Dink or Swim: The G League's NBA Draft-Eligible Prospects
Evaluations on this season's NBA Draft-eligible G League players.
As far as pre-draft options go, playing in the G League (and not on Ignite) to build one’s draft stock has historically not been a consistent pathway, with seven players having successfully taken this route since 2008.
With the vast majority of G League teams now affiliated with NBA outfits, their focus tends to be on empowering players on two-way contracts and those who were sent down on assignment, as well as implementing the main team’s concepts. Not ideal for draft prospects looking for a situation that prioritizes development or winning games in a vacuum.
But I understand the appeal. It’s the closest you can get to the NBA without actually being in it; both geographically and conceptually. It’s also the biggest fully professional league in the US outside of the Association. If a team liked you leading up to the previous draft, joining their G League affiliate is a way to make sure that team can keep close watch for a season.
With the abrupt shuttering of Ignite and a landscape that places less and less value on college veterans, this class of potential draftees features a wide range of future NBA players. At least one is almost a lock as a draft pick, others will sneak their way in via undrafted free agency, while others still might never touch an NBA floor when it’s all said and done.
Let us introduce you to the G League’s NBA-Draft eligible prospects.
Dink Pate | Mexico City Capitanes
6’8” | Guard | 2006 | USA
Dink Pate has been destined to be an NBA draft pick since his junior year of high school, as he skipped his final two high school seasons to become the youngest professional American basketball player in history. He joined Ignite on a two-year contract, only getting to fulfill one of those years for the now defunct organization. Though he could have been granted a waiver to play in the NCAA, Pate opted to join the Mexico City Capitanes and show his game on the only G League team without an NBA affiliate.
Often compared to Penny Hardaway, Pate is a big guard who thrives on the ball but is also very capable off of it. He’s a shifty playmaker who just moves like an NBA player. He takes and makes the shots you’d expect from an on-ball creator and has shown scoring flashes on all three levels. Pate’s height and length give him more vantage points to find teammates and those tools coupled with dialed-in effort make him a solid defender when he wants to be. His jump shot has already come a long way since last season as well.
Pate’s scoring average has increased from 8 points per game to 10.7 points per game through the G League Showcase, and he is making 40% of his 3.6 three-point attempts, up from 21% of his 2.7 attempts a season ago. Rebound and steal numbers are also up for the phenom. All this production is on three fewer minutes per game as well. Despite sometimes being painted as an on-ball threat, this year Pate has shown that he may be even more effective as a secondary ball handler. He hasn’t been bad as the primary handler, but his scoring has been just average in play types indicative of a primary role. Per Synergy, Pate scores 0.74 points per possession in isolation and 0.71 points per possession in pick-and-roll ball handler situations so far. Meanwhile, his spot up scoring numbers have been very good, as he’s poured in 1.1 points per possession.
It’s clear Pate is on a mission to show he can score at the NBA level, but his passing numbers have taken a hit as a result. He has shown good enough passing priors that this isn’t too much of a concern, as he does still make good reads.
The more concerning yellow flag has been Pate’s finishing. His jump shooting has been stellar, especially in catch and shoot (and guarded) situations, but his attempts at the rim have left a lot to be desired. So far, he’s shooting 46% on layups at the rim and that was evident on film in the half court and transition alike. Not an awful mark and it is early in the season, but this percentage with Pate’s length and athleticism is below average. The bad misses typically look hurried and there seems to be a lack of focus on missed easy finishes. Effort on the defensive end is also fixable, and something he displayed as a 17 year old on Ignite.
Pate has polished many areas of his game in a short period of time and seems to have the mindset necessary to continue to improve, having opted to finish what he started with the G League rather than jump to the NCAA. At just 18 years old, Dink Pate has a ton of upside and room to grow. The flaws look extremely fixable and reps in a structured NBA environment should prove that he is worthy of a first round draft pick.
Abdullah Ahmed | Westchester Knicks
6’10” | Center | 2003 | Egypt
An NBA prospect who has seemingly appeared out of nowhere, Abdullah Ahmed played in Egypt up until 2023. He imposed his will in competitions with Egypt’s youth national teams and eventually got noticed enough to be selected by the Westchester Knicks with the sixth pick in the 2023 International G League Draft. Ahmed has gotten a wealth of different basketball experiences over the past calendar year, playing in Westchester for the G League season before joining Rwanda’s APR in the Basketball Africa League and declaring for the 2024 NBA draft. The center withdrew his name, and prior to the start of this G League season, played in Lithuania for Siauliai on a trial contract. He returned to Westchester for the 2024-25 season in search of more minutes, a better development situation and more NBA eyes.
