Hoops notebook: House shows out in front of NBA execs, Aggies sign D-II All American
May 11—Jaelen House isn't finished yet.
The high-energy 6-foot former Lobo guard scored 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting with four assists, three rebounds and a steal in just 14 minutes off the bench on Saturday in a scrimmage at the G League Elite Camp in Chicago.
The two-day showcase of draft-eligible players who were not invited to this week's NBA Draft Combine, consists of 44 invited players who go through various skills testing, interviews and two days of scrimmages.
NBA executives are present and a select few players (in 2023 it was seven) then earn an invitation to the Draft Combine, also in Chicago. House's former UNM teammate JT Toppin, the Mountain West media selection for Freshman of the Year, has been invited to that event and has also entered the NCAA transfer portal, indicating if he does return to college, he'll seek a new school.
House, who is one of a handful of players the G League's YouTube channel stream featured, was talked about throughout the broadcast and is one of three players on the event's promotional graphic.
After a strong second half, House won an online fan vote for who the broadcast should feature in its postgame interview.
"It just feels amazing," House said when told fans voted him to do the postgame interview. "That's what I'm here to do — perform and and put on a show for everyone that's watching. So I feel good about it."
The NBA Draft is June 27.
FAMILIAR FACES: House wasn't the only former Mountain West veteran in Saturday's G League Elite Camp games.
First team All-MW selections Isaiah Stevens, the five-year Colorado State Rams point guard, and Jaedon LeDee, the fifth-year senior who was an All-American and the media's pick for MW Player of the Year this past season for the San Diego State Aztecs, each played in the day's first game.
LeDee, a 6-9 power forward who averaged 21.4 points and 8.4 rebounds for the Aztecs this past season, came off Team One's bench to score 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting with six rebounds, a team-high four fouls, and two turnovers in 20 minutes, 38 seconds on the court. His team was minus-7 (scoring differential) in the time he played.
Stevens started for Team Two, played 20 minutes, 46 seconds, but struggled. He scored just four points on 2-of-3 shooting, and also recorded two rebounds, two assists, three turnovers and three fouls. His team was minus-19 when he was on the floor.
SUNDAY SCHEDULE: There are two more scrimmages Sunday, at 2:20 and 6:35 p.m., which will be streamed on the G League's Youtube page. House's Team 3 squad plays in the early game against Stevens' Team Two.
AGGIES GET A SCORER: Down Interstate 25, the New Mexico State Aggies added a scorer to their roster Saturday via the transfer portal.
Jason Hooten's squad signed 6-foot Division II All American point guard Zawdie Jackson of the University of West Georgia for the coming season.
"Zawdie brings a wealth of experience at the guard position and has continued to improve each year no matter the level," Hooten said in a statement released by NMSU. "With our recent success in signing D2 transfers, we truly feel Zawdie's production will be no different. ...
"Zawdie is a proven winner and gives us another scorer with speed and court savvy."
Jackson averaged 22.0 points, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals in more than 35 minutes per game this past season for West Georgia, which went 27-6 overall and 19-5 in the Gulf South Conference.
He was named the South Region Player of the Year and an NABC and D2CCA All-American.