LAS VEGAS -- NBA-ready has many meanings. Both in physical maturity and on the court, Darius Bazley might have a bit more training to do than some 19-year-old rookies, but off the court, he’ll be much more prepared for basketball as both a business and a job than most.
The Thunder, who traded back in the 2019 NBA Draft from the 21st pick with the Memphis Grizzlies to acquire the 23rd pick and a 2024 second round pick, selected Bazley and made him the newest member of the organization. Due to the trade, and a previous trade between the Grizzlies and Utah Jazz, the selection was not official until July 7 and the rookie made his Thunder debut at Summer League against the Philadelphia 76ers on July 8.
After checking in with 5:06 to go in the first quarter, Bazley first checked in with a Thunder veteran Hamidou Diallo for some quick instruction before he made his mark on the game. Within his first 7 minutes of action, Bazley racked up three quick assists all to the Thunder’s Summer League center Emanuel Terry. As a playmaking power forward, Bazley received the ball on the perimeter, used a quick first step and long legs to get into the paint and found his big man for easy finishes around the rim.
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“(The pass) was there,” Bazley shrugged. “I’m a basketball player. I want to win, so making that play, making that pass to set my teammate up, if that’s there that’s what I’m going to do.”
“(Bazley) played calm, took what was there,” added Summer League Head Coach Dave Bliss. “A couple times he got caught with the ball and didn’t know where to go with it, which is normal. He hasn’t been in our offense that long. I just thought his head was in the right place in terms of trying to defend and trying to make the right play.”
On one play, Bazley drove left, spun into the middle of the paint and used a head fake to send defenders flying before dropping off a slick one-handed pass to Terry for a dunk. He didn’t score, but he also didn’t force offense when it wasn’t there, attempting just two field goals. That’s some remarkable restraint shown by a rookie who has charted a unique path to the league and hadn’t played in an official game in over a year.
“I was happy with him. I just told him, ‘hey, just trusts your instincts. You’ve been playing basketball for all 18 years of your life’,” Bliss said with a grin.
Defensively, Bazley was in the right place on multiple occasions, and got involved with a block, a steal and two rebounds in 17 minutes. As happens to most rookies, however, Bazley picked up some fouls – something that can be ironed out over time.
“I really like his range. It just shows up in a lot of plays,” said Bliss. “If he gets beat a little bit he can recover. He’s got a pretty good motor. He doesn’t quit on plays. The same thing offensively. He sees a small crease and he’s able to get to some spots where some other guys maybe couldn’t. As he learns how to leverage that great length that he has, that’ll increase over time.”
Meet Darius Bazley
All in all, it was a solid first performance for Bazley, who was thrilled to make his official Thunder debut, which his team won 84-81 in overtime.
“(Bazley) has a seriousness about getting better which I really respect from him,” Bliss noted. “He knows he has a lot of work in front of him and he’s not shying away from that. He has questions and has been really active with communication and really trying to learn and being engaged. That’s all you can ask from young guys.”
Born in Brockton, Mass., Bazley went to Princeton High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he scored 15.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.4 assists per game, while shooting 51.5 percent from the field in 25 games. As a result, the lefty was selected to Ohio’s Division I All-State First Team and All-Ohio First Team by USA today, ranked the ninth-best prospect in the 2018 recruiting class by ESPN, 12th by Scout.com and 20th by 247 sports.
He played for the USA Junior National Select Team in the 2018 Nike Hoop Summit, racked up 11 points and 7 rebounds in the 2018 McDonald’s All-American Game and put up 12 points and 8 rebounds in the 2018 Jordan Brand Classic.
Despite being a heralded recruit, Bazley eschewed offers from Ohio State and Syracuse University, bypassed a chance to play overseas or in the G-League and decided to get a real-world education. In the fall of 2018, Bazley lived with former NBA star and current University of Memphis assistant coach Mike Miller as he committed to work out on and off the floor during the 2018-19 season.
In an unprecedented move, Bazley then spent three months in Lawrence, Mass. as an intern with New Balance. Humbling himself to work a job reserved for college students aching to slip their way into the sports world, this future first-round NBA Draft pick got a glimpse of what the world of professional sports is really like. As New Balance re-enters the NBA market, Bazley will be one of its key athletes, along with NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.
At 6-foot-9, 209 pounds, Bazley recorded a 37-inch vertical at the 2019 NBA Draft Combine, with a standing reach of 8-feet, 11-inches and a wingspan of 7-feet, 9-inches. The forward has the size, length and skill to be an NBA player, along with playmaking and finishing skills. As he continues to build strength, learn the NBA game and adjust to the Thunder’s schemes, Bazley will continue to develop as an all-around contributor on the floor.
“(The Thunder has) welcomed me. I knew the coaches and some of the other players a little bit. To actually finally get out here to play, it’s a whole other feeling itself. This past month or so has been really good,” said Bazley. “For me to get drafted, no matter where it was, it was great. To be able to come to an organization like the Thunder, it’s a plus.”
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