Former McDonald's All-American Found His Way to NBA Through Four Years of College: Unselfish and Underrated, UNC's Pinson Signs Deal With Brooklyn Nets
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| Former UNC wing Theo Pinson signs with Brooklyn Nets (Nathan Klima/The Daily Tar Heel) |
Of the 24 players on the 2014 McDonald's All-American Game Roster, only three prospects completed their career competing four seasons at the same college program it committed to. Theo Pinson was one of the few to remain dedicated to the game of college basketball from beginning to end, along with the his teammate Joel Berry and arch-rival throughout the entirety of their NCAA career in Duke's Grayson Allen — another in Reid Travis is now playing as a graduate transfer at Kentucky, after earning his degree from Stanford.
Since the introduction of the rule in the NBA which regulated all American amateur players to be a year removed from high school before entering their name in the draft, the basketball landscape has seen a rise in the trend known as "one and done". The term refers to the prospect who spends one season playing college basketball before moving onto the professional ranks and entering their name in the NBA Draft — of which their have been plenty.
Many high school All-Americans are often thought to be a forgone conclusion as the next "one and done" prospect or expected to enter the draft early, ahead of their senior year. Others have remained in school an additional year or two allowing themselves to grow their game while the status of their draft stock varied. But rarely is the highly touted high school prospect who spends for years in college — at one program — seen, let alone paid palatable attention to by even those of who follow the game.
Playing in a game with nine future NBA lottery picks, included amongst them a number one overall selection and all-star (Karl-Anthony Towns), a player who scored 70 points in an NBA game and now has a $158 million contract (Devin Booker), plus a two-time NBA Finals Champion (Kevon Looney), you're forgiven if you've forgotten Pinson. More inclined to be a responsible role player than a selfish star, the North Carolina-bound recruit logged 11 minutes tallying three points, two rebounds, and three assists.
Despite his modest performance amongst the mass of talent the product of Wesley Christian Academy (NC) ranked 15th overall in the class of 2014 by 247 and 10th according to ESPN. Ahead of guys like Looney, Booker, Allen, D'Angelo Russell, and one spot before the guy he rose over in the McDonald's All-American Game, Kelly Oubre — another "one and done" prospect, now with the Washington Wizards.
The talented teen also was invited to participate in other national events such as the Jordan Brand Classic and Elite 24, for which he won the slam dunk competition when he jumped over his own mother to win the crown.
While many highly touted high school prospects are dubbed the "Big Man on Campus" as soon as they step foot on college campus or take on a significant spot in terms of scoring as freshman, Pinson earned a role that required he find other ways to contribute — particularly outside of putting points on the board himself. From the first game of his NCAA career against North Carolina Central, the newcomer showed he supply his squad with whatever was needed grabbing three rebounds, four assists, and two steals in a matter of 16 minutes on the court.
Though he didn't dip into double-digit scoring once in his first season, averaging 2.4 points per game, that didn't diminish the versatile 6'6 freshman from finding his footing on a UNC roster that featured future NBA first round picks Brice Johnson and Justin Jackson plus another draft pick in JP Tokoto at the wing/forward spots. Before breaking his left foot 19 games into the season, Pinson saw at least 10 minutes of action in each game prior having to sit out six weeks recovering from the injury.
Having had the the off-season to fully recover and rehab from his foot injury, after returning late in the season to play a handful of minutes in the team's final five games of his freshman year, Pinson worked his way into the starting lineup as a sophomore. Six games into the season seeing the court with the first five he made a transition by coming off the bench in order to accommodate head coach Roy Williams decision to play two point guards in Joel Berry and Marcus Paige to begin the game.
Ironically, it was Pinson who led the team in assist percentage (22.2%) as a forward/guard off the bench. Not only did he lead the team in assist percentage but he did well in terms of taking care of the basketball, finishing the year with an efficient 2.3/1 assist to turnover ratio. His impact didn't stop there. Unselfishly doing a lot of the dirty work that doesn't receive a tremendous amount of individual praise, he effectively infused energy to the second unit, while remaining in-tune with the players in the starting lineup when inserted into the game, often as the sixth man. Defensively, his versatility was on display as he was tasked with checking players of all sizes and positions.
