G-League Fall Invitational: Top Performers
Last year, G-League Ignite, led by the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft Scoot Henderson, hosted a Metropolitans 92 team led by No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama. These two exhibition games went off so well that they decided to create the G-League Fall Invitational. In year one of the event, the G-League Ignite team hosted the Perth Wildcats of the NBL Australia.
The two teams played two exhibition games on September 6 and 8. Played in Las Vegas, both games were streamed on the NBA.com app. Many NBA teams were in attendance to take in the talent from the games.
G-League Ignite won the first game, 124-105. In the split, Perth Wildcats won the second game, 127-112. Here are the top performers from the two exhibition games.
On3 MVP: F Ron Holland (G-League Ignite)
28.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 4.0 steals, 2.5 turnovers, 18-32 FG, 4-9 3P, 16-20 FT
This decision was a tough one between Ron Holland and Alex Sarr. While Sarr might have more long-term upside, Holland has a more defined path to get to his archetype ceiling. Quite simply stated, Holland makes positive plays on both ends of the floor.
Holland is listed around 6-foot-8 and has a wing span that is reported to be around 7-foot-0. He is a good defender, and that kick-stars a lot of his offense. He has quick feet that move well to guard the point of attack. His length and anticipation off the ball also create a lot of turnovers and opportunities. Holland shot his jump shot with confidence this week. His first shot of the game on Wednesday was a step-back three, creating space and knocking down a shot in the half-court. While his offensive game needs tightening, both off the bounce and in how he scores, the production is undeniable.
Holland’s youth plays into his vision as a prospect as well. He has a July 2005 birthday and will be 18 on the 2024 NBA Draft night. He is the ultimate competitor, and that shines through each time he steps on the court. Still some work to be done, but Holland’s production is undeniable.
2. C Alex Sarr (Perth Wildcats)
21.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.0 blocks, 5.0 turnovers, 16-27 FG, 3-5 3P, 8-11 FT.
Alex Sarr walked away as the talk of the weekend. He is the new and shiny object for everyone to look at. Sarr played last year with the Atlanta (GA) Overtime Elite program. Listed at 7-foot-1, he has a wingspan that reportedly approaches 7-foot-5, and he runs the floor like a gazelle.
It is easy to see the intrigue, and it pops the second he steps on the floor. He blocked shots well and protected as you expected a player with his length and athleticism. Offensively, Sarr’s skill set was a little more fluid. Over the two games, he finished 16-of-27 from the field and shot 3-of-5 from three. The work Sarr needs starts with the strength he needs to add. At this point, he struggles to establish position and/or play through contact on either side of the floor. He also needs to establish his go-to spots, the places he is most comfortable to get the ball and score. From there, he needs to add a go-to move.
Right now, Sarr is like a ball of clay. He has incredible tools that you immediately see. And his flashes are impressive. Sarr played both games with a good motor, and that is a good start. Now it is about stringing the flashes together for consistency and figuring out his own game. Add in the fact that he is an April 2005 birthday and will have just turned 19 years old on 2024 Draft Night.
3. SF Izan Almansa (G-League Ignite)
12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals, 10-15 FG, 0-1 3P, 7-10 FT
Izan Almansa played last season with the Atlanta (GA) Overtime Elite program. Listed at 6-foot-9, Almansa played this summer with the Spanish U19 team, where he led the team in scoring (16.9) and rebounds (7.1).
Almansa played a confident all-around game. He took advantage of his opportunities, moving well off the ball and making shots in traffic and around the basket. He also showed good court vision, delivering passes from multiple levels of the floor. While he will still need to continue improving on that end of the floor, Almansa is a smart team defender who did well in the passing lanes.
With a June 2005 birthday, Almansa was one of the younger players on the floor. He was also one of the more involved players, finding a way to put his stamp on multiple aspects. He has good size, an intriguing skill base, and consistent production throughout this week.
4. PF Tyler Smith (G-League Ignite)
11.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 3.5 blocks, 9-19 FG, 2-5 3P, 2-2 FT
Tyler Smith has always had the frame. When he opted to go to the Atlanta (GA) Overtime Elite program as a sophomore, he was a top-five player in his class. Now, two years later, Smith’s game has started to develop into the role you can see him playing in the NBA.
Smith is listed at 6-foot-10 and has a reported wing span over 7-foot-0. With that frame, the takeaway from the weekend was the defensive upside. Smith played well as a team defender; he rotated well and aggressively got into the passing lanes. Smith was able to move his feet with wings and slide down to guard on the block. In the two games, he had four steals and seven blocks. Smith also knocked down multiple threes, going 40 percent from beyond the arc.
You want to see Smith continue to develop the ball skills and become a little more dynamic of a shooter, but at current state, he is a three-and-D archetype. Smith has a November 2004 birthday and will be 19 on 2024 NBA Draft night.
5. SF Jordan Usher (Perth Wildcats)
23.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 18-29 FG, 5-11 3P, 5-7 FT
It was the consistent production for Jordan Usher that landed him on this list. He is the type of player who, at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, the whole of his game is greater than its individual parts.
Usher is a big wing that is athletic and carries a strong frame. He is an opportune scorer, delivering buckets with off-ball movement and straight-line drives. He also did a good job turning defense into offense and getting out in transition.
Usher is older than some of the other prospects in this game at 25 years old. He played five years of college between Georgia Tech and USC, scoring 1,237 career points. He has a tendency to play a little out of control at times with tunnel vision toward the rim. But the production, the ability to guard multiple positions, and the frame/athleticism were tough to ignore.
Other Notables
SF Matas Buzelis (G-League Ignite) – It is easy to see the intrigue with Buzelis. He has great fame, listed at 6-foot-10, with good length and fluid athleticism. He also showed ball skills, able to create opportunities off two and three dribbles and getting to his comfort spots. Buzelis is going to have to continue working on his consistency. A good bit of his production this week came after the game was out of hand. He will also need to continue working on his jump shot form. While he shot 3-of-7 from beyond the arc, he needs to work on his footwork and balance.
PG London Johnson (G-League Ignite) – All in all, it was a mixed-bag weekend for Johnson. He has good position size along with good length and a projectable, strong frame. On the plus side, the 6-foot-3 Johnson lived in the paint. He was able to consistently break down the first line of defense and draw help when attacking the paint. Once he got into the paint, Johnson needed to work on finishing plays. He opted too often to shoot a floater. Johnson is a good shooter as well, and he showed that capability in the second game.
SG Ben Henshall (Perth Wildcats) – Henshall was consistent in his output. While not particularly dynamic, he was very strong in his fundamentals. His craftiness really stood out. He used good balance, a live dribble, and good footwork to get to his spots. Listed at 6-foot-5, his jump shot looked consistent, and he scored well with his pull-up jumper in the mid-range. It was a solid showing for the 19-year-old, as he should have firmly placed his name on the radar.
SF Babacar Sane (G-League Ignite) – Sane has a good frame, strong with good length. He is a straight-line athlete, attacking the rim with a purpose in both the half-court and in transition. Sane rebounded well from his position, fighting in and out of his position. The jump shot was streaky, going 3-of-6 in game one and 0-of-2 in game two. Want to see him continue to tighten the handle, become more consistent with the jumper, and strengthen the decision-making.
SG Bryce Cotton (Perth Wildcats) – Cotton played confidently on both nights, finding his spots and getting his shots up. Night one, the shots did not fall. Night two, they fell. In the second game, Cotton finished with 40 points, going 8-of-10 from three. He also averaged 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in the two games.