Through all these experiences, Ahmed has consistently shown what he is: a fluid, low-usage rim protector with offensive limitations. He moves very well at his size and possesses a strong body, long wingspan and quick second jump. He leverages all of these physical tools incredibly well on the defensive side of the ball as he is routinely a top rim protector no matter the league he’s in. Ahmed communicates well as he anchors the defense and knows his rotations. He also makes a concerted effort to keep blocked balls in play. I mentioned his second jump and there are many instances of him blocking an opponent multiple times in the same possession.
In the last year, Ahmed has yet to average more than 18 minutes per game, but has never tallied fewer than 1.1 blocks per game. This season, he is the G League’s second leading shot blocker at three per game, and opponents are shooting 30% (!) from the field against the big man. He is putting up an astounding 13.9% block rate.
Though things aren’t quite as natural on the offensive end, Ahmed has been a serviceable rim runner and roll man. He’s also shown promise in mismatches. The jump shot is still a work in progress, as he shoots a low-release set shot, and shoots 23% from the free throw line on 1.1 attempts per game after shooting 50% on one attempt per game a season ago. While he’s experimented behind the arc, he averages less than an attempt per game. The best part about Ahmed’s jump shooting is that he’s doing it less this year, playing more to the strengths that he currently possesses. This doesn’t seem like something that will be a part of — or needs to be a part of — his game at the next level since he is a high-level specialist in other areas.
Ahmed’s slim range of what he does well has capped his playing time and impact to date and will continue to at most levels, but excelling in his niche is what has earned him the time he does get. There’s a place for specialists in the league, time will tell if one of them belongs to Abdullah Ahmed or not.
Thierry Darlan | Rip City Remix
6’8” | Guard | 2004 | Central African Republic
Before Khaman Maluach and Ulrich Chomche, Thierry Darlan was one of the most highly touted NBA Academy Africa prospects around. Viewed as a lengthy point guard with deep range and solid passing ability, he joined Ignite, planning to stay for two seasons. Like his teammate Pate, Darlan only saw half of that plan come true. The final Ignite season was disastrous for most of their prospects and few players’ stock got hurt more than Darlan’s.
After the season, he joined Bangui Sporting Club in the Basketball Africa League, where he was a standout and led his team to a respectable record before playing in G League Elite Camp ahead of the combine. The Rip City Remix chose him with the fourth pick in the G League Draft.
Darlan has a smooth game and plays light on his feet. The bulk of his field goal attempts have been jump shots historically, even though he has not connected efficiently in the G League. Looking closer though, he has consistently been relatively successful in guarded catch-and-shoot situations compared to other players in his league:
This is encouraging given the stark contrast of his off the dribble shooting numbers which drag down his percentages. He has clearly learned from this data, reducing off the dribble attempts from 49.9% of his jumpers in 2023-24 to 25.9% of his jump shot attempts this season per Synergy. If he makes it to the NBA, he won’t be asked to create much off the dribble, so this is a welcome development for his standing as a prospect.
Despite stylistic improvements, Darlan still has production hills to climb. The lightness he plays with can sometimes be a detriment as initial burst has been an area of improvement since returning from a fractured ankle in early 2023. The lack of burst could be a contributor, but Darlan has struggled mightily at the rim despite his 7’2” wingspan. Defensively, he uses his long arms well to contest shots but is not quite a consistent defensive playmaker.
The perception of Darlan’s game has gone through a rather intense transformation. When he was considered a point guard coming from NBA Academy Africa to G League Ignite, his outlook was extremely positive given his physical tools. During a tough season that showed decision-making gaps amid plenty of other issues generally, he was moved to the wing and at times played as a power forward. From an NBA perspective, while still good, his measurables don’t stand out as much on the wing, plus paint struggles and average shooting on low volume aren’t in high demand.
It’s also worth mentioning that so far, Darlan is clocking half the minutes he averaged a season ago. While he may have improved more than he has gotten to show so far, finding ways to stay on the basketball court is the first priority in rebuilding Darlan’s draft stock this season.
Isaac Nogues | Rip City Remix
6’5” | Guard | 2004 | Spain
Isaac Nogues is a unique prospect who has spent his career playing in Spain to this point. Nogues spent the 2023-24 season with Lobe Huesca La Magia in Spain’s Segunda FEB (aka LEB Plata), the country’s third division. This past summer, the Rip City Remix picked him up with the fourth pick in the International G League Draft. A mainstay on Spain’s youth national teams, Nogues participated in last summer’s U20 EuroBasket and the year before, he played in the U19 World Cup.
The consummate role player, Nogues’s value doesn’t come from scoring the ball. He supports his team by being the glue that raises his teams’ floors. He is a physical presence who isn’t afraid of contact, rebounds well and is a table-setter and connector on offense. Nogues boasts a feel for the game that helps him be a very good passer. He finds teammates in tight windows and is quick to make a one-more pass. In transition, Nogues keeps his eyes up to look for quick hit-ahead opportunities.