Against North Carolina State he entered the game to defend lightning quick, 6'1 point guard Anthony "Cat" Barber, who seemingly couldn't be stopped (scoring 32 points) before Pinson slowed him down at the end of both halves to help give UNC the lead and the victory. In a matchup verse UCLA, whose front-line featured McDonald's All-Americans in 7-foot Thomas Welsh and 6'9, 260 pound Tony Parker, in addition to Philadelphia 76ers draft pick 6'10 Jonah Bolden, the 6'6 swingman for the Tar Heels played a majority of his 19 minutes at the "4" spot, allowing his team to take over the game with it's uptempo in an 89-76 win. His added dimension to the team, capable of being called upon to fill in the void it would normally take a variety of players to suffuse, allowed UNC to reach the National Championship, where it lost on a buzzer-beating three point shot to Villanova.
Adversity arose for Greensboro, NC native as he set to enter his junior year in 2016-2017. Suffering a broken foot for the second time in his NCAA career — this time on the right side — shelved him to the sidelines before the season could begin. Undergoing surgery in late October caused him to miss nearly two months, before resuming basketball activities just prior to the beginning of 2017. Officially returning back to the court on January 8th, in the midst of conference play, having missed 16 games, Pinson came off the bench while getting re-acclimated to the rigors of practicing and playing on a daily basis. Working himself back into the condition that allowed him to be deployed as a multifaceted weapon he had proven to be throughout his career.
The team benefitted from Pinson's presence — even if in an abbreviated manner — as it went 6-0 upon him rejoining them on the floor, before an ankle injury settled him on the sidelines again for three more games. Losing to Miami in his absence and again to Duke while subjected to a minutes restriction his re-return, the decision was made to insert the adaptable, team player into the starting lineup in 13 of the final 14 games of the season. During that time the Tar Heels went 12-2, en route to capturing the National Title that narrowly eluded them the year prior.
During the stretch run of the season, Pinson's performance proved pivotal in North Carolina's quest to hoist the Wooden NCAA National Championship trophy — particularly in clutch moments. Facing Kentucky in the Elite 8, it was his dribble, drive through full-court pressure down the length of the floor and ultimate assist to Luke Maye for the game-winning shot with 0.3 seconds that allowed UNC to prevail 75-73, and propel them into the Final Four.
Once in the Final Four, the competitive Carolina kid continued his cause for the team, tallying eight rebounds, five assists, and a block, in addition to scoring eight points against Oregon, in the national semifinal. His defensive intensity helped keep Ducks leading scorer Dillon Brooks — currently on the Memphis Grizzlies — to 10 points and 5 turnovers on 2-11 from the field, 0-3 from beyond the arc (averaged 16.3 points on 48.8 FG%, 40 3P%). Putting North Carolina in position to seal the win, Pinson came up with a crucial tip which led to an offensive rebound off a missed free throw to give them the ball back with less than five seconds to play and the Tar Heels leading 77-76.
In the title game against Gonzaga the swingman again came up big for North Carolina, when going up against a front-court that consisted of 7'1, 290 pound center Przemek Karnowski, athletic 6'9 Jonathan Williams, and future lottery pick of the Portland Traiblazers 7'0 Zach Collins, he was the game's second leading rebounder to teammate and center Kennedy Meeks, with nine. Still Pinson applied pressure on the perimeter helping neutralize the Bulldogs backcourt trio of Nigel Williams-Goss, Josh Perkins, and Jordan Matthes to 10-32 from the field. Only fittingly, his feed to fellow 2014 recruiting class member and McDonald's All-America Justin Jackson led to a three-point play which gave the Tar Heels the lead for good at 66-65 with 1:40 left secured the program's sixth National Championship.
Fully healthy entering his senior season, starting all 37 games, allowed for a solid if not special campaign for Pinson. He continued his all-around impact, taking it to a level that hadn't been seen in the tradition of North Carolina basketball — becoming the first player in UNC history and only the eighth in the ACC to average 10 points, five rebounds, five assists, joining former NBA players Kenny Anderson, Grant Hil, Bob Sura, and Greivis Vasquez.
Stats aside, the four-year player's leadership was on display in a number of different moments throughout the season. As a part of the starting lineup Pinson was required to play a majority of the minutes at the "4" or power forward spot, that he had done so effectively in spurts earlier in his career. Preparing himself for the rigors of battling taller and bigger opponents he added 10 pounds of muscle from his junior year, to bring himself to 220.
