Bluejays

<p>Naturally, the focus on the Brooklyn Nets in the upcoming season will be their superstar trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. But when it comes to achieving their ultimate goal, there are four new 30-something-year-old players who will give Brooklyn a level of experience greater than any team in the Eastern Conference.</p>
<p>Patty Mills, Paul Millsap, LaMarcus Aldridge and James Johnson have joined the Nets, who were ousted by the eventual-NBA-champion Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the playoffs last season. (Brooklyn dropped Games 6 and 7 after holding a 3-2 lead.)</p>
<p>Aldridge and Millsap are both 36, Johnson is 34 and Mills is 33. Put them together along with Durant (32), Harden (32), Blake Griffin (32), Joe Harris (30) and Irving, who will turn 30 in March, and the Nets have one of the most experienced rosters ever to compete for an NBA title.</p>
<p>And make no mistake, a title is what the Nets are after &ndash; something they made clear in no uncertain terms Tuesday as coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks met with the media in advance of the opening of training camp later this month.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Our goal is to be the last team standing,&rdquo; said Marks, adding that a couple of the Nets players &ndash; he would not name exactly which ones &ndash; are not yet in compliance with new NBA COVID protocols that will impact teams in New York and California.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The NBA reportedly informed teams in early September that new laws in both New York and San Francisco regarding vaccine requirements will be enforced for members of the Knicks, Nets and Golden State Warriors unless there is an approved medical or religious exemption. The NBPA has refused to budge on its demand that players not be required to take the vaccine, and any proposal that mandates vaccination remains a "non-starter,&rdquo; <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjN7MaD_5DzAhUmTt8KHTZsBosQFnoECAQQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F_%2Fid%2F32208394%2Fsources-nba-players-required-get-covid-19-vaccination&amp;usg=AOvVaw0kBp4VdTVE-NthM8rFdAio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to ESPN</a>.</p>
<p>Marks, without getting into specifics, says he expects to have all 19 players available when camp opens, and a decision will be made over the next week on whether to bring in a 20th player to compete for a roster spot or to sign a two-way contract.</p>
<p>Marks also said he is engaged with representatives for Irving and Harden on contract extensions, which would allow the Nets to have their superstar trio signed for the long-term after Durant <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kevin-durant-signs-multiyear-contract-extension-with-nets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed a four-year, $198 million extension over the summer</a>.</p>
<p>What will make the Nets different this season &mdash; aside from health issues, which impacted the team considerably last regular season and postseason &mdash; is the veteran depth they have added through the signings of the four seasoned free agents; arguably the most notable is Aldridge, who joined the Nets last season before issues with an irregular heartbeat forced him to retire and miss the team's playoff run.</p>
<p>Aldridge has now been cleared by a cardiologist and is gung-ho to resume his career. &ldquo;I tried to talk him out of it,&rdquo; Marks said. &ldquo;He stated, like several of our guys, that there was unfinished business here. He was fighting to be back to be on the last team standing, and he wants to be a part of it.&rdquo;</p>
<p>As a practical matter, Nash will have to seek ways to find a rotation that both incorporates all of the new players (along with the returning players) and keeps everyone satisfied with their roles. The Nets already had three ball-dominant players in Harden, Irving and Durant. Mills has the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/patty-mills-ecstatic-to-be-competing-for-championship-in-brooklyn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">capability of being a microwave type</a> as well, as he showed with the Australian national team's bronze-medal run; he averaged 23.3 points and 6.3 assists per contest, and scored 42 points in the Aussies&rsquo; final game of the Tokyo Olympics.</p>
<p>Mills, a 12-year veteran, spent the past 10 seasons in San Antonio and has played in a total of 90 career playoff games. Aldridge, a 15-year veteran, played in five games for Brooklyn last season before his heart condition forced him to step aside; he has appeared in 72 career playoff games. Millsap, who was with Denver the past four seasons, is a 15-year veteran with 129 career playoff games. And Johnson, who was with Dallas and New Orleans last season, is a 12-year veteran who will be playing with his 10th NBA team; he has appeared in 24 career postseason games.</p>
<p>The presence of all of those veterans will make it difficult for Nash to find playing time for his rookies, which include first-round picks Cam Thomas and Day&rsquo;Ron Shape and second-round picks Kessler Edwards, RaiQuan Gray and Marcus Zegarowski.</p>
<p>It is the type of &ldquo;abundance of riches&rdquo; problem that other coaches would love to have. For Nash, it is a matter of managing those players&rsquo; expectations. To illustrate that, Nash explained when he was a first-round pick (15th overall by the Phoenix Suns in 1996), he played only 10-and-a-half minutes per game before going on to a Hall-of-Fame career.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve added a lot to our collective IQ and experience,&rdquo; Nash said.</p>

Chris Sheridan details how the Nets' additions over the offseason could be the perfect complement to their Big Three.