The instincts Nogues uses to make good passes carry over to the defensive end, where stealing the ball is far and away his best skill. He has great anticipation, forcing turnovers off the catch and dribble, helpside and on ball, transition and half court. This season in the G League, he has already broken the single-game steals record during a 10-rebound, 7-assist, 10-steal double-double game. Prior to this season (2.2 steals per game), Nogues had never averaged fewer than 2.7 steals per game.
Nogues seems to do everything on the basketball court at an above average level other than score. Field goal attempts are typically his last resort as he only looks for his own shot if he has to, unless he has a breakaway opportunity in transition. The jump shot looks unconventional and doesn’t go in at an efficient rate, which may be a reason why Nogues shies away from using it frequently. He employs a herky-jerky, two-motion set shot that takes time to load up, which isn’t ideal in today’s fast-paced game. Nogues keeps his field goal percentages high by seeking quality attempts for himself at the rim or off of rebounds.
Similar to Ahmed, Nogues knows his limitations and opts to play well to his strengths instead. If he can show an interest in scoring and can improve his jump shooting he can become a very interesting prospect.
London Johnson | Maine Celtics
6’3” | Guard | 2004 | USA/Jamaica
The third two-year Ignite player on this list but the only one to fulfill both years, London Johnson has had a turbulent post-high school experience in terms of his draft stock. Ironically, all three former Ignite players featured on this list were originally point guards, contributing to the roster makeup that led to the program failing.
Johnson was a four-star high school recruit with offers from North Carolina, Virginia and Alabama when he signed his agreement with Ignite. Before joining Ignite, he stood out at U17 CentroBasket and played in the Nike Hoop Summit, representing Jamaica. Johnson went on to play both seasons of the Ignite deal before not declaring for the draft. In late August, it was announced that Johnson had been signed by Yalovaspor, the last ranked team in Turkey. He never appeared in an official game with them before being drafted by the Maine Celtics with the 21st pick in the G League Draft.
Johnson is a wiry guard who is thin but plays physically and with good pace. He changes gears nicely from slow to fast to slow again, and has quick handles when given the opportunity to show them. A capable shooter from long range and a comfortable one in the mid range, he tends to rely on his jumper. When Johnson gets inside, he uses deceleration to throw off defenders’ timing and open up options for assists and crafty finishes. Defensively, he is aggressive at the point of attack but cannot be considered a versatile defender, mostly due to his size.
Johnson has played sparingly, averaging 12 minutes per game before sitting the majority of December with a foot injury. There isn’t a lot to glean from his data this season but so far, jump shots have been a bright spot for Johnson as he is shooting 46.2% on them per Synergy. He has also averaged solid three-point percentages from Ignite to now (35%, 33% and 55%), made even sweeter when you consider his age coming into this league. Johnson’s points per shot ranking on jumpers has been good throughout his two years at Ignite as well, which bodes positively.
Despite his shooting prowess, finishing has been a consistent struggle, as average height and a relatively thin frame have contributed to poor percentages at the rim for three straight seasons.
While Johnson thinks the game and does have good processing, his passing isn’t as devastating as one would hope for a guard on the smaller side. He is another smooth mover who would be in a different conversation with more explosion to his athleticism. Without that athleticism, his scoring or playmaking need to take a drastic leap for him to be in contention for a draft pick.
Johnson is smart enough to grow into a player at the next level, but time may be running out for him to show that to evaluators.
Keyon Menifield Jr. | Texas Legends
6’1” | Guard | 2003 | USA
Keyon Menifield is another prospect whose path has been winding to this point. The Flint, Michigan native had a breakout freshman season at Washington, making the conference’s All-Freshman team behind 10 PPG, 3 APG, 1 SPG and 33% shooting from three.
He then transferred to Arkansas where he had to sit out the beginning of the season and be considered a walk-on due to academic eligibility issues. Menifield played spot minutes with a few big games, but was inconsistent before injuring his groin and shutting things down after just 14 games played.
Entering the transfer portal once again, he did not find an NCAA home and was later selected with the 35th pick in the G League draft by the Texas Legends. Menifield was waived by the team the following month after not being able to crack the rotation, but still qualified for this list as the G League is the last place he has played.
In college, Menifield excelled as an electric two way spark who made plays for himself and others. Built thin, he has great speed and can blow by defenders before scoring at all three levels.
Shot selection and feel have always been question marks for Menifield, and he has not had a consistent season since his freshman one to show whether or not his hot outside shooting was an anomaly or not.
The biggest concern for Menifield’s professional future is the off-court issues that keep him from playing on the court. To rebuild any sort of traction, he’ll need to make an educated decision about his next landing spot and dominate once he gets there.