Toughness and determination, which defined the entirety of his career in Carolina blue, surfaced when after having to exit a contest against Clemson, due to incurring a shoulder strain, he missed no additional time playing in the next game against Pittsburgh. With his shot possibly restricted, though he kept it coy, the jack-of-all-trades Pinson didn't allow whatever lingering effects to diminish his physicality or playmaking ability against the Panthers —grabbing 13 rebounds (6 offensive) and collecting eight assists to only one turnover.
Further removed form the shoulder strain, the selective shooter seemed to have found his stroke over the final 12 games of his career, averaging 13.8 points on 53% from the field. That included setting his career-high twice during that span, including a 25-point performance against Miami in the ACC Tournament at his future home, the Barclays Center, where he earned first-team All-ACC Tournament honors.
Seeing a surge in his scoring didn't impede efforts to facilitate for teammates, collecting an average of 6.4 assists over the last 14 contests. Closing out his senior campaign with a fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, Pinson put up 15 points (on 6-8 shooting), 10 rebounds, and seven assists in a first round victory against Lipscomb. UNC's season and his college career came to a close when they lost to Texas A&M the next game. Despite not having his shot fall as effectively as it had all season, specifically down the stretch, the senior left his all on the floor. With an effort resemblant of his entire career at Carolina, he found ways to make plays, reeling in seven rebounds and administering 11 assists in a 86-65 defeat. Leading the team in assist for the 25th time during the season and 46th and final time throughout his career since having put on the #1 jersey for his home state university.
Receiving a late invitation to the NBA Draft Combine as a potential second-roud pick, Pinson went unselected during the 2018 NBA Draft. Despite not being chosen with one of the 60 picks, he received interest from a number of different teams throughout the league — completing workouts with nearly half the teams in the league including the Celtics, Jazz, Timberwolves, Knicks, and Hornets during the pre-draft process. His opportunity came with the Brooklyn Nets as he set to show his skills on their roster in the Las Vegas Summer League.
At the Summer League where countless of unheralded young players compete for a chance to earn a spot on an official NBA roster —including recent draft picks getting their first taste of professional basketball — Pinson put together a stat-line that echoed the type of performances he compiled at North Carolina. In the five games during the week of play, the college vet turned pro rookie averaged 11.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, a steal and a block. With the trend of the game at the next level requiring nearly all players be a threat from the perimeter, he quelled some concerns about his ability to knock the down the three point shot, shooting the ball well from beyond the arc at a rate of 43%. A noticeable improvement over his 3-point% during his NCAA career where he shot 25.7% (22.6% during 17-18).
Following his stellar showing in the Summer League, the Nets were impressed enough by Pinson to sign him to a contract, known as Exhibit 10, where he will have the opportunity to earn a spot on the team's active NBA roster. The deal comes with a $50,000 guarantee, and an opportunity to earn one of the two, "two-way contracts" each NBA team is granted, which allows players to spit time between the G-League and up to 45 days in the NBA, if promoted. With Brooklyn currently having 14 players under guaranteed contract, and another in guard Spencer Dinwiddie who broke-out last season as one of the finalists for NBA's Most Improved Player sure to secure a spot on the 15-man active roster, it is likely that the undrafted prospect will begin his career in the with the team's G-League affiliate, Long Island Nets.
Dare to forget about Pinson if you want, as he enters a Nets organization — still recovering from trades that sent multiple future draft picks in deals with the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks and deals like Deron Williams — that has dedicated developing numerous undrafted prospects and players from the G-League in recent years into viable NBA players. Now a listed 6'7, with a wingspan that nears seven feet (6'10.75,) he projects a profile of an NBA prospect that is more enticing than his statistical summary might show.
With the prowess capable of guarding players of all sizes and skill sets, plus playmaking ability regardless of who is on the floor — particularly with the trend of position-less basketball — he packages positive attributes that travel well in today's NBA. A continued consistency in his already improved jump-shot would further solidify himself worthy of a permanent place on a roster and rotation.
Furthermore, head coach Kenny Atkinson has shown an affinity for guys similar to Pinson in current Nets players, veteran DeMarre Carroll and fourth-year forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who've both consistently show tremendous effort in various aspects of the game prior to prioritizing the practice of individual points.
