NBA D-League call up rankings: Wealth of talent this season

The NBA D-League is chalked full of talent and experience at this juncture. The 10-day contract season is right around a month away and though all NBA clubs are full right now, you can bet some of these guys will earn a shot.

As we move into week two of the call up rankings there will be two noticeable names missing from last week. Askia Booker and Isaiah Taylor both missed time (Taylor is still out), so they fell off the list and there are three newcomers as well.

Players who just joined the league like Pierre Jackson, Quincy Acy, Tony Wroten and Archie Goodwin are not yet eligible as players need a minimum of five games played to make the list.

Note — NBA draft rights players are not included in the call up rankings as their rights are held by their NBA club. This means only that team can call them up. (Examples – Dakari Johnson & Abdel Nader)

Outside Looking In: Phil Pressey, Chris Evans, Okaro White and Wayne Selden Jr.

10. Julyan Stone, PG, Fort Wayne Mad Ants

Last Week: Unranked
2016-17 Stats: 10.6 points, 9.4 assists, 6.4 rebounds
35.6 mins, 43.1% FGs, 38.7% 3Ps, 70.8% FTs

Stone is a 27-year-old journeyman at this point, but given an opportunity could easily be a quality third point guard for an NBA club. He’s got length at 6-foot-6 and he used to his advantage on both ends of the court. It allows him to post up smaller players regularly and he can guard positions 1-3 as a point guard. He’s just one of those players who always has an impact on the game and he appeases the array of scoring options he has around with a ridiculous assist percentage of 36.9 — oh yeah, he’s second in the league in assists per game at 9.4.

9. Manny Harris, SG, Texas Legends

Last Week: Unranked
2016-17 Stats: 28.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.0 steals
37.9 mins, 48.5% FGs, 46.2% 3Ps, 74.1% FTs

Manny, The Michigan Mamba, Harris. This man just gets buckets, but the difference this season has been his unyielding efficiency. This is Harris’ fifth season in the D-League, but he does not usually stick around the entire campaign. His calling card has been putting up massive numbers and then jettisoning overseas for a larger payday. He’s a career 36 percent shooter from 3 in this league and he’s currently knocking down over 46 percent on almost five attempt per night. He’s 6-foot-5 and could be a scoring weapon off an NBA bench.

8. Justin Harper, PF, Los Angeles D-Fenders

Last Week: Unranked
2016-17 Stats: 19.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists
30.0 mins, 53.2% FGs, 50.0% 3Ps, 76.1% FTs

The NBA is dying for 6-foot-10 guys who can hit the deep ball with consistency. Harper can really stretch the floor and while he does not possess elite lateral quickness, he can guard opposing small forwards in a pinch. Offense will be his calling card however as he’s becoming more and more adept at taking advantage of mismatches, creating open 3s on the fastbreak and killing opponents as the pop man with Josh Magette in the pick-and-pop. He’s ideal for the NBA right now.

7. Quinn Cook, PG, Canton Charge

Last Week: 5
2016-17 Stats: 23.0 points, 5.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds
39.2 mins, 42.0% FGs, 37.5% 3Ps, 86.2% FTs

Cook plays with a level of confidence this season which quite simply wasn’t there last year. He won the D-League ROY award, but has improved exponentially since his time with NBA clubs this offseason. He knows the plays inside and out, he’s scoring more with around the same efficiency as last year and he’s getting his teammates involved more too. At 6-foot-2, he will have to play the point in the NBA and he’s proving he can play in the pick-and-roll nightly in Canton.

6. Ray McCallum, PG, Grand Rapids Drive

Last Week: 9
2016-17 Stats: 21.7 points, 7.3 assists, 5.2 rebounds
39.1 mins, 44.7% FGs, 20.8% 3Ps, 79.3% FTs

Ray McCallum is the player defenders are daring to shoot right now. His 2-point percentage isn’t bad at around 45 percent but 21 percent from 3 is ghastly. His mechanics are there, but he shoots the ball often on the way up, instead of at the peak of his jump and it hurts him mightily. His floor game is one of the best in the league however, and he’s deceptively quick. He’s a bit of a throwback as he loves playing the midrange areas and he does well for himself there. He’s finishing shots at the rim at lower than 50 percent and that really has to improve as well.

5. Keith Benson, PF/C, Sioux Falls Skyforce

Last Week: 8
2016-17 Stats: 18.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.3 blocks
32.4 mins, 51.6% FGs, 33.3% 3Ps, 84.4% FTs

Benson is escaping the Jarnell Stokes shadow that swallowed him whole last season in Sioux Falls. Benson played well in spots last year, but this year the lid is off the ceiling and he’s flying right out. At 28-years-old the 6-foot-11 center is really blossoming. He’s the only player averaging at least 18/10 in the entire league, he’s shooting 50+ percent from the field, 84+ percent from the free throw line and leads the league in blocks at 3.3 a night. He can contribute at the next level.

4. Vander Blue, SG, Los Angeles D-Fenders

Last Week: 7
2016-17 Stats: 22.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists
34.6 mins, 45.6% FGs, 39.1% 3Ps, 79.1% FTs

At this point, Blue and Manny Harris should battle it out for “best scorer in the D-League over the last 4 seasons”. Like Harris, Blue has started the season more efficient than ever even though his overall scoring numbers are down. Josh Magette is the leader of the juggernaut offense the D-Fenders run out every night, so Blue isn’t asked to do much else except attack, attack and attack some more. He leads the league in free throws made and is on pace to break his single season record from last season.

3. Jalen Jones, SF, Maine Red Claws

Last Week: 3
2016-17 Stats: 20.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists
34.6 mins, 44.9% FGs, 31.5% 3Ps, 84.9% FTs

Jones is like Draymond Green lite in the D-League. He’s 6-foot-7 and can guard positions 1-4 and while he doesn’t have the overall skillset Green puts on display in the NBA, he has inklings of the versatility we all love. Jones moves fluidly with the ball in his hands and perhaps more importantly, doesn’t stand and watch off the ball; he moves, he cuts and he finds open spots to accept passes. If Jones can get his 3-point percentage above the 35 percent mark, NBA teams won’t be able to resist.

2. Spencer Dinwiddie, PG, Windy City Bulls

Last Week: 4
2016-17 Stats: 19.4 points, 8.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds
37.4 mins, 47.9% FGs, 41.4% 3Ps, 80.3% FTs

Somehow Dinwiddie is still just 23-years-old and without an NBA job. It baffles the mind, because when watching him play, one would swear he’s with the Windy City Bulls on assignment from the NBA; he’s that much better than the rest. There are still times when his defense could be more stout, but he’s not a liability on D either. His pick-and-roll play has been masterful and the guard combo of he and Aaron Thomas has been magically entertaining so far this season. He’s shooting over 41 percent from 3 (3.2 attempts) and if that’s his only weakness, then what are we complaining about here?

1. Briante Weber, PG, Sioux Falls Skyforce

Last Week: 1
2016-17 Stats: 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 3.2 steals
35.4 mins, 39.3% FGs, 30.8% 3Ps, 73.7% FTs

Look, Weber isn’t the best or most talented player in the D-League, but he has the greatest impact of any player on his team’s success. Weber could score two points and dominate a game, just induce his will on an opponent. He leads the league in steals and while some are from playing passing lanes, most are on ball a la Patrick Beverley. He just hounds opposing guards into submission and it’s honestly a joy to watch. The shooting HAS to pick up, but all the other parts of his game are there.

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