Hoosiers in the Pros: 5 Things to Know About Yogi Ferrell
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Yogi Ferrell has had some nice moments during his NBA career, but it hasn't turned into a comfortable and permanent setting. Not yet, anyway, and this week was no different.
After playing in Sacramento for two seasons, he had to look for work this year, which wasn't easy in the middle of a pandemic. He signed with the Utah Jazz over the weekend, but was immediately waived and will start the season in the G-League with the Salt Lake City Stars, Utah's affiliate in the NBA's minor league.
Here are five things to know about Yogi Ferrell;
1. Trying to find a home
Yogi Ferrell is entering his fifth NBA season, and the former Indiana Hoosier will be playing for his fourth NBA organization now that he's with Utah. Being a free agent during the COVID-19 pandemic made things a little more complicated than usual to find work.
"It was tough out here to try and be able to find a deal," Ferrell told HoosiersNow in a phone interview this week.
Ferrell played in 50 games for the Kings last year, with no starts, and with a crowded point guard rotation, Sacramento wasn't interested in bringing him back. Utah became the landing spot.
2. Familiar face in Utah
Utah also has former Hoosier Juwan Morgan on its roster, and the two were teammates during the 2015-16 in Bloomington when Indiana made it to the Sweet Sixteen.
Ferrell will start the G-League season with hopes of being called back up to the NBA team and be reunited with Morgan and the Jazz.
"I think I can come off the bench and make an impact," Ferrell said. "What I've been hearing is they've needed a lot of scoring coming off the bench in that second unit. I feel like I can add to that and be a spark. I feel like they have a great system; they've bought into the system that (Jazz coach) Quinn Snyder likes to run."
Ferrell averaged over 10 points per game and played all 82 games during the 2017-18 season with the Mavericks. When he's played an ample amount of minutes, he has scored the ball at a high rate and been a spark plug. He never really got that chance with the Kings as their third point guard.
3. Current status
After spending all of free agency in limbo, he spent most of his time in Indianapolis training for the upcoming season. And when the NBA offers weren't coming, Ferrell told his agent to find a lesser deal somewhere, if need be. Ferrell, as always, is willing to prove himself.
"I was shocked and humbled when Yogi called me saying he wanted to play in the G-League this year," his agent Cervando Tejada told me.
The Hoosiers legend – who is still the school's all-time assist leader – has proven when given the NBA opportunity, he can play at a high level.
"Not only is Yogi a hard worker, but this speaks volumes about his character and how he is willing to do what it takes," Tejada said. "I'm super excited and proud to be working for him."
4. Winning in the NBA
Through four seasons, Ferrell has yet to make the playoffs with any of his NBA teams. In high school, he won multiple state championships, and in college he led the Hoosiers to the NCAA Tournament three times and played in two Sweet Sixteens.
"I've still never been to the playoffs," he said. "I feel like for me, that's more of a career goal."
Utah has made the playoffs four years in a row. The Jazz open this NBA season on Wednesday at Portland
5. Mentorship
When Ferrell came into the NBA, he got a first-hand chance to see how legendary forward Dirk Nowitzki went about handling his business. Playing for two teams filled with veterans in Sacramento and Dallas, he's received guidance to take with him throughout his career.
"I learned from a lot of different guys like J.J. Barea, even Devin Harris," Ferrell said. "I learned a little bit from Cory Joseph. Some of the smaller guards, you could say, really just trying to mimic exactly what they do because they've had a lot of successful years in the NBA."
