Pro Hoosiers: How Former IU Players are Performing in the NBA Through Two Weeks 

Seven former IU basketball players are playing the game at the highest level during the 2020-21 NBA season.  We will be monitoring their seasons with weekly updates.

Below we summarize their year to date performance with NBA stats through the first two weeks of the season and provide a brief update on each player.

OG Anunoby – Toronto 

Now in his second year after Kawhi Leonard left the Raptors for the Clippers, Anunoby’s role continues to grow. Posting career highs nearly across the board, Anunoby is making his presence felt as he looks to help the Raptors compete in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. 

2020-21 YTD Stats:

Games/Games Started – 5/5

MPG – 35.8 (career high)
Points – 12.0 (career high)
Rebounds – 6.8 (career high)
Assists – 2.0 (career high)
Blocks – .8 (career high)
Steals – 2.2 (career high)
FG% – .417
3FG% – .250
FT% – .750 (career high)

Thomas Bryant – Washington 

After receiving steady minutes each of the past two seasons with the Wizards, Bryant continues to improve and show he can be consistent on a nightly basis. Sunday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets was his first double-double of the season, recording 21 points and 14 rebounds all while shooting an efficient 9-12 (75.0%) from the field. 

2020-21 YTD Stats:

Games/Games Started – 7/7

MPG – 29.4 (career high)
Points – 17.9 (career high)
Rebounds – 6.7
Assists – 1.7
Blocks – 1.0
Steals – .4
FG% – .667 (career high)
3FG% – .500 (career high)
FT% – .632

Yogi Ferrell – Utah/G-League 

After playing 50 games during the 2019-20 NBA season, Yogi Ferrell spent the preseason as a free agent. He was then signed by the Utah Jazz, who later waived him. Ferrell will begin the season in the G-League as he looks to earn his way onto an NBA roster. 

Eric Gordon – Houston 

After what was an eventful offseason for the Houston Rockets full of changes, including Russell Westbrook and John Wall being swapped as part of a trade, how the Rockets were going to utilize Eric Gordon was a question heading into the year. 

Referring to whether or not he prefers starting or coming off the bench, Gordon said, “I really don’t care as long as we win. That’s the main thing.” 

So far this season, Gordon has played in two games after starting the season caught up in COVID-19 contact tracing.  Gordon started once and came off the bench once.  His role does not seem to be negatively impacting him thus far, as he is averaging 19.0 points per game, his highest average since the 2011-12 campaign.

2020-21 YTD Stats:

Games/Games Started – 2/1

MPG – 29.5
Points – 19.0
Rebounds – 2.5
Assists – 2.0
Blocks – .5 (ties career high)
Steals – 2.0 (career high)
FG% – .433
3FG% – .300
FT% – 1.000 (career high)

Romeo Langford – Boston 

Langford began his second NBA season on the injured list. He tore ligaments in his wrist during last season’s NBA Playoffs. Right now, he is focusing on regaining strength and range of motion before he can get back on the court. While the timetable for a return is uncertain, he is unlikely to return during the first half of the regular season.

Juwan Morgan – Utah 

Juwan Morgan ended his rookie season with the Utah Jazz by starting two games in the NBA Playoffs. While not playing extensive minutes so far this season, if Morgan continues to grow an opportunity for more minutes is a possibility.   

2020-21 YTD Stats:

Games/Games Started – 3/0

MPG – 3.3
Points – 0.0
Rebounds – 1.0
Assists – 0.0
Blocks – 0.0
Steals – 0.0
FG% – .000
3FG% – .000
FT% – N/A (Has not Attempted) 

Victor Oladipo – Indiana 

Following a season in which he only played in 19 games, Oladipo has shown through five games that when healthy he is a force to be reckoned with. After struggling to find his rhythm last season, Oladipo seems to be finding his flow nicely in the early going. If he can stay healthy, that will be a huge boost for the Pacers chances of making it out of the first round of the playoffs, something they have not done since the 2013-14 season. 

2020-21 YTD Stats:

Games/Games Started – 5/5

MPG – 31.8
Points – 20.0
Rebounds – 5.6 (ties career high)
Assists – 4.4
Blocks – .4
Steals – 1.0
FG% – .473
3FG% – .455 (career high)
FT% – .789

Cody Zeller – Charlotte 

This season did not begin the way Zeller had hoped, as he suffered a fractured left hand in the Hornets season-opening loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Zeller had surgery on December 24 and is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks from when he had the surgery. 

2020-21 YTD Stats:

Games/Games Started – 1/1

MPG – 19.0
Points – 6.0
Rebounds – 3.0
Assists – 0.0
Blocks – 1.0 (career high)
Steals – 3.0 (career high)
FG% – .500
3FG% – .000
FT% – .000

Note:  Noah Vonleh was signed by the Chicago Bulls and then later waived.  He is not currently with a team as of this writing.

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