Photo credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Duke Basketball Alum Delivers Buckets in Long-Awaited NBA Debut
Matthew Hurt's 10 points on Monday night in his first NBA game should come as no surprise to folks familiar with the 6-foot-9 stretch-four's playing career as a five-star McDonald's All-American forward, potent two-year Duke basketball weapon, and G League bucket-getter.
Surprise or not, there's no doubt those 10 points amount to a notable development in Hurt's quest to land a full-time spot on an NBA roster.
Just a few hours ahead of tipoff to the Memphis Grizzlies' 103-94 home loss to the Sacramento Kings, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that the franchise signed the 23-year-old to a 10-day contract. Late in the first quarter, Hurt entered the contest and recorded his first NBA bucket via his signature snap-of-the-wrist fling from three:
He finished 3-for-6 from the field, 2-for-3 beyond the arc, and 2-for-2 at the foul line, adding two rebounds and one assist without committing a turnover across his 23 minutes on the floor.
Hurt has posted a few 30-point performances in January for the Memphis Hustle en route to seizing the top scoring average in the G League this season, all while shooting better than 50 percent from downtown.
Despite that and his shooting display on Monday night, Hurt probably won't remain with the Grizzlies beyond 10 days.
Furthermore, there's no guarantee he'll see as much action in their next outing: at home versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, 8 p.m. ET Thursday. After all, he's just filling in for the time being, as the Grizzlies (18-29) have a long list of injuries, including the sore left knee of former two-year Duke basketball sharpshooter Luke Kennard.
Even so, Matthew Hurt is officially in the books as an NBA player, which is no small feat, regardless of how many years it takes. That's not to mention he currently lays claim to a double-digit scoring average in the league, albeit with only the one appearance to his name thus far.
All he can do is continue to do what he does best, and chances are more opportunities will come his way eventually.
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