Nets hopeful that veterans help championship formula with Big Three

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After shining at Creighton, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/marcus-zegarowski" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marcus Zegarowski</a> proved that he belongs on an NBA roster.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The All-Big-East First-Team selection averaged 15.8 points, 4.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 2.8 threes and 1.3 steals while shooting 46.4% from the field and 42.1% from three. The 22-year-old shot above 42% from three-point range in each of his three collegiate seasons.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock has Zegarowski going No. 51 to the New Orleans Pelicans in our </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">latest 2021 mock draft</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Babcock&rsquo;s scouting breakdown of Zegarowski </span><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/marcus-zegarowski"><span style="font-weight: 400;">reads</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">: &ldquo;Although a bit undersized at 6-foot-1, Marcus Zegarowski excels as a facilitator, playmaker, and shooter. He connected on 42.1% of his three-point attempts this season, while attempting 6.6 per game. He's reliable as a pull-up shooter and is solid as a lead ball-handling facilitator. The former Creighton Bluejay has potential to serve as a solid backup point guard at the next level.&rdquo;</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Throughout the pre-draft process, he has worked out for the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors among others.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">BasketballNews.com caught up with Zegarowski to discuss his game, the advice he's received from his older brother (Michael Carter-Williams), his pre-draft experience, his off-court interests and more.</span></p>
<div><strong>Who&nbsp;were some players you grew up watching and studying?</strong></div>
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<div dir="ltr"><strong>Zegarowski</strong>: Growing up I've always watched, obviously, my brother Michael [Carter-Williams]. He's someone I've always watched and just learned from. I just followed him around all the time when I was younger. I know we're different players, but we're from the same fabric, so we have some similarities as well. Our mindset towards the game I took from him -- just stuff like that. I also like Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Chris Paul -- those are some guys I grew up watching, and found a love for the game because of them. And then now, Fred VanVleet I watched a lot of, [and] Kemba Walker. I try to take bits and pieces from every point guard because I can always learn and get better at it.</div>
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<div><strong>Has Carter-Williams been able to give you advice since he's been through the process?</strong></div>
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<div><strong>Zegarowski</strong>: Yeah, having him go through high school into college, I kind of learned at a young age that that's what it takes to get there. I just saw his work ethic every day, I saw the sacrifices that he made and tried to literally copy what he did and just try and work even harder. I happened to achieve some things that he's achieved in his career, so it's just a blessing to even do that.</div>
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<div><strong>What are some areas of your game that you want to continue to improve?</strong></div>
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<div><strong>Zegarowski</strong>: I want to continue to improve on, obviously, everything. I feel like I'm not perfect at anything, and I'll never be perfect at anything, so improving on everything is something I need to do at the next level. But specifically, probably just my athleticism, my pace and just getting to my spots early in offense. Defensively, I can get better at being able to guard multiple positions, being able to pick up full-court and change the dynamic of the game.</div>
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<div><strong>Are there any misconceptions about your game that you're hoping to disprove throughout this process?</strong></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><strong>Zegarowski</strong>: I think I'm really underrated and I think a lot of people just doubt me. That's how I've always been my whole career... and I've always proved people wrong. That's just how my career has gone through high school [and] through college. It's the easy road to say I'm not as good as people think I am, so I'm excited to prove those people wrong, and I just want to continue to work and just continue to showcase what I can do.</div>
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<div><strong>How do you feel like your game fits in today's NBA?</strong></div>
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<div><strong>Zegarowski</strong>: I think it fits really well. I think I can shoot the ball. I can stretch the defense. I think I play fast, I play with pace, and I'm an unselfish guy who's gonna make players around him better; I'm going to get guys to where they want to get to and I'm just going to be a winning player. I've always won at every level and I just impact winning. Great team guy, I'll do whatever the team needs me to do, I really think today's game is perfect for me. I think just how fast it is, how many possessions in the game -- that's how we played at Creighton, that's how I like to play, and I'm excited to hopefully get to that.</div>
