Top Performers From Day One Of 2023 NBA G League Winter Showcase
NBA vets Jordan Bell and Terence Davis, alongside young guns Jarace Walker, Mac McClung and DJ Steward, were among those to thrive on day one of the 2023 NBA G League Winter Showcase.
The NBA G League Winter Showcase walked so that the NBA’s In-Season Tournament could run.
Before LeBron James added yet another unique championship of sorts to his lengthy resume, and before Tyrese Haliburton and the young, hungry Indiana Pacers splashed onto the national scene, the minor league’s Winter Showcase had long been a staple as a midseason tournament with heightened stakes and brighter lights.
The basketball world comes together during the holiday season (this year in sunny Orlando, Florida) to watch the G League’s best prospects strut their stuff — free agents hoping to garner attention for coveted NBA Call-Ups, Two-Way Players and NBA assignees hoping to earn consideration for playing time at the next level, and eight of the minor league’s best teams competing for a lucrative golden pot filled with prize money at the end of the rainbow.
If you thought the Pacers were eager to win the NBA’s In-Season Tournament just a few weeks ago, think about the grind minor league athletes are on, and how a promotion or simply some added eyes on their efforts could be life-changing. The Winter Showcase is where it all happens.
With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the best performers from day one of the 2023 NBA G League Winter Showcase.
Jarace Walker and Jordan Bell, Indiana Mad Ants
Walker, the eighth overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, has been balling all season long while spending a bulk of his time with the Mad Ants, and the first game of the Winter Showcase was no different. The 20 year old tallied 31 points and 6 rebounds while knocking down six shots from long range during his team’s day one victory. He’s using the G League as a great tool to ready himself for minutes at the next level.
With Walker biding his time, it’s worth talking about his veteran teammate. Yes, this is the same Jordan Bell that won an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2018. Turning 29 years old next month, Bell should be praised for his lack of ego on this team. He’s been mentoring the team’s younger studs like Walker and Two-Way Player Oscar Tshiebwe (give that man the game ball), often playing behind them much like he did to open up the Winter Showcase. Bell came off the bench to add 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks as the Mad Ants advanced in tournament play. Such numbers are indicative of his success this season, and the 14-1 Mad Ants are undoubtedly reaping the benefits of his presence. Of course, Bell is among those eager for another chance in The Association and he’s proving he deserves a look.
Brandon Goodwin, Westchester Knicks
Like Bell, Goodwin is a seasoned commodity at 28 years old with some NBA experience to speak of on his resume already. He’s helped the Knicks to an 11-4 record and came up big time in the clutch to help them earn a day one win in the Showcase Cup to advance.
Goodwin led the way with an awing 33 points, 9 assists, and knocked down 5 shots from deep. Currently ranked third-best in the league at 8.4 assists per game, Goodwin is truly the kind of player who lets the game come to him. He often has a good read on the flow of a given contest, and just does what it takes to win. It’s easy to see the progress he’s making this season and envision him as the kind of player who can come in, turn up the heat during NBA practices, not ruffle too many feathers, and make an impact whether the minutes are immediately there or not.
Mac McClung, Osceola Magic
Despite not standing as one of the eight teams competing in the Showcase Cup for the big prize, the hometown 9-6 Magic have still had a rather stellar season thus far.
This debate could admittedly go in many different directions, but McClung is a bonafide MVP candidate this season. The way he’s playing is just different. His 23 points and 6 assists in Osceola’s day one victory may not jump off the page, but his plus/minus of +21 should. Including McClung, four members of the Magic scored at least 18 points in their win over the South Bay Lakers. Watching the 24 year old run the floor, such team success is a result of his poise, his leadership, and his ability to push the pace and perform under pressure.
Having reportedly received an invitation to defend his title at the NBA Slam Dunk Contest this season already, that won’t be the only call the the reigning NBA G League Player of the Month receives to suit up at the next level if he keeps this up.
Terence Davis and Ashton Hagans, Rip City Remix
There’s an argument that winning is infectious and that if you’re winning at the minor league level, such prowess will translate at the next level. Taking that into consideration, it’s sometimes tricky to recognize big performances that come in losing efforts, and in the case of the Winter Showcase, it’s even trickier when such losing efforts come in a non-Showcase Cup game.
But the dynamic duo of Davis and Hagans can’t, and shouldn’t, be denied.
At 26 years old, Davis is a familiar NBA athlete with four seasons and an 8 point per game average under his belt. The proof is in the pudding and with experience on his side, it’ll be sooner than later before he’s back in The Association. To his credit, he made sure to leave no stone unturned, erupting for a day one-Showcase Cup high of 38 points and made it rain with 10 daggers from long range. With all eyes watching, it was a memorable performance.
Credit Davis’ point guard, Ashton Hagans, for a lot of his success in this one. Hagans is a 24 year old floor general eager for a promotion, and his chemistry with the NBA vet was off the charts. Currently in his third minor league season, the Kentucky product turned up with one of his best performances of the campaign with 16 points, 10 assists, and boasted a plus/minus of +1 despite the losing effort. He’s an uptempo player who realized Davis was heating up fast and found him effectively again and again. It was fun to watch this duo run and gun.
DJ Steward, Maine Celtics
Similarly, Steward’s dominant effort came in a losing effort, but the Winter Showcase is still the perfect time to shine. The 22 year old stuffed the stat-sheet with 34 points (on 7 from 10 from three-point range), 7 rebounds, 5 steals, and 4 assists.
Steward’s confidence was oozing out and that’s special to see at a time like this. After spending two seasons with the Stockton Kings, his play has been leaps and bounds above his past as a member of the Celtics this season. Averaging 19.9 points on a 48/37/86 shooting clip with 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists, this young gun is literally making strides in every statistical category and more often than not does it off the bench. The Duke product picked the right time to flex the clutch gene and turn up with a career-high in points.
Brandon Randolph, College Park Skyhawks
There were bigger individual performances. There were more well-known veterans out there dancing and prancing. But what Randolph did on day one of the Winter Showcase was make an absolute splash.
Scoring a season-high in points is special, but when you do it while leading your team to a Showcase Cup victory, it’s been proven that that’s the kind of performance eventual NBA Call-Ups are made of. An outing like this could be the key.
The 26 year old proved to be someone who thrives under pressure, leading his team with 23 points (to go along with 5 rebounds and 4 steals) off the bench. College Park advances on, thanks to Randolph’s heroics that alone is worth noting.