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Each time Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka assigns one of his players to the G League, he gives that guy his respective goals-of-improvement tasks.
Udoka encouraged Cam Whitmore to upgrade his defense and rebounding when he was assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in November. For Amen Thompson, his objective was to get back into basketball shape after missing 15 consecutive games due to a right ankle sprain.
And when it came to Jermaine Samuels Jr.'s assignment, Udoka wanted the former Villanova prospect to continue developing his versatility. Samuels met Udoka's objectives, which led to a G-League All-Star berth in Indianapolis.
"It was great, I felt honored," Samuels told Inside the Rockets. "I had a chance to perform and show out through the season. I am an older guy coming from an experienced college program at Villanova. (The Rockets) also had some expectations of me. There was no need to have a conversation — other than to keep doing what I was doing."
Samuels' first season with the Vipers marked his second G League stint. He spent his rookie season playing for the Indiana Mad Ants, laying the groundwork to a pro career.
Vipers coach Kevin Burleson wasn't familiar with Samuels before he signed with the Rockets. However, it did not take long for Burleson to witness why Udoka became enamored with Samuels.
He first noticed Samuels during the Rockets' Summer League tournament in Las Vegas, where he averaged 11.3 points and 5.0 rebounds across six games. Each time Samuels stepped inside the Thomas and Mack Center, Burleson had a sense that "the sky is the limit." His belief remained true after the two parties started working together in Rio Grande Valley.
Although impressed by his skill set, Burleson said Samuels' professionalism was the top attribute that stood out the most.
"Guys that go to Villanova have that — I was impressed with the way he approached the game," Burleson said. "The talent was there, just watching him at Summer League. ... But that extra part of his approach to the game impressed me the most.
"You always want your guys to have a great season, there best season if possible. It is great for him and his career. He is an amazing talent. I was excited when I got the news. I am just happy for him."
Samuels' professionalism has been one of the most essential keys to his success. As a player on a two-way contract, Samuels has experienced the challenges that come with a player going back and forth between the G League and the NBA.
His "stay-ready mentality" led to Samuels averaging a career-best 21.1 points on 49.7 percent shooting from the field, 8.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals.
Samuels displayed his All-Star talent on Nov. 11. He led the Vipers to a 134-117 victory over the Memphis Hustle inside the Landers Center, finishing with a career-best 38 points to go along with seven rebounds.
Two months later, Samuels had another All-Star worthy performance on Jan. 9. He helped the Vipers take a 110-108 overtime victory against the Oklahoma City Blue inside the Paycom Arena. He finished the game with 26 points and 13 rebounds. With the game tied at 108, Samuels scored the game-winning basket in the closing seconds.
"When I had my first 38-point game, as soon as I got back, everyone celebrated me," Samuels said. "Coach Ime makes it apparent to the whole locker room. My teammates are also paying attention and watching highlights. They show a lot of love. It makes me feel supported. It makes me feel like I can contribute to what we are building in Houston."
The day Samuels received the news of his All-Star nod was a joyous moment. He spent the entire day receiving congratulatory messages from family, friends and teammates from the Vipers and Rockets.
Samuels is thrilled to have the opportunity to represent his respective franchises in Indianapolis. The All-Star selection is a career accomplishment. However, Samuels' top priority is to continue developing his game to obtain consistent minutes in the NBA.
"For me, it is all about getting better," Samuels said. "To be the best teammate and player I can be. Doing everything I can do to help this organization win."
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Could Dallas Mavericks re-sign free agent before training camp?