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<div><strong>What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given?</strong></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><strong>Zegarowski</strong>: That's a tough question because I've had a lot of great people [give me advice], including just my family -- my parents and my older brother, Michael. They just tell me, just keep working hard. Don't let a good game or a bad game dictate how you feel. Try to stay level-headed. From Michael, it's just always: love the basketball game. He's always just told me, like, once you get to this level, it's going to be different than just playing. There's more to it -- there's business, there's politics, you can be traded. There's all different dynamics that are in this league, so you just got to continue to love the game the same way you loved it when you were little, and good things will happen. He gives me a lot of advice, but that's one thing that really sticks out.</div>
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<div><strong>In your bio at Creighton, it says your first trophy was in football. Did you play a lot when you were young? Were you a multi-sport athlete?</strong></div>
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<div><strong>Zegarowski</strong>: I played baseball, soccer, football and basketball until, like, fourth grade, but then once fourth grade hit, I just played football and basketball up until eighth grade. In high school, I didn't play football. Growing up, I used to like football more than basketball. That was one of my first loves. I just liked it more -- I was more of a football guy growing up. But as high school came around, with my body type, my parents didn't want me to play football, so I just took to basketball. I obviously love it more -- it's a sport that fits me.</div>
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<div><strong>Your bio also said you were a journalism major at Creighton. Has that knowledge helped you during the process with interviews and talking to teams?</strong></div>
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<div><strong>Zegarowski: </strong>Yeah, 100%. That was one of the reasons why I wanted to take journalism, was to be more prepared in this field, being able to articulate, being able to speak well, have manners and just be advanced in that area, because it'll take you a long way. Originally, I wanted to take Communications, but Creighton didn't have that. So, I took classes that would kind of equal that. I took PR classes, I took broadcasting classes, I took interview classes, I took all kinds of different classes, so it was really good. I had a lot of great professors there that definitely helped me.</div>
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<div><strong>After you finish your career, would you want to work in media?</strong></div>
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<div><strong>Zegarowski</strong>: That's definitely something I want to do down the line. And for me, it was something that I was afraid of. I used to hate speaking, I used to hate writing, and it was something I just wanted to get better at. I used to stutter a little bit growing up, and I just wanted to be able to kind of face that fear. Taking those classes really helped me grow in that area. Definitely down the line -- I don't know what I want to do yet, but obviously I know I want to be a player, and then once the ball stops bouncing, hopefully I'll either be in that, or coaching, or anything involving a basketball. But yeah, media definitely appeals to me.</div>
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<div><strong>When did you get into boxing and UFC?</strong></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><strong>Zegarowski: </strong>I kinda got the love for it from my dad and my older brother. Usually what they like, I usually like. I just remember them always watching boxing and UFC, and once I got to high school, I started to really fall in love with it. I just loved those two sports, especially UFC. I watch every fight that's on pay-per-view. I actually had tickets to the [Conor] McGregor fight, but I couldn't go because, obviously, I had the pre-draft training and I had workouts. I didn't want to mess up my schedule. But I just love the sport. I take a lot from it. I learn from a lot of those athletes. It's just cool to see how hard they work and how much they believe in themselves, and how they talk a lot of crap and then back it up. The mental aspect of it really appeals to me, and I kind of carry it over to basketball.</div>
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<div><strong>I saw that you write left-handed. Are you ambidextrous?</strong></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><strong>Zegarowski:</strong>&nbsp;Yeah, I really do everything left-handed. I'm holding my phone right now with my left hand.</div>
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<div><strong>Has it helped you from a basketball standpoint, being comfortable with both hands?</strong></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><strong>Zegarowski:</strong> It definitely does help me a lot. Growing up, people used to force me left, then after a little bit, they'll see that I'm a lefty. I like going left. If you watch me play basketball, I can dribble more on my left hand and I can pass better off the dribble with my left hand, just stuff like that. It definitely gives me an advantage, that I can finish as good with my left hand as my right hand. Some days I'm like, "Man, I wish my right hand was a little bit better..." I actually work on my right hand more often than my left hand when I'm dribbling and stuff like that. I like it; it's good to have.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><strong>If an NBA general manager asked you why they should draft you, what would you tell them?</strong></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><strong>Zegarowski: </strong>If you want to win, then take me. I feel like I can do anything on that court. I can score, I can facilitate, [and] I can lock down on defense. I can do whatever the team needs me to do and I'm just going to impact winning. I'm just going to figure out what I need to do on the team, I'm going to earn everything I got, and then I'm just going to try and win as many ball games as possible. At the end of day, I just want to win, and I think your best chance is [if] you're going to take me, because I truly believe I'm the best point guard in the draft.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out BasketballNews.com's latest 2021 NBA Mock Draft.</a></div>

