NBA
Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans
Man, New Orleans is historically bad – 4-22, which translates to a 13-69 finish.
But Trey Murphy III, personally, is having another career year – 21.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, on 48.6 percent shooting from the field, 36.1 percent from three.
TM3 averaged 21.2 ppg last season on 45.4 percent shooting from the field and 36.1 percent shooting from three – so, pretty consistent, in terms of high-level play.
Last season, the Pelicans finished with a 21-61 record.
Former top overall pick Zion Williamson was only on the court for 30 games last season, and he’s played in 10 this season.
De’Andre Hunter, Cleveland Cavaliers
De’Andre Hunter, coming off a career-high 17.0 points per game in 2024-2025, is averaging 15.9 points per game this season for Cleveland, which was 64-18 last year, but is off to a 15-11 start in 2025-2026.
Hunter’s shooting numbers are trailing off his 2024-2025 and career numbers – he’s 43.6 percent from the floor (last season: 47.0%; career: 45.%) and 31.0 percent from three (last season: 40.5%; career: 36.8%).
Positive: he’s played in 22 of Cleveland’s 26 games.
Durability has been an issue: Hunter has never played in more than 67 games in a full NBA season.
Jay Huff, Indiana Pacers
Jay Huff leads the NBA in blocked shots, by a lot – he’s the only guy averaging more than two per game (2.5).
Huff, playing for UVA Basketball alum Rick Carlisle, is averaging 19.2 minutes per g, with nine starts – and is putting up 7.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, shooting 42.2 percent from the floor and 32.1 percent from three.
In his last 11 games, dating back to a 20-point outing in a 127-118 win over Charlotte on Nov. 19, Huff is averaging 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.4 blocked shots per game, on 48.3 percent shooting from the field and 36.5 percent from three.
Indiana, taking a gap year, with star Tyrese Haliburton out for the season with an Achilles injury, is 6-19 this season.
Ryan Dunn, Phoenix Suns
Ryan Dunn is having a nice sophomore season out in the Valley of the Sun, averaging 7.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, shooting 45.9 percent from the floor and 30.2 percent from three.
He’s getting more run this season – 23.2 minutes per game; last season, he averaged 19.1 minutes per game.
Phoenix is off to a surprisingly good 15-11 start after shedding the contracts of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in the offseason.
Sam Hauser, Boston Celtics
Sam Hauser’s numbers are down across the board this season – he’s averaging 6.9 points per game on 34.5 percent shooting from the field and 34.2 percent from three; for reference, last season, Hauser was at 8.5 points per game, shooting 45.1 percent from the floor and 41.6 percent from three.
He was above 44 percent from the field and 41 percent from three in each of his first four NBA seasons.
Hauser is getting the most minutes of his career to date – 22.3 per game.
Boston is playing surprisingly well in what should be a gap year, with franchise player Jayson Tatum out with an Achilles injury – the Cs are 15-10 and in third in the Eastern Conference.
Anthony Gill and Ty Jerome
Anthony Gill is basically a coach in a uniform on the end of the bench with the Washington Wizards, a guy the Wiz keep on the payroll because he’s a great locker-room guy.
He’s averaging 3.6 minutes per game this season; career: 9.2 minutes per game.
Ty Jerome, coming off a career year in Cleveland, signed with the Memphis Grizzlies in the offseason, and promptly went on the injury list after suffering a high-grade right-calf strain in a preseason game in October.
The latest on Jerome: maybe a return in mid-January?
G League
Kyle Guy, Noblesville Boom (Indiana Pacers)
Kyle Guy retired in 2024, spent a year on the UVA Basketball coaching staff, left after Ryan Odom decided against retaining him, landing at Nevada, on the staff of Steve Alford, then decided to give his playing career one more shot, landing a gig with the Indiana Pacers’ G League affiliate, the Noblesville Boom.
It shouldn’t be long before Guy gets a call-up: he’s averaging 22.6 points and 6.3 assists per game, shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from three.
Gotta say here, as I’ve said a bunch over the years: it mystifies me why Kyle Guy can’t get a full-time job in the NBA.
Reece Beekman, Osceola Magic (Orlando Magic)
Reece Beekman is in the G League after getting 13.0 minutes per game in 36 games with Golden State and Brooklyn as a rookie in 2024-2025.
Beekman is averaging 8.3 points and 4.2 assists per game with Osceola.
I don’t know that those numbers get you a call.
Jordan Minor, Memphis Hustle (Memphis Grizzlies)
Jordan Minor, loved this guy, all effort – he’s in Year 2 in the G League, this season with Memphis, after spending his rookie season with the Long Island Nets.
This season, Minor is averaging 5.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game for the Hustle, shooting 54.5 percent from the floor.
He should look at jobs overseas next season – more money there than in the G League.
*Stats through Dec. 12, 2025
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Chris Graham
