While most of the attention for Longhorns in the NBA stems from the yearly accolades collected by All-Stars Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge, there are a number of less-heralded Longhorns who emerge in the league each year. Here’s how some of those Longhorns looked in week one of regular season action.
D.J. Augustin
A nine-year veteran, Augustin has played on eight different NBA teams over his career. Currently in the midst of a four-year, $29 million contract with the Orlando Magic, the constant changes of scenery have not stopped Augustin from being a productive player.
With Orlando’s starting point guard Elfrid Payton out with an injury, Augustin has now been thrust into a starting role, where he is expected to be an important contributor. In a game against the defending Eastern Conference champion, the Cleveland Cavaliers,
on Saturday night, Augustin helped lead the Magic to a stunning 114-93 win in Cleveland by dropping 12 points along with 10 assists and just one turnover. Augustin didn’t stop there, putting up an additional 19 points on Tuesday in a win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Jarrett Allen
Fresh out of the 40 Acres, Allen was selected with the No. 22 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets. Allen had a solid NBA debut, posting nine points on 3-3 shooting in 15 minutes off the bench. He followed that performance up two nights later with four blocks against the Atlanta Hawks.
With little depth at the center position for Brooklyn, Allen is likely to earn a backup role behind veteran Timofey Mozgov. Allen’s athleticism and leaping ability makes him an ideal center in a league that has evolved to cater to more skilled and agile big men.
Cory Joseph
Joseph is coming off of his best season in the NBA, where he averaged 9.3 points, 3.3 assists and three rebounds for the Toronto Raptors. The former NBA champion was traded this past offseason to the Indiana Pacers, where he is competing with Darren Collison to earn minutes alongside starter Victor Oladipo in the backcourt.
Joseph helped his stock on Tuesday when he dropped 21 points and drained five three-pointers in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite trailing Collison on the depth chart, Joseph is still averaging 25 minutes per game this season. Expect for his role to increase as the season progresses.
