlies for Bacot, the Washington Wizards for Black, the Cleveland Cavaliers for Nance and the Miami Heat for Little. The Rip City Remix, the Portland Trail Blazers’ affiliate, picked Manley in the G League draft and signed him.
Ingram, who played seven scoreless minutes for the San Antonio Spurs last week, collected 21 points, three 3-pointers, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals in the Austin Spurs’ 128–117 Friday win at Osceola. Those teams play again at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Black had 21 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a steal Friday night in the Capital City Go-Go’s 104–95 home loss to College Park.
Pete Nance scored 17 points and had three rebounds and two assists in the Cleveland Charge’s 120–83 Saturday home win over the Indiana Mad Ants.
Little had nine points, eight rebounds and six assists in the Sioux Falls Skyforce’s 121–118 overtime Saturday loss at Iowa.
Manley had 10 points, eight assists, four rebounds and a block in the Rip City Remix’s 122–107 Friday loss at San Diego.
Cormac Ryan, waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder and then signed to a G League contract by the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s affiliate, plays his opener at noon Tuesday at Texas.
In NBA action Saturday, Coby White contributed 18 points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals in the Chicago Bulls’ 125–113 victory at Atlanta. On Thursday, he had 21 points, four 3-pointers and eight assists in the Bulls’ 135–119 home loss to Minnesota.
Harrison Barnes had five points, two rebounds and two assists in San Antonio’s 111–110 Saturday loss to Utah, which got seven points and five rebounds from Walker Kessler.
Cole Anthony continued to struggle with Orlando in limited playing time, with two points, six rebounds and two assists in the Magic’s 115–88 Friday home loss to New Orleans. He is averaging 3.4 points per game.
Cameron Johnson scored 23 points and four 3-pointers while pulling down five rebounds in Brooklyn’s 105–100 Saturday loss at Cleveland.
Cole Anthony, Orlando Magic guard
Age 24 | 6–2, 185 | 5th season | $12.9 million salary | UNC 2019–20 (1 season)
Roster situation — Reserve point guard/shooting guard
Season statistics — 13 games, 3.9 points, 33.3 FG%, 26.1 3P%, 65.0 FT%, 2.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists
109–99 Monday win at Phoenix — Didn’t start; 3 minutes, 0 points, 0–1 FT, 1 assist, 1 foul, -2
Next game — 10:30 Wednesday at Los Angeles Clippers
Harrison Barnes, San Antonio Spurs forward
Age 32 | 6–8, 225 | 13th season | $19 million salary | UNC 2010–12 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting small forward ahead of Julian Champaignie
Season statistics — 15 games, 9.9 points, 48.1 FG%, 38.8 3P%, 78.9 FT%, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists
110–104 Tuesday win vs. Oklahoma City — Started; 32 minutes, 20 points, 6–13 FG, 3–7 3FG, 5–8 FT, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, +17
Next game — 8 p.m. Thursday vs. Utah
Harrison Ingram, San Antonio Spurs forward
Age 21 | 6–7, 230 | rookie season | $578,577 salary (2-way contract) | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
NBA season statistics — 1 game, 7 minutes, 0 points, 0–1 FG, 1 rebound, 1 foul
G League season statistics — 5 games, 12.6 points, 42.9 FG%, 32.4 3P%, 62.5 FT%, 9.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.8 steals
120–115 Tuesday win vs. Mexico City — Started; 36 minutes, 12 points, 3–11 FG, 1–7 3FG, 3–4 FT, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 fouls, 3 steals, 6 turnovers, +14
Next Austin Spurs game — 8 p.m. Friday at Birmingham
Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets forward
Age 28 | 6–8, 210 | 6th season | $22.5 million salary | UNC 2017–19 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting small forward ahead of Jalen Wilson
Season statistics — 15 games, 18.1 points, 47.9 FG%, 39.3 3P%, 91.8 FT%, 4.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists
116–115 Tuesday win vs. Charlotte — Started; 38 minutes, 34 points, 11–20 FG, 6–12 3FG, 6–6 FT, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 5 turnovers, 2 fouls +18
Next game — 7 p.m. Friday at Philadelphia
Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz center
Age 23 | 7–0, 245 | 3rd season | $2.97 million salary | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting center ahead of John Collins
Season statistics — 8 games, 9.5 points, 68.1 FG%, 57.1 FT%, 11.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 3.0 blocks
Missed the last five games last week with bursitis in his right hip
Next game — 8 p.m. Thursday at San Antonio
Day’Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets center
Age 22 | 6–9, 265 | 4th season | $3.8 million salary | UNC 2020–21 (1 season)
Roster situation — Backup center behind Nic Claxton
Statistics last season — 61 games, 6.8 points, 57.1 FG%, 26.7 3P%, 51.0 FT%, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Hasn’t played because of a left hamstring strain
Next game — 7 p.m. Friday at Philadelphia
Coby White, Chicago Bulls guard
Age 24 | 6–5, 195 | 6th season | $12 million salary | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting shooting guard
Season statistics — 15 games, 19.9 points, 45.4 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 88.9 FT%, 3.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals
122–112 Tuesday win at Detroit — Started; 33 minutes, 25 points, 9–14 FG, 5–10 3FG, 2–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, -3
Next game — 7:30 Wednesday at Milwaukee, ESPN
Tar Heels in G League
Armando Bacot, Memphis Hustle center
Age 24 | 6–11, 240 | rookie season | UNC 2019–24 (5 seasons)
Season statistics — 5 games, 15.4 points, 45.0 FG%, 35.7 3P%, 53.3 FT%, 11.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists
123–118 Wednesday win vs. Osceola — Started; 11 points, 4–9 FG, 2–5 3FG, 1–3 FT, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 fouls, 1 block, +5
Next game — 8 p.m. Friday vs. Osceola
Leaky Black, Capital City Go-Go guard
Age 25 | 6–6, 209 | 2nd season | UNC 2018–23 (5 seasons)
Season statistics — 3 games, 10.7 points, 64.7 FG%, 50.0 3P%, 3–4 FT, 7.3 rebounds, 1.30 assists, 1.0 steal
119–109 Tuesday win vs. Raptors 905 — Didn’t start; 24 minutes, 11 points, 5–6 FG, 1–2 3FG, 0–1 FT, 9 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 steal, 1 block, -1
Next game — 7 p.m. Friday at Maine
Nassir Little, Sioux Falls Skyforce forward
Age 24 | 6–6, 220 | 6th season | UNC 2018–19 (1 season)
Season statistic — 5 games, 13.2 points, 38.3 FG%, 22.2 3P%, 75.0 FT%, 7.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.2 blocks
121–109 Tuesday win at Wisconsin — Started; 34 minutes, 17 points, 5–13 FG, 2–7 3FG, 2–3 FT, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 fouls, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 2 blocks, +9
Next game — 8 p.m. Friday vs. Indiana
Sterling Manley, Rip City Remix center
Age 25 | 6–11, 250 | Rookie season | UNC 2017–21 (3 season2)
Season statistics — 2 games, 10.0 points, 66.7 FG%, 75 FT%, 5.5 rebounds, 0.5 of an assist, 1.0 block
127–118 Monday loss at Salt Lake City — Didn’t play
Next game — 9 p.m. Wednesday at Salt Lake City, ESPN+
Pete Nance, Cleveland Charge center
Age 24 | 6–10, 225 | 2nd season | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Season statistics — 3 games, 16.7 points, 42.5 FG%, 27.3 3P%, 71.4 FT%, 4.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 of a steal, 3.0 blocks
129–118 Tuesday win vs. Windy City — Started; 27 points, 9–15 FG, 4–7 3FG, 3–4 FT, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 fouls, 2 turnovers, 3 blocks, +2
Next game — 6 p.m. Sunday at Motor City
Cormac Ryan, Oklahoma Blue guard
Age 25 | 6–5, 195 | rookie season | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Statistics last season (UNC) — 36 games, 11.5 points, 38.2 FG%, 35.4 3P%, 87.4 FT%, 2.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Final NBA preseason statistics (Thunder) — 2 games, 30 minutes, 15 points, 3–11 FG, 3–5 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 foul
116–89 Sunday loss at Birmingham — (G League debut) 5 points, 2–10 FG, 1–6 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 foul, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, -26
Season opener — 8 p.m. Thursday vs. Texas, ESPN+
Photo via @MemphisHustle
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