THE PIT TURNS 70; STILL HELPING BASKETBALL’S BEST ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS

January 13, 2025

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.

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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
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