While it's unlikely that an immediate opportunity on the Nets roster will be available in a starring or starting position, Pinson is fortunate to have the team-first, unselfish mentality, and experience to succeed as a role player that many prospects transitioning to the pros, who've only known being the primary option, struggle with.
Undrafted. Yes.
Underrated. By many.
Unselfish ...
Only a few can say they succeeded making it to the NBA not focusing on their individual indulgence.
Theo Pinson may be the last of a dying breed.
Since the introduction of the rule in the NBA which regulated all American amateur players to be a year removed from high school before entering their name in the draft, the basketball landscape has seen a rise in the trend known as "one and done". The term refers to the prospect who spends one season playing college basketball before moving onto the professional ranks and entering their name in the NBA Draft — of which their have been plenty.
Many high school All-Americans are often thought to be a forgone conclusion as the next "one and done" prospect or expected to enter the draft early, ahead of their senior year. Others have remained in school an additional year or two allowing themselves to grow their game while the status of their draft stock varied. But rarely is the highly touted high school prospect who spends for years in college — at one program — seen, let alone paid palatable attention to by even those of who follow the game.
Playing in a game with nine future NBA lottery picks, included amongst them a number one overall selection and all-star (Karl-Anthony Towns), a player who scored 70 points in an NBA game and now has a $158 million contract (Devin Booker), plus a two-time NBA Finals Champion (Kevon Looney), you're forgiven if you've forgotten Pinson. More inclined to be a responsible role player than a selfish star, the North Carolina-bound recruit logged 11 minutes tallying three points, two rebounds, and three assists.
Despite his modest performance amongst the mass of talent the product of Wesley Christian Academy (NC) ranked 15th overall in the class of 2014 by 247 and 10th according to ESPN. Ahead of guys like Looney, Booker, Allen, D'Angelo Russell, and one spot before the guy he rose over in the McDonald's All-American Game, Kelly Oubre — another "one and done" prospect, now with the Washington Wizards.
The talented teen also was invited to participate in other national events such as the Jordan Brand Classic and Elite 24, for which he won the slam dunk competition when he jumped over his own mother to win the crown.
While many highly touted high school prospects are dubbed the "Big Man on Campus" as soon as they step foot on college campus or take on a significant spot in terms of scoring as freshman, Pinson earned a role that required he find other ways to contribute — particularly outside of putting points on the board himself. From the first game of his NCAA career against North Carolina Central, the newcomer showed he supply his squad with whatever was needed grabbing three rebounds, four assists, and two steals in a matter of 16 minutes on the court.
Though he didn't dip into double-digit scoring once in his first season, averaging 2.4 points per game, that didn't diminish the versatile 6'6 freshman from finding his footing on a UNC roster that featured future NBA first round picks Brice Johnson and Justin Jackson plus another draft pick in JP Tokoto at the wing/forward spots. Before breaking his left foot 19 games into the season, Pinson saw at least 10 minutes of action in each game prior having to sit out six weeks recovering from the injury.
Having had the the off-season to fully recover and rehab from his foot injury, after returning late in the season to play a handful of minutes in the team's final five games of his freshman year, Pinson worked his way into the starting lineup as a sophomore. Six games into the season seeing the court with the first five he made a transition by coming off the bench in order to accommodate head coach Roy Williams decision to play two point guards in Joel Berry and Marcus Paige to begin the game.
Ironically, it was Pinson who led the team in assist percentage (22.2%) as a forward/guard off the bench. Not only did he lead the team in assist percentage but he did well in terms of taking care of the basketball, finishing the year with an efficient 2.3/1 assist to turnover ratio. His impact didn't stop there. Unselfishly doing a lot of the dirty work that doesn't receive a tremendous amount of individual praise, he effectively infused energy to the second unit, while remaining in-tune with the players in the starting lineup when inserted into the game, often as the sixth man. Defensively, his versatility was on display as he was tasked with checking players of all sizes and positions.
Against North Carolina State he entered the game to defend lightning quick, 6'1 point guard Anthony "Cat" Barber, who seemingly couldn't be stopped (scoring 32 points) before Pinson slowed him down at the end of both halves to help give UNC the lead and the victory. In a matchup verse UCLA, whose front-line featured McDonald's All-Americans in 7-foot Thomas Welsh and 6'9, 260 pound Tony Parker, in addition to Philadelphia 76ers draft pick 6'10 Jonah Bolden, the 6'6 swingman for the Tar Heels played a majority of his 19 minutes at the "4" spot, allowing his team to take over the game with it's uptempo in an 89-76 win. His added dimension to the team, capable of being called upon to fill in the void it would normally take a variety of players to suffuse, allowed UNC to reach the National Championship, where it lost on a buzzer-beating three point shot to Villanova.
