Former NC State forward TJ Warren made his NBA debut Monday night against the Boston Celtics, where he helped seal the 118-114 victory by contributing seven points and three rebounds in 12 minutes played. The former Wolfpack star endured a long journey in the offseason, which finally paid off as his first appearance on the professional court came to fruition.
As the 14th overall pick of the NBA Draft, Warren made a splash on the Phoenix Suns roster in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The Durham native averaged 17.8 points in five games played, though, his numbers were depressed by a 7-minute outing in game two when receiving stitches, and a poor final game where he was forced to play center.
Warren put on a trio of phenomenal performances in July, which left scouts swooning, and left many to believe that Warren was the most talented offensive rookie in the summer league.
On offense, Warren was ferocious and unstoppable. While flaunting a consistent shooting percentage from mid-range and beyond the arc, Warren was most impressive when routinely making strong plays inside, using terrific body control to finish shots.
As many saw the young forward as a future success in the big league, it was difficult to see him acquiring sufficient playing time over the hefty Suns roster, which lacked anything but depth. Due to tough competition for playing time, Warren was primarily seen as a backup to Suns’ forwards PJ Tucker and Marcus Morris.
Three months later, the Suns began preseason play. After five games played, Warren averaged 4.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game, while making 50 percent of his shots. The young phenom’s NBA introduction was cut short after Warren suffered a thumb fracture against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 21. His injury was considered indefinite, putting the rookie’s season debut on hold.
Last week, the Phoenix Suns assigned its two first-round rookies, which included 18th overall pick Tyler Ennis, to play for a short stint in the Development League for the Bakersfield Jam.
The news of former NC State forward TJ Warren’s assignment to the NBA Development League left many people baffled and doubtful of the rookie’s ability; however, the short-spanned stint was anything but a demotion. The true purpose of Warren’s cameo in the Development League was to rehab his thumb and get his juices flowing before playing amongst professional players.
Warren played like a man amongst boys in his two games in Bakersfield. In his first outing, Bakersfield lost 127-125 to the Texas Legends. Warren put up 40 points, six rebounds, three steals and three assists, while shooting 16-27. The Jam won 112-103 against the Grand Rapids Drive in Warren’s second game, where he was 12 for 19 with 32 points, six rebounds, three steals, and two assists, while shooting 3-6 from downtown.
Following their second D-League performance, Warren and Ennis were recalled to the Suns roster. Positioned to make his first professional appearance, Warren was substituted for Marcus Morris in Monday’s game against the Celtics, where he shot 3-5, and made his only three-pointer attempted.
Warren will continue to receive close to 12 minutes of playing time throughout the season as long as he remains healthy. A factor that contributes to his minutes is starting forward PJ Tucker’s off the court issues, which include his arrest for a DUI in August.
The sky’s the limit for the young talent, and with years of development, Warren could transform into an elite member of the association.
