National Basketball Association

Former Hoosiers start their NBA seasons

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The NBA season is underway! After two days of professional basketball, a number of ex-Hoosiers are already making a splash. Here’s a quick recap of who received playing time, and how they did:

Victor Oladipo – Oklahoma City Thunder

Oladipo struggled to find his rhythm in his debut with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 26 minutes, the guard went 4-16 from the field, and missing all 5 of his 3-point attempts- only managing to total 10 points on the night. He did have 5 rebounds, but his team will certainly expect more from Oladipo, who proved he has the capability to be a dangerous player when he was in Orlando. Luckily, Russel Westbrook and the rest of his team were able to pull out a win against the Philadelphia 76ers. He will have a chance to redeem himself when OKC takes on the Phoenix Suns at home on Friday.

Cody Zeller – Charlotte Hornets

Oct 26, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Cody Zeller (40) dunks during the first quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Oladipo’s former teammate Cody Zeller got off to a much better start. While Zeller had a modest first couple of years in the league, it seems he is finally coming into his own. Coming off the bench in 14 minutes, Zeller hit 5 out his 6 shots, finishing with 15 points. He also added 1 assist, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Zeller was effective on both sides of the court, and made an immediate impact. Surely he will give Roy Hibbert a competition for the starting spot if he continues to play like this. Zeller and the Hornets topped the up-and-coming Milwaukee Bucks 107-96. You can watch Zeller take on the Miami Heat on Friday.

Eric Gordon – Houston Rockets

Eric Gordon, another Hoosier who made his debut for a new team, played pretty well for teammate James Harden and the Rockets. While they lost the contest to an underwhelming Lakers team, Gordon was able to tally 19 points, going 7-15 from the floor. He did struggle from deep, only hitting 2 of his 8 attempts, but was the team’s 2nd leading scorer and contributed 5 rebounds. With James Harden moving to point guard and dishing out assists like they’re Halloween candy, expect Gordon to get many more wide-open shots. Gordon’s next contest is against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.

Noah Vonleh – Portland Trailblazers

Noah Vonleh did about everything he could with the minutes that were given to him. Only receiving 16 minutes of game-time, Vonleh hit all 5 of his shots, racking up a quick 11 points. He was only able to snag 1 rebound and block 1 shot, but when he was on the floor his team was a +14. It will be interesting to see if Vonleh can break into the starting lineup over a struggling Mason Plumlee. He played his part in Portland’s 113-104 win against the Utah Jazz, however, and the coach is surely pleased with what he saw. Vonleh spent his first season in the D-league, so it is remarkable how far he has come. He will want to continue to shine when the Trailblazers take on the Clippers tonight.