Blazers News: Rip City Remix Add 3 Intriguing Prospects in G League Draft

Portland's G League system brings in a triumvirate of fascinating prospects.

Dec 29, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, United States; Ohio State Buckeyes guard Tanner Holden (0) is thrown off balance after running into Alabama Bulldogs center Olisa Blaise Akonobi (33) during the second half of the NCAA division I basketball game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Alabama A&M Bulldogs at Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Scheller-The Columbus DispatchBasketball Ceb Mbk Alabama Alabama A M At Ohio State / Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Portland Trail Blazers' NBAGL affiliate squad, the Rip City Remix, had an upper-tier selection during this past Saturday's 2024 NBA G League Draft.

With the No. 4 overall pick, Portland selected the rights to former G League Ignite developmental swingman Thierry Henry. Across 29 regular season contests (10 starts) during the 2023-24 season, the 6-foot-6 wing averaged a scant 4.7 points on .404/.341/.741 shooting splits, 4.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.5 steals a night, in 18.1 minutes per.

Well-traveled swingman Matt Ryan and recuperating injured shooting guard Landry Shamet — the draft's most experienced player with 348 regular season games under his belt — were selected with the Nos. 1 and 2 picks by the New York Knicks' Westchester affiliate. Shamet is recovering from a dislocated shoulder, and seems likely to help fill out New York's bench whenever he does round into playing form.

Rip City used its No. 46 selection on the G League rights to former North Carolina center Sterling Manley. Across three NCAA seasons with the Tar Heels from 2017-21 (he missed the 2019-20 season), the 6-foot-11 journeyman posted averages of 4.6 points on 56.8 percent shooting from the field and 66.3 percent shooting from the charity stripe, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks per bout.

The Remix's final pick of the night, No. 48, was used on another center — former Alabama A&M big man Olisa Blaise Akonobi, the 2022-23 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year. Akonobi had a one-and-done run with the Bulldogs, averaging 7.8 points on 57.4 percent shooting from the field and 68.6 percent foul line shooting, plus 5.6 rebounds and an impressive 1.8 blocks a night.

Players selected in the 2024 G League Draft are not necessarily guaranteed to play for the NBAGL squads that pick them. Rather, if they do want to make a go at the NBA again and cannot secure a deal with an NBA club proper, they will need to suit up for the G League squad that possesses their draft rights.

The 2023-24 Remix went 18-16, finishing with the ninth seed in the G League. That club was led in scoring by former lottery pick Kevin Knox (averaging 22.6 points on a .456/.371/.667 slash line) and 2024-25 Blazers role player Kris Murray (averaging 19.3 points while slashing .532/.353/.250, plus 8.7 boards, 1.7 dimes, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks per bout).

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