Adversity arose for Greensboro, NC native as he set to enter his junior year in 2016-2017. Suffering a broken foot for the second time in his NCAA career — this time on the right side — shelved him to the sidelines before the season could begin. Undergoing surgery in late October caused him to miss nearly two months, before resuming basketball activities just prior to the beginning of 2017. Officially returning back to the court on January 8th, in the midst of conference play, having missed 16 games, Pinson came off the bench while getting re-acclimated to the rigors of practicing and playing on a daily basis. Working himself back into the condition that allowed him to be deployed as a multifaceted weapon he had proven to be throughout his career.
The team benefitted from Pinson's presence — even if in an abbreviated manner — as it went 6-0 upon him rejoining them on the floor, before an ankle injury settled him on the sidelines again for three more games. Losing to Miami in his absence and again to Duke while subjected to a minutes restriction his re-return, the decision was made to insert the adaptable, team player into the starting lineup in 13 of the final 14 games of the season. During that time the Tar Heels went 12-2, en route to capturing the National Title that narrowly eluded them the year prior.
During the stretch run of the season, Pinson's performance proved pivotal in North Carolina's quest to hoist the Wooden NCAA National Championship trophy — particularly in clutch moments. Facing Kentucky in the Elite 8, it was his dribble, drive through full-court pressure down the length of the floor and ultimate assist to Luke Maye for the game-winning shot with 0.3 seconds that allowed UNC to prevail 75-73, and propel them into the Final Four.
Once in the Final Four, the competitive Carolina kid continued his cause for the team, tallying eight rebounds, five assists, and a block, in addition to scoring eight points against Oregon, in the national semifinal. His defensive intensity helped keep Ducks leading scorer Dillon Brooks — currently on the Memphis Grizzlies — to 10 points and 5 turnovers on 2-11 from the field, 0-3 from beyond the arc (averaged 16.3 points on 48.8 FG%, 40 3P%). Putting North Carolina in position to seal the win, Pinson came up with a crucial tip which led to an offensive rebound off a missed free throw to give them the ball back with less than five seconds to play and the Tar Heels leading 77-76.
In the title game against Gonzaga the swingman again came up big for North Carolina, when going up against a front-court that consisted of 7'1, 290 pound center Przemek Karnowski, athletic 6'9 Jonathan Williams, and future lottery pick of the Portland Traiblazers 7'0 Zach Collins, he was the game's second leading rebounder to teammate and center Kennedy Meeks, with nine. Still Pinson applied pressure on the perimeter helping neutralize the Bulldogs backcourt trio of Nigel Williams-Goss, Josh Perkins, and Jordan Matthes to 10-32 from the field. Only fittingly, his feed to fellow 2014 recruiting class member and McDonald's All-America Justin Jackson led to a three-point play which gave the Tar Heels the lead for good at 66-65 with 1:40 left secured the program's sixth National Championship.
Fully healthy entering his senior season, starting all 37 games, allowed for a solid if not special campaign for Pinson. He continued his all-around impact, taking it to a level that hadn't been seen in the tradition of North Carolina basketball — becoming the first player in UNC history and only the eighth in the ACC to average 10 points, five rebounds, five assists, joining former NBA players Kenny Anderson, Grant Hil, Bob Sura, and Greivis Vasquez.
Stats aside, the four-year player's leadership was on display in a number of different moments throughout the season. As a part of the starting lineup Pinson was required to play a majority of the minutes at the "4" or power forward spot, that he had done so effectively in spurts earlier in his career. Preparing himself for the rigors of battling taller and bigger opponents he added 10 pounds of muscle from his junior year, to bring himself to 220.
Toughness and determination, which defined the entirety of his career in Carolina blue, surfaced when after having to exit a contest against Clemson, due to incurring a shoulder strain, he missed no additional time playing in the next game against Pittsburgh. With his shot possibly restricted, though he kept it coy, the jack-of-all-trades Pinson didn't allow whatever lingering effects to diminish his physicality or playmaking ability against the Panthers —grabbing 13 rebounds (6 offensive) and collecting eight assists to only one turnover.
