CAMDEN, N.J. — Marial Shayok caught the ball Thursday night in Milwaukee, squared his shoulders and drilled a three-pointer on the first shot of his NBA career. He’s done a lot of that this season in the G League.
The 24-year-old rookie was named on Monday to the Midseason All-NBA G League Team, one of 12 players selected from the Eastern Conference.
Shayok has averaged 23.3 points, third in the G League, shot 36.4 percent from three-point range on 7.4 attempts per game, and also added 5.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per contest.
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SIGN UP HERE Blue Coats head coach Connor Johnson has been focused on improving Shayok’s defense and ability to create for others. Johnson’s team plays a fast style (third in pace in the G League) and values constant ball pressure, a system he hopes can aid Shayok’s development (see story).
The Ottawa, Ontario, native’s three-point shooting would seem to be his most obvious path toward contributing in the NBA.
“I’ve always been a scorer and have developed my shot as years have gone by,” Shayok told NBC Sports Philadelphia in July. “I really just simplified my game, knowing that teams need shooting. I really wanted to work on that, especially the past two years at Iowa State.”
NBA
After practice Monday, Shayok scrimmaged with other low-minute players and player development staff, matching up against Zhaire Smith and showcasing his smooth scoring.
As a two-way player, Shayok can spend 45 days in the NBA between the start of G League training camp and the end of the G League regular season. He is not eligible for the NBA playoffs.
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