Reece Beekman didn’t have his name called in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, but as expected, the four-year starter for UVA coach Tony Bennett was a hot commodity immediately after the draft.
Beekman signed a two-way NBA/G League deal with the Golden State Warriors not long after the draft concluded on Thursday.
Honestly, this may have been the best thing for Beekman, because he was able to decide for himself what the best situation would be for him, rather than having it forced on him by the draft process.
Beekman, a 6’3” point guard, had tested the draft waters last spring, before deciding to return to Virginia for his senior season in 2023-2024.
He actually could have returned for a COVID redshirt year in 2024-2025, but made the call pretty quickly after the 2023-2024 season that it was time for him to try to find a job.
His resume at UVA, where he was a four-year starter, includes the line item of two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
Per Synergy Sports, Beekman held opponents to 5.7 points per game on 34.0 percent shooting and 0.714 points per possession in 2023-2024.
He also improved his game on the offensive end, leading the ‘Hoos in scoring (14.3 points per game) last season, and he led the ACC in assists (6.2 per game), on decent shooting (44.3 percent from the floor overall, 31.0 percent from three-point range).
The knock on Beekman is that he may already be at his ceiling, and that he projects at best to be a backup at the next level.
There are worse things.
Looking at the Golden State roster, obviously, the point guard is a guy you may have heard of, Steph Curry.
The backup, for now, is the one-time best point guard in the world, Chris Paul, who, at age 39, has one year left on his deal, at $30 million, and is the subject of much speculation as to his future with the Warriors, with GM Mike Dunleavy saying earlier this week that “a lot of options are still on the table” with Paul.
I don’t know that you look at that and just assume that the Dubs are going to move Paul and then slot in Beekman as Curry’s backup, but there is a sliver of an opening there for Beekman.
It’s up to him to kick the door in with his play in the Summer League and training camp.
Not the worst situation for Beekman, by a long shot.
In the meantime, a two-way NBA/G League deal is worth $580,272, basically, one-half the NBA rookie minimum salary.
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Chris Graham
