George Washington University Athletics
Watanabe Signs with Memphis Grizzlies
7/23/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MEMPHIS, Tenn. â€" Former GW guard Yuta Watanabe signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, becoming the third Colonial in three seasons to ink an NBA deal.
Watanabe joins the Grizzlies after playing for the Brooklyn Nets' summer league team, where he averaged 9.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.6 blocks in 24.0 minutes in five games (two starts) during the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League 2018 in Las Vegas.
The 2017-18 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year, Watanabe ranks second in GW history in blocks (147) and games played (134) and 15th in scoring (1,460). As a senior, he averaged a career-best 16.3 points per game along with 6.1 rebounds.
He follows former teammates Patricio Garino and Tyler Cavanaugh in joining an NBA organization. Garino spent much of the 2016-17 season in the G-League before finishing the season with the Orlando Magic. Cavanaugh, meanwhile, signed a two-way contract and split time with the Atlanta Hawks and the G-League last season.
Check out some of Watanabe's highlights from summer league play below:
