The Long Island Nets fell just short of winning their first NBA G League Championship losing to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers at the Island Federal Credit Union Arena at Stony Brook University Friday night.
While most of the Long Island Nets are heading into the offseason —with some no doubt headed overseas, three of their number will be staying put, sitting or dancing on the Brooklyn Nets bench, their attention moving from G League to NBA. Neither Theo Pinson nor Dzanan Musa, played in Game 1 and Alan Williams, as a two-way player is ineligible. But all three did what they are most notable for: displaying energy ... and their dance moves.
“Now, I just have to support my teammates and wait till my number is called,” Pinson told NetsDaily. “The thing is going there with an open mind and understand the call needs to be thrown up, play together, play smart, and it will be a great opportunity for us.”
The former UNC Tarheel had a great season with Long Island. Pinson was the Nets main offensive weapon and their best player throughout the season. The 23 year-old played 34 games for Long Island and averaged 35.6 minutes, 20.7 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.9 rebounds. More importantly for his future, he shot 39 percent from deep.
Although Pinson played in 18 NBA games, he’s best known in Brooklyn for his dance moves on the bench including The Swim.
And whatever this is called.
Expect a lot more of that should the Nets keep winning.
Musa says he’s ready for anything Kenny Atkinson asks him to do.
“Whatever they need me to do,” Musa told NetsDaily. “Energy from the bench, if I step on that court, I will bring energy as well.”
The Nets first-round pick has played the majority of the 2018-19 season with Long Island. The second youngest player in the G League had an impressive year with Long Island playing in 36 games and averaged 31.6 minutes, 19.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. He proved not only he is an all-around offensive player who can shoot from anywhere on the floor but he’s also an elite passer. With Brooklyn, Musa played nine games and averaged 2.1 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 0.2 assists.
Williams, also known as Big Sauce, confidently knows what his main role will be with Brooklyn in the playoffs. The Nets two-way center is ready to support his teammates from the bench and credits them for Long Island’s playoff success, noting how several of the Brooklyn Nets came to Nassau Coliseum for the Eastern Conference Finals.
“My impact will be off the court obviously but I want to be there for my teammates and make sure to support them,” Williams told NetsDaily. “They were very big in our playoff run, just coming out to the games, sending texts before games, lending their experience they have, the NBA team, and stuff we can do in the G League so I’m excited for us to go out there and play Philly and we are really going to prepare and lock in and be ready to go.”
Will Weaver, who’s now on his way to Australia to become the head coach of the NBL’s Sydney Kings, called the Nets-Sixers first round matchup a perfect draw. Weaver came to the Nets from Philly where he was an assistant to head coach Brett Brown. So he knows both teams.
“It’s thrilling,” Weaver told reporters following the game 3 loss. “It’s the perfect draw. The matchups are going to be incredible and obviously I have a lot of familiarity with the Sixers and those guys and I can’t wait for our team, our Brooklyn team, to show them what we are made of, even as a lower seed, and I know for a fact that Alan (Williams), Theo (Pinson), and Dzanan (Musa) are going to make an impact on that series with their energy and the opportunity to play.”
In other words, more of this...