Sixers G-League affiliate drafts Shamorie Ponds No. 1 overall

The NBA season has finally kicked off this week with some very entertaining games and storylines to follow, but Saturday was an important day in the NBA G-League — the 2021 Draft. The first overall pick was held by the Sixers affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.

The G-Leauge has continued to grow each year and is becoming a very popular alternative for top prospects coming out of high school. This year the G-League draft featured some promising talent for sure, including Zaire Wade, the son of NBA legend Dwyane Wade. However, the Blue Coats used their No. 1 overall pick to select point guard Shamorie Ponds. Here’s what we know about Shamorie Ponds, the newest member of the Delaware Blue Coats.

What does Shamorie Ponds bring to the Sixers’ G-League program?

• Ponds was a four-star recruit upon graduating high school
• Decided to attend St. John’s University in New York
• Named to the All-Freshman team in the Big East averaging 17.4 points and 3.3 assists
• All-Big East first-team in the Big East as a sophomore averaging 21.6 points and 4.7 assists
• Averaged 19.7 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds as a Junior
• Declared for the NBA Draft after his junior season but signed with the Houston Rockets and then the Toronto Raptors as an undrafted free agent
• Played in four NBA games and averaged 2.3 points
• Played in Bosnia for the 2020-21 season
• Selected No. 1 overall by the Delaware Blue Coats in the 2021 NBA G-League Draft

Shamorie Ponds certainly has great talent that was shown during his three years at St. John’s, but he wasn’t able to transition it over to the NBA originally. Ponds is only 23 years old and can use the experience from his first run with an NBA team and overseas basketball to help take his game to the next level.

The G-Leauge has been such a great asset for plenty of players to utilize to elevate their game and get experience. The Blue Coats selected Ponds No. 1 overall for a reason, especially with the talent that was available to them in this draft, and they’ll have expectations for Ponds immediately. It’ll be very interesting to track his development and see if he can make a better opportunity this time around.

Keep posted and make sure to catch the Blue Coats season opener on Saturday, Nov. 6 versus the Long Island Nets.