Further removed form the shoulder strain, the selective shooter seemed to have found his stroke over the final 12 games of his career, averaging 13.8 points on 53% from the field. That included setting his career-high twice during that span, including a 25-point performance against Miami in the ACC Tournament at his future home, the Barclays Center, where he earned first-team All-ACC Tournament honors.
Seeing a surge in his scoring didn't impede efforts to facilitate for teammates, collecting an average of 6.4 assists over the last 14 contests. Closing out his senior campaign with a fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, Pinson put up 15 points (on 6-8 shooting), 10 rebounds, and seven assists in a first round victory against Lipscomb. UNC's season and his college career came to a close when they lost to Texas A&M the next game. Despite not having his shot fall as effectively as it had all season, specifically down the stretch, the senior left his all on the floor. With an effort resemblant of his entire career at Carolina, he found ways to make plays, reeling in seven rebounds and administering 11 assists in a 86-65 defeat. Leading the team in assist for the 25th time during the season and 46th and final time throughout his career since having put on the #1 jersey for his home state university.
Receiving a late invitation to the NBA Draft Combine as a potential second-roud pick, Pinson went unselected during the 2018 NBA Draft. Despite not being chosen with one of the 60 picks, he received interest from a number of different teams throughout the league — completing workouts with nearly half the teams in the league including the Celtics, Jazz, Timberwolves, Knicks, and Hornets during the pre-draft process. His opportunity came with the Brooklyn Nets as he set to show his skills on their roster in the Las Vegas Summer League.
At the Summer League where countless of unheralded young players compete for a chance to earn a spot on an official NBA roster —including recent draft picks getting their first taste of professional basketball — Pinson put together a stat-line that echoed the type of performances he compiled at North Carolina. In the five games during the week of play, the college vet turned pro rookie averaged 11.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, a steal and a block. With the trend of the game at the next level requiring nearly all players be a threat from the perimeter, he quelled some concerns about his ability to knock the down the three point shot, shooting the ball well from beyond the arc at a rate of 43%. A noticeable improvement over his 3-point% during his NCAA career where he shot 25.7% (22.6% during 17-18).
Following his stellar showing in the Summer League, the Nets were impressed enough by Pinson to sign him to a contract, known as Exhibit 10, where he will have the opportunity to earn a spot on the team's active NBA roster. The deal comes with a $50,000 guarantee, and an opportunity to earn one of the two, "two-way contracts" each NBA team is granted, which allows players to spit time between the G-League and up to 45 days in the NBA, if promoted. With Brooklyn currently having 14 players under guaranteed contract, and another in guard Spencer Dinwiddie who broke-out last season as one of the finalists for NBA's Most Improved Player sure to secure a spot on the 15-man active roster, it is likely that the undrafted prospect will begin his career in the with the team's G-League affiliate, Long Island Nets.
Dare to forget about Pinson if you want, as he enters a Nets organization — still recovering from trades that sent multiple future draft picks in deals with the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks and deals like Deron Williams — that has dedicated developing numerous undrafted prospects and players from the G-League in recent years into viable NBA players. Now a listed 6'7, with a wingspan that nears seven feet (6'10.75,) he projects a profile of an NBA prospect that is more enticing than his statistical summary might show.
With the prowess capable of guarding players of all sizes and skill sets, plus playmaking ability regardless of who is on the floor — particularly with the trend of position-less basketball — he packages positive attributes that travel well in today's NBA. A continued consistency in his already improved jump-shot would further solidify himself worthy of a permanent place on a roster and rotation.
Furthermore, head coach Kenny Atkinson has shown an affinity for guys similar to Pinson in current Nets players, veteran DeMarre Carroll and fourth-year forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who've both consistently show tremendous effort in various aspects of the game prior to prioritizing the practice of individual points.
While it's unlikely that an immediate opportunity on the Nets roster will be available in a starring or starting position, Pinson is fortunate to have the team-first, unselfish mentality, and experience to succeed as a role player that many prospects transitioning to the pros, who've only known being the primary option, struggle with.
Undrafted. Yes.
Underrated. By many.
Unselfish ...
Only a few can say they succeeded making it to the NBA not focusing on their individual indulgence.
Theo Pinson may be the last of a dying breed.
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