Florida Gators in the NBA: Chandler Parsons Fills the Stat Sheet in Opening Week

The NBA is back and that means that we get to take a look at the current Florida Gators in the NBA. Two Florida alums decided to switch teams in the offseason with Mike Miller joining Cleveland and Chandler Parsons swapping Houston for Dallas. A few Gators are banged up and have missed some time, while the Hawks Al Horford made his return after missing most of last season with a torn pectoral. And then there’s rookie Patric Young who will suit up for the New Orleans Pelicans.

In the NBA’s opening week, Horford and Parsons have lit up the stat sheet. Horford has already notched his first double-double of the season despite seeing less playing time as he gets back into game shape. Meanwhile, Parsons has quickly become the Mavs second scoring option as he has a streak of three straight 20 point games, including 29 points in a win against the Celtics and a monster dunk over Tim Duncan and the defending NBA Champions:

There are 12 former Gators in the NBA. Here’s how all of them fared in the first week of the NBA season:

SG Bradley Beal (2011-2012), Washington Wizards
After a breakout season a year ago, Beal has yet to make his regular season debut as he recovers from left wrist surgery to fix a non-displaced fracture of the scaphoid bone. He landed awkwardly on his non-shooting hand October 10 and is expected to miss six weeks total. Beal has a follow up with a doctor next week to determine if he can practice.

PF Matt Bonner (1999-2003), San Antonio Spurs
Bonner played in one of the first three games the Spurs have had this season and managed to nab two rebounds in 15 minutes.

SF Corey Brewer (2004-2007), Minnesota Timberwolves
Brewer started the first two games before coming off the bench the last two games of the season for the T-Wolves. He’s averaging 21.3 minutes 4.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, .3 assists, and 1.0 steals per game in the NBA’s opening week.

PG/SG Nick Calathes (2007-2009), Memphis Grizzlies
Calathes is still serving his 20 game suspension from last season for testing positive for Tamoxifen, considered a violation of a the NBA’s drug policy. He will miss the first 13 games of the season.

PF Udonis Haslem (1998-2002), Miami Heat
Haslem has missed the beginning of the season with a quadriceps injury. He remains day-t0-day for the Heat.

PF Al Horford (2004-2007), Atlanta Hawks
Horford returned to the court after missing the majority of last season with a torn right pectoral muscle. In three games, he’s averaging 14.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 1.0 steals in 30.0 minutes. In the season opener at Toronto, Horford managed a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds and followed that up with a 20 point performance in a win against Indiana.

PF David Lee (2001-2005), Golden State Warriors
Lee missed the first three games of the season with a hamstring injury before making his season debut Wednesday against the LA Clippers. He got out to a fast start, scoring six points in just seven minutes before reaggravating his hamstring injury. Lee will undergo an MRI Thursday.

PF Marreese Speights (2006-2008), Golden State Warriors
Speights has played in three of the first four games for the Warriors, averaging 11.7 minutes, 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, .7 assists, while shooting 55 percent from the field. Speight’s best game came on Golden State’s opening night where he filled the bucket with 16 points, five rebounds, and two assists.

SF Mike Miller (1998-2000), Cleveland Cavaliers
Miller decided in the offseason to follow Lebron James from the Miami to Cleveland. The sharpshooter has gotten off to a slow start for the 1-3 Cavs, having yet to sink a three-pointer and scoring just two points this season. Miller’s averaging .5 points and 1.8 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game.

C Joakim Noah (2004-2007), Chicago Bulls
Noah got back to what made him the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year in the first three games for the Bulls before coming down with flu-like symptoms and having to sit out the next two. He’s also coming off of offseason arthroscopic knee surgery. In the first three games of the season, Noah registered 6.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.7 blocks in 29.7 minutes. He had double-digit rebounds twice, with 13 versus Cleveland Friday and 11 at Minnesota the very next night.

SF Chandler Parsons (2007-2011), Dallas Mavericks
Parsons was one of the more sought after free agents of the 2014 offseason and decided to stay in Texas, moving from Houston to Dallas. He’s fit right in. In the Mavs first four games, Parsons is averaging 18.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, .3 blocks, and 1.0 steals while shooting 44.4 percent from beyond the arc and 50 percent overall in 33.0 minutes. He’s scored 20 points in three straight games, including 29 points in Monday’s win against Boston. Parsons is quickly becoming the Mavs second scoring option behind Dirk Nowitski.

PF Patric Young (2010-2014), New Orleans Pelicans
Young signed with New Orleans as an undrafted free agent following the 2014 NBA Draft. He played well enough in the Summer League to earn a Pelicans’ roster invite, but has yet to make his regular season debut.

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