Earning a Shot: A Unique Opportunity for Players Around the League
Scotty Hopson hadn’t played a game in the NBA since the 2017-18 season. A 32-year-old, he had only played in three total NBA games and 11 minutes of action in his career.
On Wednesday, a new opportunity was brought to the surface in the form of a chance to play for the Thunder.
Due to six players in COVID-19 health and safety protocols, OKC needed players to fill out the lineup for a matchup against the Phoenix Suns. This is something many teams around the league are currently juggling.
It hasn't been an easy path for Hopson after leaving Tennessee, but he got his opportunity and made an impact for the Thunder. Throughout his basketball career, he's bounced around the G League and international leagues before his opportunity came, but it finally arrived.
Hopson played 18 minutes Wednesday night for the Thunder, scoring four points including his first NBA field goal. It's not just young guys that are getting called up of late, but also other older players like Hopson. Veterans and big names such as Mario Chalmers and Isaiah Thomas have received 10-day contracts in order to possibly find a way back into the league.
Former OKC Blue talent DJ Wilson recently got a chance to play for the Toronto Raptors on a hardship contract. On Tuesday, Wilson played just his second NBA game of the season and is now averaging 12 points and seven rebounds since signing the contract.
Another player with Oklahoma ties, Cameron McGriff earned his first shot at playing the NBA. Although he didn’t break the stat sheet, he was a quality contributor for the Portland Trail Blazers. If it weren't for the current landscape of the NBA and the shortage of available players, he likely wouldn't have gotten this once in a lifetime opportunity.
For others like Denzel Valentine, it's provided an opportunity to play a larger role than they had to this point in the season. Overall, this has been a great opportunity in many ways for players across the NBA, G League and retirement.
Throughout the NBA, like in most years, the comeback stories have been elevated in recent weeks due to unfortunate circumstances, for some, but convenient chances for others due to ongoing COVID-19 issues.
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