All Sooners

Two Former Oklahoma Players Land NBA Free Agent Deals

Tanner Groves signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Grant Sherfield landed a deal with the Phoenix Suns for the upcoming summer league.
Ross Lovelace|
BRYAN TERRY / THE OKLAHOMAN-USA TODAY NETWORK

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Oklahoma Sooners

A pair of Sooners have their shot in the NBA after Thursday night's conclusion of the NBA Draft. 

Tanner Groves and Grant Sherfield, the team’s top two scorers last season, each inked contracts at the next level.

While no Oklahoma players were drafted Thursday night, the two collegiate veterans will have a chance to sneak onto an NBA roster with a summer opportunity. Groves’ Summer League contract is with the hometown Oklahoma City Thunder, while Sherfield’s deal is with the Phoenix Suns.

Groves, a 24-year-old forward, spent five seasons in college. After beginning his career at Eastern Washington, the big man transferred to Oklahoma for his final two seasons.

In 32 games last season, Groves tallied 10.2 points on 50.8 percent shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. He shot 28.6 percent from 3-point range on 2.6 attempts per game.

During his first season in Norman, the big man shot 38.1 percent from 3-point range and 72.9 percent from the free throw line, showing off his touch from outside the arc. While his numbers fell off in his senior year, Groves was a career 35.3 percent 3-point shooter in college.

The details of his contract haven’t been released, but it’s likely a summer league deal that allows Groves to prove his worth in Las Vegas. If Groves performs, Oklahoma City actively uses its G League squad.

Sherfield transferred to Norman for his final season of collegiate basketball and was Oklahoma’s best player. He averaged a team-high 15.9 points on 39 percent from 3-point range, adding 3.3 assists per night.

The Nevada transfer will look to earn a two-way spot with the Phoenix Suns, a team that’s hurting for depth on an expensive roster. 

When Sherfield is in rhythm, he certainly has the ability to be a microwave scorer. He dropped 30 points against No. 1 ranked Alabama and eventual No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller, leading the Sooners to victory.

NBA summer league runs July 3-17 with most of the games taking place in Las Vegas.

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Ross Lovelace
ROSS LOVELACE

Ross has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Oklahoma Sooners since 2018. He's made guest appearances on various radio stations and the Sooners On SI podcast. Ross enjoys public speaking and has done so at multiple churches and high schools across the OKC metro area. In addition to writing, Ross has been the Play-by-Play announcer for Crossings’ basketball and football programs since 2020. In high school, Ross started with Thunder Digest, where he discovered his passion for writing. From there, he worked for the OU Daily as a women's basketball reporter and worked for Sooners On SI and Thunder On SI. Ross holds a bachelor's degree in Public Relations and a minor in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Ross played basketball and wrote for his own Thunder blog at Crossings High School in OKC. He enjoys reading, New York Jets football and a week at the beach. Ross and his wife live in New Orleans, where he is a Marketing and Volunteer Coordinator at the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee. His Twitter handle is @Rosslovelace.

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