Langston Galloway hoping ‘another look’ will land him back in the NBA ... full-time

Last Tuesday, four days after his 30th birthday, Langston Galloway was back in the G League, just trying for another shot at the NBA. For seven seasons, he had played for five teams, averaging better than eight points a game and shooting a more than respectable 37.0 percent from beyond the arc.

He had a tryout with the Warriors in preseason, playing three games, but Golden State cut him and so he joined the College Park Skyhawks, the suburban G League affiliate of the Hawks, days away from the G League Showcase, the most scouted midseason event.

Then Thursday, with the Nets roster bleeding from the COVID-19 resurgence, he got called up to Brooklyn. He knows that this is a good opportunity, as he told Shlomo Sprung of Boardroom.tv.

“It gives guys an opportunity for another look,” Galloway told Boardroom. “Playing in G-League games is great, but it’s nothing like having eyeballs on you at the NBA level and being able to show that I could really still do this. It’s a huge opportunity.“

So far, he’s played 16 minutes over two games as a replacement player, scoring seven points, grabbing five boards and handing out three assists. He’s only made one three, but he’s ready. He had been working out three times a day at home, he told Sprung.

“I just try to bring effort, energy, play hard on defense and make plays,” Galloway said. “The offensive end, that’s gonna come, but the defensive side is where a lot of teams want to see what you can do.”

He would have noticed a few familiar faces around the Nets locker room ... if they had been at full-strength. He had played with Jevon Carter on the Suns’ NBA Finals team last year, and with DeAndre’ Bembry at St. Joseph’s in college. Both were in quarantine by the time he arrived. He did get to see Blake Griffin who he played with in Detroit and Brian Keefe who was an assistant coach with the Knicks when he broke into the league and is now an assistant with Brooklyn.

Galloway’s agent says that his client played it smart by staying in shape and volunteering to play in the G League.

“NBA teams and agents communicate on a frequent basis so that teams know which players are available,” said Joey Rudin, the director of basketball operations at Siegel Sports & Entertainment. “Some veterans have taken the initiative to show they are in shape by playing in the G-League. Then, when the need arises, teams rely on their scouting departments to evaluate which of these players are the best fit for the team.”

So far, the Nets have added two other replacement players in James Ennis III and Shaq Harrison and reportedly plan to sign at least one more, Wenyen Gabriel. Other than James Ennis III, all three are NBA veterans who played in the G League.

Galloway is eligible for a second 10-day when his first runs out after the Nets are scheduled to play the Lakers on Christmas Day. He knows things are fluid, that the Nets may not have any need for him depending on who’s back from health and safety protocols ... and injuries. After all, Joe Harris is probably still another two to three weeks away from returning.

He notes that he could have gone overseas and made more money, but instead like a lot of players, he’d prefer to take a chance.

“You go out there, don’t worry about the minutes you play, play hard and let the cards fall where they may,” he said.

• With 70 NBA players sidelined due to COVID-19, dozens more have a chance to prove themselves, including Langston Galloway. - Shlomo Sprung - Boardroom