Marcus Zegarowski discusses his game, advice he's gotten from his brother (Michael Carter-Williams), his off-court interests and more.

Marcus Zegarowski Q&A: 'I truly believe I'm the best PG in the draft'

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the 2021 NBA Draft just days away, BasketballNews.com's Lead NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock has put together a list of the top available prospects by position.</span></p>
<p>Here are the best point guards in this year's class:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/cade-cunningham" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State</strong></a></p>
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<p>Widely considered the favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cade Cunningham has very few holes in his game. At 6-foot-8, he can play multiple positions including being a floor general who can carry his team&rsquo;s offense in crunch time when necessary. He has a tremendous basketball IQ and is improving as a shooter. Although he is not an elite athlete, he is perhaps the safest bet to have a long and successful NBA career of all the players in this year's draft.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/jalen-suggs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jalen Suggs, Gonzaga</strong></a></p>
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<p>Suggs&rsquo; intelligence and feel may be the best of any prospect in this draft class. He&rsquo;s a true point guard on the offensive end who has superior toughness and court presence. He is also a capable defender who has shown glimpses of the two-way star that he could become. If he is able to improve his consistency as a shooter, he will provide high-level value in the NBA for years to come.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/joshua-giddey" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Josh Giddey, Adelaide 36ers</strong></a></p>
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<p>Josh Giddey has continued to improve at a rapid rate throughout this season in Australia. While he isn't overly athletic, at 6-foot-8, his court vision and basketball IQ shine through in everything he does on the court. An intelligent initiator with positional size and versatility, Giddey is a valuable asset in today's NBA.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/davion-mitchell" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Davion Mitchell, Baylor</strong></a></p>
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<p>After a memorable season that saw his Baylor Bears win the national championship, no one has helped themselves over the past year as much as Davion Mitchell. An elite, physical, and pesky on-ball defender and a much-improved outside shooter and playmaker, Mitchell has entered the conversation as a possible lottery pick.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/jared-butler" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jared Butler, Baylor</strong></a></p>
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<p>One of the best shooters in college basketball this past season - both off of the dribble and from catch-and-shoot opportunities - Jared Butler was a key part of Baylor&rsquo;s success. In addition to spreading the floor, he showed that he&rsquo;s an effective playmaker, as he constantly created open looks for his entire team. On the defensive end, he is a pest on the ball, often disrupting ball-handlers creating turnovers. Butler is a highly intelligent player who is impactful on both ends of the floor. From a talent standpoint, he is more than capable of being a solid, reliable guard in the NBA.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/sharife-cooper" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sharife Cooper, Auburn</strong></a></p>
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<p>Cooper's impact on offense is undeniable. He is the best passer and facilitator in the draft, and he has an ability to collapse defenses and make jaw-dropping passes on the move. He has elite court vision, but he&rsquo;s also a crafty finisher at the rim. He's undersized and his ability to shoot from deep is a big swing skill, but he's shown that he should be able to run an offense at the next level.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/tre-mann" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tre Mann, Florida</strong></a></p>
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<p>Having vastly improved from his freshman to sophomore season, Tre Mann, a 6-foot-5 combo guard, has solidified himself as one of the better guards in this year&rsquo;s draft. His footwork, pull-up shooting, creativity, passing, and ability to play on or off the ball make him a hot commodity.</p>
<p><strong><a href="&lt;iframe%20width=&quot;560&quot;%20height=&quot;315&quot;%20src=&quot;https:/www.youtube.com/embed/J5lWFOh0gew&quot;%20title=&quot;YouTube%20video%20player&quot;%20frameborder=&quot;0&quot;%20allow=&quot;accelerometer;%20autoplay;%20clipboard-write;%20encrypted-media;%20gyroscope;%20picture-in-picture&quot;%20allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miles McBride, West Virginia</a></strong></p>
