Nike Sibande Makes Mavericks Summer League Roster
PITTSBURGH -- The 2023 NBA Summer League was already well-stocked with former Pitt Panthers and that was before another recent graduate joined the mix.
Nike Sibande, who wrapped up his final year as a Panther this spring, was a late addition to the Dallas Mavericks' Summer League roster, according to a report from Brett Siegel of Clutch Points. He will wear No. 31.
Sibande joined the Panthers during the 2020 offseason and not only had to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic while transitioning to Pitt, but had to battle the NCAA and his former school for an immediate waiver as well. Eventually, an NCAA rule awarding a blanket waiver to all transfers allowed him to play that season, beginning with the ACC opener against Miami in mid-December.
His first 11 games as a Panther yielded modest results, but he really took off at the end of the season. The former 1,500-point scorer at Miami (OH) scored 23 points on 54% shooting to go along with nine rebounds and four assists in the 2021 home finale against Wake Forest and 24 points on 60% shooting, with six rebounds for good measure, in an ACC Tournament loss to Miami later that month.
After missing all of the 2021-22 season with a knee injury, Sibande returned with a vengeance in 2022-23. Along with some tremendous on-ball defense, Sibande scored 8.4 points and grabbed 4.1 rebounds per night while making 35% of his 3-pointers and 52% of his 2-point shots on the way to ACC Sixth Man of the Year honors.
He and the Mavericks will play in four games over a one-week span from July 7 to 14 at the Cox Pavillion and Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. There will also be a four-team, single-elimination playoff tournament on July 16 and 17. Teams who do not make the playoffs will play a fifth game on either July 15 or 16.
The Mavericks will open Summer League play by taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 8 at 3:30 pm. ESPN2 will broadcast the game.
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