© Jim O'Connor-USA TODAY Sports
Doug McDermott delivered an incredible performance in the quarterfinals of the 2014 Big East Tournament
Historically, the Chicago Bulls have been hit-and-miss with picking young talent to improve their roster. In 2014, they traded for Creighton sharpshooter Doug McDermott who the Denver Nuggets selected with the 11th pick in the first round. The Bulls had every reason to be excited with McDermott, who absolutely shredded DePaul in the quarterfinals of the 2014 Big East Tournament.
Unfazed by the bright lights
Playing in the "World's Most Famous Arena" did little to faze McDermott who put on a shooting display to put away DePaul quickly. He scored 27 of his 35 points in the first half to help push Creighton in front by 20, 49-29, en route to an 84-62 victory. Afterward, McDermott marveled at the opportunity to play under the bright lights of the Garden and perform the way he did.
"As a kid, you dream of playing in venues like this. The Garden is about as good as it gets. I watched the tournament growing up a lot," McDermott said. "So just to be a part of it definitely was in the back of my mind. And in warmups, it felt surreal out there."
McDermott was unconscious from beyond the arc, making six of his first seven shots from rainbow country.
"I was just feeling in the rhythm, in the zone," McDermott added. "I just happened to get going, and my teammates recognized that I had the hot hand."
Solid NBA career
McDermott eventually played three seasons for the Bulls, averaging 8.2 points and shooting almost 45% from the field, including 39% from behind the arc. A dependable role player, McDermott now plays for the San Antonio Spurs where he's averaging 10.1 points for the rebuilding squad.
He's also had stops in Oklahoma City, Indiana, New York, and Dallas.