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<p>Mostly known for his defensive prowess and frustrating opposing ball-handlers, there is more to McBride's game than just that. He averaged nearly 16.0 points per game while hitting 41% of his three-point attempts this season, giving promise to real two-way impact at the next level. He is a bit undersized for his position, but he's a hard-nosed competitor who makes winning plays.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/nah-shon-hyland" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nah'Shon "Bones" Hyland, VCU</strong></a></p>
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<p>Nah'shon "Bones" Hyland is a skilled guard who easily has legitimate NBA range as a three-point shooter. In two seasons at VCU, he hit 39.9% of his 331 three-point attempts. He broke out as a sophomore, averaging 19.5 points per game. He lacks the ability to play as a true point guard, but he's a good playmaker who can create looks for both himself and others. If he cleans up his shot selection and defensive discipline, he projects nicely at the next level.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/david-duke" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>David Duke Jr., Providence</strong></a></p>
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<p>At 6-foot-4 with a powerful frame, David Duke is a lead guard who can score on multiple levels. He plays with a good combination of burst and change-of-pace as he attacks the rim. He was also able to knock down 38.9% of his three-point attempts this past season. Duke's rim finishing and jump shooting will need to be more consistent at the next level, but he has the tools and toughness to carve out a role in the NBA.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/marcus-zegarowski" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Marcus Zegarowski, Creighton</strong></a></p>
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<p>Although a bit undersized at 6-foot-1, Marcus Zegarowski excels as a facilitator, playmaker, and shooter. He connected on 42.1% of his three-point attempts this season, while attempting 6.6 per game. He's reliable as a pull-up shooter and is solid as a lead ball-handling facilitator. The former Creighton Bluejay has potential to serve as a solid backup point guard at the next level.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/d-j-steward" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>DJ Steward, Duke</strong></a></p>
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<p>A point guard in high school, DJ Steward earned a spot in the McDonald's All-American Game due to his speed and playmaking ability. At Duke, he was asked to play off-ball more than ever before, averaging 13.0 points and shooting 34.0% from deep. Look for him to play on-ball more at the next level as he continues to improve as both a distributor and shooter.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/daishen-nix" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Daishen Nix, G League Ignite</strong></a></p>
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<p>At 6-foot-3, Daishen Nix is an excellent passer with great vision, and he averaged 8.9 points and 5.1 assists in 16 Bubble games for the G League Ignite this season. He has a powerful frame and has shown the ability to create for his teammates at a high level. He'll need to improve his engagement and technique on defense, but there is a lot to like in Nix as a primary ball-handler.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/david-johnson" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>David Johnson, Louisville</strong></a></p>
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<p>David Johnson is an intelligent, anticipatory passer on offense, and an instinctual playmaker on defense. Johnson's outside shooting has been streaky throughout his two seasons at Louisville, but he plays with a strong basketball IQ and can provide value on both ends of the floor. He projects well as a defensive-minded, facilitating backup point guard.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/big-board/players/jason-preston" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jason Preston, Ohio</a></strong></p>
<p>Jason Preston was one of the most productive players in the country last season, leading Ohio to the NCAA Tournament. He has a unique ability to facilitate for teammates, while also knocking down 39.0% of his shots from deep. He had a 38.5-inch max vertical at the NBA Combine, and is a viable option for being selected in the 2021 NBA Draft.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>To see BasketballNews.com's latest 2021 NBA Mock Draft, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.</em></p>

Matt Babcock lists his best point guard prospects in the upcoming 2021 NBA Draft.

