Seven former IU basketball players have or will play the game at the highest level during the 2021-22 NBA season. We will be monitoring their seasons with monthly updates.
Below we summarize their year to date performance with NBA stats and notes through five months of the season and provide a brief update on each player.
(Stats are through March 1)
Victor Oladipo – Miami
While the exact date is unknown, Victor Oladipo is targeting a return to the court sometime this month after a second surgery on his knee. The 29 year-old is looking to begin his ninth season in the NBA.
In 2020-21 he played in nine games for Indiana, 20 for Houston and four games for the Miami Heat before re-injuring his right knee, averaging 19.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game.
A former NBA All-Star, Oladipo’s 2018-19 season was cut short by a right knee injury. He returned nearly a year later.
2021-22 YTD Stats: N/A
Eric Gordon – Houston
Eric Gordon is now in his sixth season with the Rockets, who are currently last place in the Western Conference standings with a 15-45 record. Overall he is in his 14th season in the NBA.
In the month of February, Gordon averaged 12.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in six games played.
For the season he is shooting his highest percentage from the field ever by a two percentage point margin.
2021-22 YTD Stats:
Games/Games Started – 50/39
MPG – 29.6
Points – 14.0
Rebounds – 2.0
Assists – 2.9
Blocks – 0.4
Steals – 0.5
FG% – .475 (Career High)
3FG% – .412
FT% – .766
OG Anunoby – Toronto
Last season did not go the way the Raptors had planned. After making the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons, that streak came to an end. They finished 27-45 overall and as the 12 seed in the Eastern Conference.
However, this year has been a different story. Not only are the Raptors in the playoff hunt, as the seven seed in the Eastern Conference, but OG Anunoby is putting up career numbers in many of the major statistical categories.
Now in his fifth year in the NBA, all with Toronto, the 24-year-old Anunoby’s strong play on both ends of the floor will have to continue if the Raptors want to return to the postseason. Unfortunately for him and the Raptors, Anunoby recently suffered a fractured right ring finger and there is no timetable for his return.
2021-22 YTD Stats:
Games/Games Started – 42/42
MPG – 36.7 (Career High)
Points – 17.5 (Career High)
Rebounds – 5.5 (Ties Career High)
Assists – 2.6 (Career High)
Blocks – 0.6
Steals – 1.5 (Ties Career High)
FG% – .436
3FG% – .351
FT% – .748
Thomas Bryant – Washington
Last season, Bryant suffered a torn ACL to his left knee during the first quarter of a 128-124 loss to the Miami Heat. The injury came at a time when Bryant was starting to play consistent basketball and was averaging career highs in both minutes played and points per game.
While not an ideal situation, Bryant rehabbed and was able to return to the court on January 12 in the Wizards 112-106 win over the Orlando Magic. He played 12 minutes and added six points.
His minutes have been limited but are increasingly getting a little larger as he gets back into the flow of playing in NBA games again, and the 24 year-old Bryant has seen time both in the starting lineup and coming off the bench.
With the Wizards currently the 11 seed and two games back of the Atlanta Hawks for the 10 seed, Bryant will play a major role in whether or not the Wizards will have success down the stretch.
2021-22 YTD Stats:
Games/Games Started – 19/9
MPG – 17.4
Points – 8.2
Rebounds – 4.0
Assists – 0.9
Blocks – 0.7
Steals – 0.3
FG% – .508
3FG% – .294
FT% – .852 (Career High)
Cody Zeller – Free Agent
After playing the first eight seasons of his career in Charlotte, Zeller became a member of the Portland Trail Blazers this season.
The 29 year-old served as a backup, playing in 27 games, while averaging 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in just over 13 minutes per contest.
However Zeller was waived by Portland in early February and is currently a free agent.
2021-22 YTD Stats:
Games/Games Started – 27/0
MPG – 13.1
Points – 5.2
Rebounds – 4.6
Assists – 0.8
Blocks – 0.2
Steals – 0.3
FG% – .567
3FG% – .000
FT% – .776
Romeo Langford – San Antonio
Langford played well for the Celtics down the stretch of last regular season. In the Celtics last two regular season games, Langford played 21 and 34 minutes, respectively. He scored 8 points in a 124-108 victory over Minnesota on May 15. Then, in a 96-92 loss to the New York Knicks on May 16, he scored a season-high 14 points to go along with 4 rebounds.
Hoping that good play could carry over, Langford began the season playing important minutes off the bench for a Celtics team that is in contention to make the playoffs.
However Langford was dealt to the San Antonio Spurs in connection with a trade involving Josh Richardson, Derrick White and a draft choice.
Langford has yet to play a game for the Spurs.
2021-22 YTD Stats:
Games/Games Started – 44/5
MPG – 16.5 (Career High)
Points – 4.7 (Career High)
Rebounds – 2.4 (Career High)
Assists – 0.4
Blocks – 0.4 (Career High)
Steals – 0.5 (Career High)
FG% – .429 (Career High)
3FG% – .349 (Career High)
FT% – .588
Juwan Morgan – Toronto Raptors / Maine Celtics (G-League)
On December 22, 2021, Morgan signed a 10-day contract with the Toronto Raptors.
He appeared in one game, a 144-99 Raptors loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, in which he scored five points and collected four rebounds in 27 minutes of action.
Then, on January 1, 2022, the 24 year-old was reacquired by the Maine Celtics of the G-League after his 10-day contract had expired.
2021-22 YTD Stats:
Games/Games Started – 1/0
MPG – 27.0 (Career High)
Points – 5.0 (Career High)
Rebounds – 4.0 (Career High)
Assists – 1.0 (Career High)
Blocks – 0.0
Steals – 0.0
FG% – .667 (Career High)
3FG% – .500 (Career High)
FT% – N/A
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