Markis McDuffie signs NBA Summer League deal with the Indiana Pacers
Wichita State senior Markis McDuffie celebrates a made three-pointer in the first half of the game in Bloomington, Indiana on March 26, 2019.
Wichita State’s Markis McDuffie will get his shot for a chance to play in the NBA.
The former Shocker standout signed a Summer League deal with the Indiana Pacers on Friday, according to the Wichita Eagle. The deal does not promise a final roster spot for McDuffie, as his performance will determine his future. The Summer League runs from July 5-15 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
McDuffie’s deal does not have a salary, as he will only play select games in July. The opportunity is a form of tryout, as team scouts for the league will be in attendance for the games. Former Shockers Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker were also forced to take the Summer League route after not being drafted in 2016. Both of them received roster spots on their respected teams.
During his senior season with WSU, McDuffie averaged 18.2 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist per game. He was ranked as the 62nd best prospect according to CBS analyst Kyle Boone. McDuffie failed to make the Top-100 list made by Sports Illustrated Draft Analyst Jeremy Woo.
McDuffie will play along side a familiar face in Temple’s Shizz Alston Jr., who also signed a Summer League deal with the Pacers. Alston Jr. was the American Athletic Conference’s leading scorer a year ago, averaging 19.7 points per game.
Wichita State senior Markis McDuffie is tripped up by Temple’s Shizz Alston, Jr. in the second half of Sunday’s game. Temple won the game in overtime.
Marshall Sunner was the sports editor for The Sunflower. Sunner majored in communications with a journalism emphasis. He was born and raised in Hutchinson,...