2021 NBA Draft: Top point guards in this class

<p>If you search &ldquo;Marcus Zegarowski&rdquo; on Google, you will see &ldquo;Michael Carter-Williams&rsquo; brother&rdquo; in the top results.</p>
<p>Perhaps a fact known among basketball circles, but not likely quite as well-known by the greater public, is that Zegarowksi -- Creighton&rsquo;s leading scorer this season and a 2020-21 All-Big East First Team member -- is much more than an NBA Draft prospect in the shadow of the 2014 Rookie of the Year. Zegarowski was a steady force and a key leadership piece for a very successful Bluejays team this year, in one of the most competitive and deep conferences in America.</p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">A 6-foot-2 guard, Zegarowski hails from Hamilton, Massachusetts, which is about 40 minutes north of Boston. He comes from a family of basketball players; beyond the aforementioned Carter-Williams, his older sister Masey plays Division I at Bryant University, and his mother Amanda (Mandy) is a former collegiate player, as well as high school head coach.</p>
<p>Maybe the most important person in his career arc is his twin brother Max (a player at Division II Franklin Pierce and formerly Lynn University). The twin brothers played at Hamilton-Wenham High School, and led the Generals to a perfect 25-0 season and a Division IV state title during their freshman year. They then transferred together to Tilton School (NH), a New England powerhouse that was once the home of current NBA players Nerlens Noel, Terance Mann and Georges Niang. In their junior year at Tilton, the brothers led the team to the NEPSAC (New England Preparatory School Athletic Council) Class-AA Finals, but came up short; Marcus was named to the NEPSAC First Team. Heading into their senior year, they took the Rams back to the Class-AA Finals, this time winning 99-92 against St. Andrew&rsquo;s School (RI), a game in which Marcus dropped 24 points and took home NEPSAC Player of the Year for his efforts.</p>
<p>Upon his graduation, Zegarowski committed to Creighton University. It would be the first time in his life that he didn't play on the same team as his brother. In his freshman season, Marcus earned Big East All-Freshman honors, posting 10.4 points, 3.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 42.9% from three-point range. In the 2019-2020 season, Zegarowksi paired with Ty-Shon Alexander (currently on a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns) for a potent 33 points per game combined, leading the Bluejays to a 13-5 record in the Big East (24-7 overall) and a first place finish. As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic dashed the team's postseason hopes, as they seemed poised to make a run in the 2020 NCAA Tournament.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With Ty-Shon Alexander moving on to the NBA, Zegarowski stepped into a larger leadership role for Creighton this season. Although his overall statistical profile was nearly identical to his sophomore year, he did cut down his turnovers and produced a two-point improvement on his individual defensive rating. Creighton went into March with a 22-9 record and a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Fresh off of averaging 16 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists per game during the Big East Tournament, Zegarowksi and Creighton faced No. 12 UC Santa Barbara out of the Big West. He rose to the occasion by posting 17 points and 8 assists, and was pivotal down the stretch, scoring or assisting on 7 of Creighton&rsquo;s 9 points with the Gauchos taking them to the brink.</p>
<p>Zegarowski only got better as the stakes became higher. In the Round of 32 matchup against Ohio University and fellow draft prospect Jason Preston, Zegarowksi scored 20 points while holding Preston to only 4 points on 1-for-10 shooting from the field. Against an undefeated Gonzaga, which was the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament field, Zegarowski went for an impressive 19 points.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been intrigued by Marcus Zegarowksi since last season," added Matt Babcock, BasketballNews.com's Lead NBA Draft Analyst. "Although he does not have physical tools that blow you away, he&rsquo;s a player that&rsquo;s hard not to like as he shoots the ball with range, provides toughness, and is just a good point guard overall."</p>
<p>Since the season ended, rumors have swirled about Zegarowksi&rsquo;s next move, but on Tuesday, Zegarowski put an end to the speculation over his future by declaring for the NBA Draft and indicating that he won&rsquo;t be returning to Creighton next season.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bluejay forever 💙🙏🏽 <a href="https://t.co/fUJLcI1TxH">pic.twitter.com/fUJLcI1TxH</a></p>
&mdash; marcus zegarowski (@MZegarowski1) <a href="https://twitter.com/MZegarowski1/status/1382039277803016196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>"We will take him very seriously as a prospect. He is currently No. 39 on our 2021 NBA Draft Big Board,&rdquo; Babcock added.</p>
<p>I&rsquo;m really not sure which jersey Marcus Zegarowksi will don next season, but I&rsquo;m looking forward to watching him regardless of where he ends up.</p>

Grant Aqui shares how Marcus Zegarowski's family has influenced his basketball career and details his impressive years at Creighton.