Six former IU basketball stars will open the season on NBA rosters this year.
Below is a summary of each player and their first game.
The 2022-23 NBA season begins on Tuesday.
OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors
Still just 25-years old, Anunoby begins his sixth year with the Raptors. He closed the preseason with 32 points (13-21 FG, 4-5 3Pt, 2-4 FT), six rebounds and two blocks in 29 minutes over the weekend.
The two-year IU star averaged a career-high 17.1 points per game a season ago and has started 227 career games in his career. Anunoby averaged double figures in each of his last three seasons and won an NBA title with Toronto in 2019.
First game: vs. Cleveland (Oct. 19)
Thomas Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Bryant also enters his sixth season in the league and returns to the team that originally drafted him, the Los Angeles Lakers, after spending the last four years in Washington. He joins a star-studded roster there that includes LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis.
In his four seasons with the Wizards, he started 108 games and averaged 11.0 points and 6.2 rebounds. He only played in 37 games over the last two years as injuries disrupted each season.
First game: at Golden State (Oct. 18)
Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets
Already the longest tenured active Hoosier in the league, Gordon will start his 15th season in the NBA and become the longest tenured Hoosier in the league of all-time, passing the legendary Walt Bellamy.
Gordon will begin his seventh season with the Houston Rockets. The one-and-done IU star was originally a lottery pick with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2008, he also played in New Orleans. Gordon has averaged 16.4 points per game and started 570 games in his career.
First game: at Atlanta (Oct. 19)
Romeo Langford, San Antonio Spurs
It was a close call, but Langford begins his fourth year in the NBA and this will be his first full season with the San Antonio Spurs. He began his career as a lottery pick of the Boston Celtics.
The New Albany, Ind. product and one-and-done IU star has averaged 3.6 points in 98 games, including 4.7 with the Celtics last year.
First game: vs. Charlotte (Oct. 19)
Victor Oladipo, Miami Heat
The former No. 2 pick in 2013 hopes this is the year he puts a run of injuries behind him and returns to NBA All-Star form. He averaged a career-high 23.1 points with the Pacers in 2017-18.
Oladipo has appeared in 462 games and scored 8,054 points during his nine-year career.
First game: vs. Chicago (Oct. 19)
Noah Vonleh, Boston Celtics
The former lottery pick followed the unlikely journey from overseas back to the NBA, making the Celtics roster after getting a training camp contract. Vonleh has played for Portland, Chicago, New York, Brooklyn, Minnesota and Denver over his seven years in the league.
He peaked in 2018-19 when he started 57 games for the Knicks and averaged 8.4 points and 7.8 rebounds.
First game: vs. Philadelphia (Oct. 18)
NOTES:
- Cody Zeller was waived by Utah and had not signed with another team when this story was published.
- Juwan Morgan was waived by the L.A. Clippers and has been reported to have signed with their G-League affiliate.
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