Sunday evening, nine former Illinois prep athletes saw minutes in various NBA games. Below I look into and share each of their NBA performances from December 19.
Best of the Day: Robert Covington
Proviso West’s Robert Covington is one of the many undrafted basketball players to carve out a solid career in the NBA. Covington was West Suburban Conference player of a year his senior year after averaging 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 blocks and guiding his team to a West Surban championship. He went on to play at a HBCU for college. At Tennesse State, he won a couple of awards including an OVC First Team honor, two Second Team honors, and a newcomer of the year award. After going undrafted, he joined the Houston Rockets but played most his first year in the NBA’s developmental league for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and went on to win their rookie of the year award. Since, Covington has played 497 games and has averages of 11.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.6 steals, and a block. He’s played for four different teams and they include the Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Portland Trail Blazers
- Robert Covington (Proviso West/Portland Trail Blazers)- 34 minutes, 13 points, 5/7 Fg, 3/5 3PT, an offensive rebound, 8 total rebounds, a steal, a game-high 4 blocks, and +12 in a 105-100 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The rest of the performances of the day:
- John Konchar (West Chicago/Memphis Grizzlies)- 12 minutes, 3 points, 1/4 FG, 1/3 3PT, an offensive rebound, 2 total rebounds, an assist, and a game-worst -15 in a 105-100 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
- Alfonzo McKinnie (Marshall/Chicago Bulls)- 17 minutes, 2 points, 1/4 FG, 0/3 3PT, 0/2 FT, an offensive rebound, 2 total rebounds, an assist, a steal, a turnover, and -3 in a 115-110 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
- Patrick Beverly (Marshall/Minnesota Timberwolves)- 31 minutes, 10 points, 2/6 FG, 1/4 3PT, 5/6 FT, an offensive rebounds, 8 total rebounds, 4 assists, a steal, a game-high 2 blocks, and a game-high +11 in a 111-105 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
- Jalen Brunson (Stevenson/Dallas Mavericks)- 39 minutes, 18 points, 6/13 FG, 2/5 3PT, 4/4 FT, 2 rebounds, a game-high 11 assists, a game-worst 5 turnovers, and -7 in a 111-105 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
- Sterling Brown (Proviso East/Dallas Mavericks)- 20 minutes, 3 points, 1/7 FG, 1/6 3PT, 4 rebounds, a steal, 2 turnovers, and a game-worst -13 in a 111-105 loss to the Minnesota Twins.
- Max Strus (Stagg/Miami Heat)- 34 minutes, a team-high 24 points, 7/16 FG, 4/11 3PT, 6/8 FT, an offensive rebounds, 4 total rebounds, an assist, a team-high 1 steal (tied with others), and -6 in a 100-90 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
- Keita Bates-Diop (University/San Antonio Spurs)- 11 minutes, 7 points, 3/3 FG, 1/1 3PT, 4 total rebounds, a game-high 2 blocks (tied with 2 others), and a team-high +10 in a 121-114 loss to the Sacramento Kings.
- JaVale McGee (Hales Franciscan/Phoenix Suns)- 16 minutes, a team-high 19 points, 9/10 FG, 1/2 FT, an offensive rebound, 7 total rebounds, an assist, a steal, a block, 2 turnovers, and +11 in a 137-106 win over the Charlotte Hornets. EFFICIENT!
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