Starting the year as a Golden State Warriors training camp invite and ending it with the Santa Cruz Warriors, Michael Gbinije reflects on his 2017-18 season.
Other than his involvement with the 2015-2016 Syracuse team and his time as a player on the NBA G League’s Grand Rapids Drive, I didn’t know much else about Michael Gbinije when the Santa Cruz Warriors announced him as part of their roster.
Drafted 49th overall by the Detroit Pistons in 2016, he appeared in nine games on per game averages of 0.4 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.2 assists in 3.5 minutes. While on assignment with the Drive, he averaged 12.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.9 steals in 35.0 minutes per game.
He joined the Golden State Warriors on a training camp deal after being waived by the Pistons, averaging 3.2 points in 7.5 minutes over the course of four contests.
When asked about his experience with Golden State, Gbinije says he appreciated his opportunity with the major league Dubs, most especially his time learning from Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.
“It was just nice not to only compete with the best players in the league, but also to get a chance to see how they operate,” said Gbinije.
“I talked to KD, I talked to Steph; they did a lot of teaching while I was there in the preseason, and some of it carried over to the regular season.”
Gbinije was later allocated to the Santa Cruz Warriors, averaging 10.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists in the team’s first month.
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Unfortunately, the 25-year-old guard was soon plagued by injury, causing him to miss the entire month of December and some of January.
By the time he was able to play, Gbinije came back to an entirely different roster. Nevertheless, he finished out the season strong, playing seven games in March on averages 13.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals.
Reflecting on how the G League helped him develop over the course of the year, Gbinije admit that his season was a bit turbulent.
“I think had some ups and downs, had some games where I shot the ball well, had some games that I didn’t.” said Gbinije. “I think defensively, I improved from beginning to end.”
“It was a rollercoaster for me, so to speak, a lot of highs and lows; but I’m just glad I was able to experience what I experienced.”
Gbinije finished the season having played 28 games (20 starts), averaging 8.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 42.9 percent shooting.
He credited the coaching staff for not just their commitment to developing guys, but also for their role in preparing the team for each game.
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When asked whether he could possibly come back for another season, Gbinije says he remains unsure and still has to reflect on the possibility.
One thing he was sure about: the Surf City fanbase.
“It’s one of the best in the G League, hands down,” Gbinije said. “Consistently every night, you’re gonna have fans supporting you win or lose, and it’s just a great environment to play in.