Kenneth Lofton Jr.’s run with the Philadelphia 76ers’ NBA G League affiliate is already off to a solid start.
After having a stellar debut with the Delaware Blue Coats last Wednesday night, he raised the bar in his follow-up performance on Saturday.
The Blue Coats took on the Rip City Remix, an affiliate team of the Portland Trail Blazers. Once again, Lofton got the start at center for the Blue Coats, checking in for 31 minutes.
During that time, Lofton launched 16 shots from the field, draining 11 of his attempts. He also successfully knocked down all four of his free throws. By going 11-16 from the field and knocking down all but two of his six three-point attempts, Lofton scored 31 points in his second outing with the Sixers’ affiliate.
That point total marked his season-high in the G League this year. In addition to his 31 points, Lofton made it a double-double with ten rebounds.
While Lofton struggled from the field in the back-to-back rematch on Sunday night, scoring just 11 points, he still had a productive night everywhere else by snagging ten rebounds, three steals, and one block. He nearly notched a triple-double by producing eight assists.
Prior to joining the 76ers as their newest free agent acquisition, Lofton spent the first two seasons of his NBA career as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies.
On Memphis’s main roster, Lofton collected 39 appearances, averaging seven minutes on the court. With the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate, Lofton had 17 appearances during the regular season last year and two showings in the Showcase Cup this season.
As a two-way member of the 76ers, Lofton is likely to spend most of his time playing alongside the rookies Terquavion Smith and Ricky Council in the G League. As the Blue Coats look to follow up their championship-winning season with another potential title run, Lofton should surely boost their chances with the value he brings to the frontcourt.
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