THE PIT TURNS 70; STILL HELPING BASKETBALL’S BEST ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS
By Chris Ekstrand
The 70th annual Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, held in April 2024, provided a showcase for the nation’s elite college basketball seniors to perform before scouts from the NBA, NBA G League and an ever-increasing number of international professional basketball leagues.
Ten players from the 2024 PIT are currently playing in the NBA, and 33 alumni from the 2024 PIT will play in the NBA or NBA G League this season.
There were three dozen PIT alumni throughout the NBA at the start of this season, including NBA stars Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat and Derrick White of the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. Longtime NBA veterans like Dorian Finney-Smith of the Brooklyn Nets, Royce O’Neale of the Phoenix Suns, Alex Caruso of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Terance Mann of the Los Angeles Clippers and Pat Connaughton of the Milwaukee Bucks are key contributors on some of the NBA’s best teams. Toumani Camara of the Portland Trail Blazers, Hunter Tyson of the Denver Nuggets and John Konchar of the Memphis Grizzlies are young NBA players on the way up after playing in the PIT just over the past couple of seasons.
But the PIT’s influence extends well beyond the NBA. Some of the top players in leagues throughout Europe, Asia and Australia are PIT alumni. The famous EuroLeague, which pits the best teams from all of the top European national leagues, is replete with stars who played at the PIT. Kendrick Nunn (Panathinaikos), Devin Booker (Bayern Munich), Levi Randolph (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Shavon Shields and Zach LeDay (Armani Milano), Sterling Brown and Tyrique Jones (Partizan), Will Clyburn and Matt Morgan (Virtus Bologna) and Paris Lee (ASVEL) are PIT alumni currently performing as stars at the highest level of European basketball.
It’s a similar story in Asia, where stars like Jameel Warney (Seoul-South Korea), Josh Hawkinson (Tokyo Sunrockers), Quinndary Weatherspoon (Qingdao of China), DJ Newbill (Tochigi Brex of Japan) and Marial Shayok (Liaoning of China) routinely appear as leading scorers for their teams. In Australia’s NBL, Kendric Davis (Adelaide), Ian Clark (Melbourne), Jaylen Adams (Sydney) and Milton Doyle (Tasmania) are among the biggest names.
The PIT has been helping senior college basketball players achieve their dreams since the nascent days of Rick Barry, Earl Monroe and Dave Cowens, all enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Their legacy was furthered by John Stockton, Scottie Pippen, Tim Hardaway and Dennis Rodman, the next generation of PIT players to enter the Basketball Hall of Fame. Since 1953, Portsmouth has been the destination to see the next wave of college basketball stars shoot to make their basketball dreams come true.
PLAYER |
SCHOOL |
CURRENT TEAM |
Abmas, Max | Texas | G League-Salt Lake City Stars |
Aimaq, Fardaws | California | Hungary-Szolnoki |
Ali, Ali | Akron | Great Britain-Manchester |
Baker, Will | LSU | Belgium-Antwerp |
Battle, Jamison | Ohio State | NBA-Toronto Raptors (2 way) |
Battle, Raequan | West Virginia | G League-Greensboro Swarm |
Bickerstaff, TJ | James Madison | Cyprus-AEL Limassol |
Bishop, James | George Washington | Finland-Kouvot |
Blackshear, Kenan | Nevada | Poland-Slask Wroclaw |
Boone, Kalib | UNLV | Finland-Helsinki |
Boone, Keylan | UNLV | Return to College |
Burton, Tyler | Villanova | |
Carlson, Branden* | Utah | G League-Raptors 905 |
Cattoor, Hunter | Virginia Tech | France-Gravelines |
Cooper, Ta’lon | South Carolina | Poland-Spojnia |
Cousinard, Jermaine | Oregon | Greece-Lavrio |
Cozart, Isaiah | Eastern Kentucky | Germany-Vechta |
Crawford, Isaiah* | Louisiana Tech | NBA-Sacramento Kings (2-way) |
Cross, Kevin | Tulane | G League-Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
Daniels, Clarence* | New Hampshire | Belgium-Antwerp |
Dennis, RayJ | Baylor | G League-San Diego Clippers |
Dixon, Eric | Villanova | Return to College |
Domask, Marcus | Illinois | G League-Windy City Bulls |
Ducas, Alex | Saint Mary’s | NBA-Oklahoma City Thunder (2-way) |
East II, Sean* | Missouri | G League-South Bay Lakers |
Edwards, Jesse** | West Virginia | NBA-Minnesota Timberwolves (2-way) |
Ellis, Boogie** | USC | G League-Stockton Kings |
Enaruna, Tristan* | Cleveland State | G League-Maine Celtics |
Estrada, Aaron* | Alabama | G League-Motor City Cruise |
Fiedler, Max | Rice | G League-Delaware Blue Coats |
Flanigan, Allen* | Ole Miss | France-Rochelais |
Freeman, Enrique** | Akron | NBA-Indiana Pacers (drafted 2nd round-2 way) |
Gaines, Eric | UAB | G League-Maine Celtics |
Griffin, Sam | Wyoming | Greece-Lavrio |
Guerrier, Quincy | Illinois | G League-Raptors 905 |
Hoggard, AJ | Michigan State | Return to College |
Horne, DJ | NC State | Germany-Heidelberg |
Jenkins, Daniss | St. John’s | NBA-Detroit Pistons (2-way) |
Johnson, Xavier | Southern Illinois | Spain2-Gipuzkoa |
Jones, Isaac** | Washington State | NBA-Sacramento Kings (2-way) |
Jones, KJ | Emmanuel | G League-Long Island Nets |
Leons, Malevy | Bradley | NBA-Oklahoma City Thunder |
Lucas, Jarod | Nevada | G League-Texas Legends |
Minix, Riley | Morehead State | NBA-San Antonio Spurs (2-way) |
Oduro, Josh | Providence | G League-Birmingham Squadron |
Olivari, Quincy | Xavier | NBA-Los Angeles Lakers (2-way) |
Pember, Drew | UNC-Asheville | Israel2-Netanya |
Quinerly, Jahvon | Memphis | Retired |
Radford, Tyrece | Texas A&M | Turkey2-Final Spor |
Robertson, Tyler | Portland | Australia-Sydney |
Rode, Kyle | Liberty | Germany-Oldenburg |
Samuel, Tyrese | Florida | G League-Valley Suns |
Scott, Donta | Maryland | G League-Santa Cruz Warriors |
Sharp, Jamarion | Ole Miss | G League-Texas Legends |
Smith, Tolu | Mississippi State | G League-Motor City Cruise |
Soriano, Joel | St. John’s | G League-Greensboro Swarm |
Vescovi, Santiago | Tennessee | Spain-Manresa |
Wahl, Tyler | Wisconsin | Croatia-Zadar |
Walker, Tyson | Michigan State | G League-Texas Legends |
Wells, Shahada | McNeese | Kosovo-Peja |
Williams, Jaylin | Auburn | G League-Grand Rapids Gold |
Woolbright, Vonterius | Western Carolina | G League-Delaware Blue Coats |
Wright, Jordan | LSU | Turkey-Petkim |
Young, Jahmir | Maryland | G League-Grand Rapids Gold |
*G League Elite Camp | ||
**G League Elite Camp & NBA Combine |