MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — Less than 24 hours after signing his first professional contract, Deuce McBride had landed in the bright lights of Las Vegas.
Life can move pretty fast, especially in the NBA.
“It’s official. I love it,” the former WVU point guard said in a video showing him signing his rookie deal. “Now I just go out and play basketball. Do what I do best.”
Terms of the deal have yet to be announced and it is not known if there are any guaranteed years in McBride’s deal.
The league minimum for a rookie is $898,310, according to the league’s salary scale, but it’s also possible McBride was signed to a two-way contract.
An NBA two-way deal allows the Knicks to keep the rights to McBride, but pay him a lower pro-rated salary while assigning him to the G League as a rookie. A two-way deal is generally not guaranteed and McBride could be released without a salary cap penalty.
The Knicks’ fortunes at point guard changed drastically in the days after McBride was drafted in the second round, 36th overall.
Since the draft on July 29, New York resigned veteran point guard Derrick Rose and also signed veteran Kemba Walker, a four-time all-star, but one who is dealing with a lingering knee injury.
So, it’s sort of fitting McBride finds himself in Las Vegas on Sunday, because he’s about to bet on himself for a second time.
The first came in July, when the sophomore announced he would not return to West Virginia for his junior season and keep his name in the NBA Draft.
Now he’s searching for a way to stick with the Knicks, who already have Rose and Walker, as well as Lithuanian rookie point guard Rokas Jokubaitis, who the Knicks took two picks ahead of McBride.
“I feel like I have a winning DNA,” McBride said during his introductory press conference. “Throughout high school and college, I’ve always won. That’s the main thing I can bring to the Knicks is that winning DNA. I feel like with my history of winning, a lot of teams are going to regret not picking me.”
McBride’s journey to the NBA will begin in the NBA Summer League.
The Knicks will play Toronto at 4:30 p.m. Sunday (ESPN2), McBride’s first opportunity to show he belongs at this level.
“I don’t know if surprised is the right way I would put it,” McBride said about slipping into the second round. “In talking with my agent, I understood I had a wide range of where I could go. I felt like I was definitely one of the best players in the draft. It’s not about where you start, it’s where you finish.”
N.Y. Knicks summer league schedule
** SUNDAY: vs. Toronto, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
** WEDNESDAY: vs. L.A. Lakers, 10 p.m. (ESPN2)
** FRIDAY: vs. Detroit, 8 p.m. (NBA TV)
** SATURDAY: vs. Cleveland, 8 p.m. (ESPN2).
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