NBA Jayhawks update: Embiid keeps shining
Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid reunited on Jan. 3 in Philadelphia.
A round-up of the latest news on the 15 Jayhawks currently in the NBA.
Embiid named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month, again
Joel Embiid (76ers) earned his third-straight Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honor this week. In January, the 7-foot center led all rookies in scoring (23.4 ppg), rebounding (9.1 rpg) and blocked shots (2.56 bpg). Philadelphia went 7-2 when Embiid played and 10-5 overall for the month. Embiid scored at least 20 points in each of his first seven games of January after doing the same in his final three games of December, joining Allen Iverson as the only players in 76ers history to record 10 straight 20-point games in their rookie seasons.
Embiid, the third pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, was a hairline short of receiving an NBA All-Star bid after finishing fifth overall in the Eastern Conference fan vote, fifth in the frontcourt Eastern Conference media vote, and 12th overall in the Eastern Conference players’ vote.
The Cameroon native is scheduled to play in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, Feb. 17, during NBA All-Star 2017 in New Orleans.
The Undefeated accounts Black’s path to higher education
Tarik Black (Lakers) showed his gratitude to Kansas basketball for helping him follow-through with his dreams of obtaining a master’s degree while playing in the NBA in an article in The Undefeated this week.
“It took people helping me through it,” Black said to The Undefeated. “People were there for me and my backbone, and carried me through it, locking me into getting it done. It feels wonderful to have that paperwork, especially in today’s world. A bachelor’s doesn’t mean much. It’s basically like a high school diploma. So, having a master’s, it means so much, especially to have the accolade as 24-year-old black man and to me personally.”
Pierce calls game
Paul Pierce (Clippers) will chronicle the remainder of his 19th and final NBA season in multimedia fashion in The Players’ Tribune website. The site unveiled a Pierce-devoted section of its website called “I Called Game” this week. On it, Pierce personally will contribute first-person essays and post photo galleries, video features, social activations and podcast conversations with important figures from his life and career, on and off the hardwood.
Chalmers pens injury update in The Players’ Tribune
Eleven months ago, Jayhawk great Mario Chalmers (free agent) tore his Achilles in the middle of a successful stint with the Memphis Grizzlies.
In an exclusive article in The Players’ Tribune, Chalmers chronicles his recovery process and the key moments of his career, including the “biggest shot of his life” – a 3-pointer that tied the score in the final seconds of the 2008 national championship game.
As Chalmers begins to test the NBA free agent market this week, he promises one thing: “Be ready for a comeback. It’s coming soon.”
Wiggins makes first game-winning shot
Andrew Wiggins (Timberwolves) recently made his first game-winning shot of his NBA career as Minnesota defeated the Phoenix Suns, 112-111, on Jan. 24. In the team’s recently-dubbed “Play of the Month” Wiggins drove past former Big 12 Player of the Year P.J. Tucker and made a pull-up jumper with no time remaining on the clock.
Other Current NBA Jayhawks
• Cole Aldrich (Timberwolves)
• Darrell Arthur (Nuggets)
• Nick Collison (Thunder)
• Cheick Diallo (Pelicans)
• Ben McLemore (Kings)
• Marcus Morris (Pistons)
• Markieff Morris (Wizards)
• Kelly Oubre Jr. (Wizards)
• Thomas Robinson (Lakers)
• Brandon Rush (Timberwolves)
• Jeff Withey (Jazz)
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