The NBA playoffs have started, and it’s a good time to take a look at how the former Tigers played at the next level this season. Currently, 13 former Tigers are playing in the NBA or the NBA G-League.
Two of those players, Jalen Duren and Nae’Qwan Tomlin, are still playing in the NBA playoffs. Memphis has not produced an NBA draft pick since 2022, but they have had a handful of players make it to the next level, being picked up on G-League rosters.
Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons)
Duren is one of two former Tigers whose team made the playoffs, and he played a massive role for the Detroit Pistons this season. During the regular season, Duren averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and shot 65 percent from the field.
The center was named an All-Star for the first time in his career, and it appears it won’t be his last. Duren played 70 games during the regular season, and he has averaged 9.5 points and eight rebounds through two playoff games.
Precious Achiuwa (Sacramento Kings)
Achiuwa has bounced around the league throughout his seven-year career, and he signed a one-year deal with the Kings ahead of the season. Achiuwa found himself in an interesting situation in Sacramento where he saw a lot of playing time, especially towards the end of the season, due to tanking.
Achiuwa made the most of his opportunity, and he averaged 10.1 points and 6.7 rebounds in 23.9 minutes per game. It’s unclear if he’ll get another contract with the Kings, but he has shown enough to find a landing spot somewhere in the league.
Josh Minott (Brooklyn Nets)
Minott started the season with Boston, but he was traded ahead of the deadline to Brooklyn. The forward appeared in only 16 games, and he averaged 10.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals in those games with the Nets.
Moussa Cisse (Dallas Mavericks/Two-Way)
Cisse spent the season on a two-way contract with Dallas, and he appeared in 38 games and made one start. The center averaged 4.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in 13.9 minutes per game.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Tomlin started the season on a two-way contract, but the Cavaliers converted his contract into a two-year, $3.13 million guaranteed standard NBA contract. The forward averaged 5.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in 64 regular-season games this year.
David Jones (San Antonio Spurs/Two-Way)
Jones spent the season on a two-way contract with the Spurs, but he only appeared in 11 games for San Antonio. In the G-League, Jones appeared in 16 games and averaged 26.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
Lester Quinones (Osceola Magic)
Quinones played 50 games for Osceola this season, and he averaged 22.6 points, five rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. The guard also shot 39.6 percent from three this season, which is his best percentage over the last three seasons.
Tyrese Hunter (South Bay Lakers)
Hunter spent his first professional season with three G-League teams, and he averaged 5.5 points, 1.5 assists and 1.2 rebounds in 26 games.
Dain Dainja (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Dianja spent the year in Sioux Falls with the Heat’s affiliate, and he averaged 13.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in 50 games.
Damion Baugh (Valley Suns)
Baugh played in 34 games with the Valley Suns, and he averaged 22.5 points, 8.5 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game.
DeAndre Williams (Delaware Blue Coats)
Williams played 46 games for Delaware, and he averaged 16.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
Nick Jourdain (Westchester Knicks)
Jourdain spent the season in Westchester with the Knicks’ affiliate, and he averaged 8.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in 46 appearances.
Jaykwon Walton (Birmingham Squadron)
Walton started the season with the Rip City Remix, but he spent time in Austin and in Birmingham before the end of the year. He played in 18 games and averaged 3.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 12.3 minutes per game.