Former Dallas Mavericks guard Quentin Grimes remains a restricted free agent as the league is set to open training camps within the next week or so. Grimes is still tied to the Philadelphia 76ers after a midseason trade from the Mavs, but the team and shooting guard have yet to agree to a deal. According to HoopsHype, Grimes is the third-best free agent available in the NBA. "Small sample size (28 games) needs to be considered, but after getting traded from Dallas to Philadelphia, he put up huge numbers – nearly 22 points per game with over five rebounds and four assists – efficiently, too, shooting almost 47 percent from the floor with the Sixers. That elevation in play could not have come at a better time with him about to hit restricted free agency," HoopsHype wrote. Grimes still in free agency The only free agents higher on HoopsHype's list is Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, who is a restricted free agent like Grimes, and Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley, who is an unrestricted free agent, but was recently cleared in a gambling investigation that is allowing him to play in the NBA this season. are The Sixers can still match any offer that Grimes receives from another team, which is why the interest in him has remained low despite his exceptional run at the end of the season in Philadelphia. Grimes blossomed with his extended opportunity, proving that he belongs in the league. There is a very good chance Grimes ends up with the Sixers this season, so he will likely sign a qualifying offer just before the start of training camp to return on a one-year deal to Philadelphia. Should Grimes sign a qualifying offer, he will become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Grimes' success since leaving Dallas is another example of general manager Nico Harrison's poor choices in the front office, and while bringing him back could reverse the move he made, a return to the Mavs is unlikely.
Packers HC Matt LaFleur explains what's making him upset
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur isn't happy after his team dropped a NFL Week 3 contest to the previously winless Cleveland Browns. It was a game that the Packers should have won, by all accounts. They gave in as a favorite on the road because over the first two weeks of the season, they looked like a legitimate Super Bowl contender. That's feedback the Packers were apparently taking to heart before the Cleveland game, in a bad way. This was a team that was clearly overconfident and a squad that perhaps got caught looking at the big picture rather than than the week-to-week grind of the NFL. Heck, offensive tackle Rasheed Walker was talking about an undefeated season before the Week 3 loss. "I think we can go undefeated, honestly," Walker had said. LaFleur calls out the Packers The end result of the Packers' overconfidence was a disappointing 13-10, last-second loss that was ugly, sloppy and uninspiring. The Packers suffered a terrible Jordan Love interception that swung the game, and they lost on a last-second field goal after having what could have been a game-winning attempt of their own blocked. On Monday, LaFleur was clearly fed up and frustrated. "I've said it a million times to you guys — I don't think I've obviously said it enough to our team — the goal is to go 1-0 every week," he said, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN. "And it pisses me off when we start talking about things outside of the next game. Things that are way down the road. Like, focus on, keep the focus on the present, on the now, and worry about getting better each and every day." Everyone else can look at the big picture, and for what it's worth, in the grand scheme of things, this is still a Packers team that can win the Super Bowl this season. They've got an elite defense that held Cleveland to zero points through three quarters, and when they're clicking, Love leads an offense that can put up points. A Week 3 loss won't determine the Packers' ultimate Super Bowl aspirations, but it's absolutely a sign that this team needs to get focused and stop reading its own press clippings. The phrase "any given Sunday" is around for a reason. The other team gets paid to try to beat you each and every single week, and the Packers clearly forgot that was the case with the Browns. Can they learn from it? That's clearly the message that LaFleur is trying to get across to his team. "I think it's always a good reminder, like, 'Hey guys, pump the brakes on everything. We're just trying to win one game at a time,'" LaFleur said. "And if you're thinking [beyond that] or have your sights set on anything outside of that, I think you're focused on the wrong things. Like, we've got to be focused on trying to get better. Obviously today, the focus is on first of all being honest about the tape and what the tape says, and then learning from that, and then it's moving on."
6 winners (and 1 loser) from Lions' thrilling win over Ravens on MNF
The Detroit Lions marched into Baltimore in Week 3, under the bright lights of Monday Night Football, and dominated the Ravens. That might not even be an apt enough word to describe what Detroit did to the Ravens' offense and to Lamar Jackson in this clash. Seven sacks on one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in addition to multiple pass breakups and several near interceptions led to the Lions leaving M T Bank Stadium 2-1. There were a few hugely impactful players on this contest, while some struggled to make their mark in what turned out to be a slugfest between two teams you should be dying to see in the Super Bowl this winter. 5 winners and 2 losers from Lions' huge win over Ravens on the road Winner: Jared Goff It is very, very hard to out duel a perennial MVP candidate like Jackson. Goff did so. With 202 passing yards on 20-28 passing efficiency, Goff managed to control this game like nothing else. He stayed pretty solid in the pocket, allowing the young guards in front of him to pass block for him - which, by the way, they did so with near ease. Goff doesn't have to toss up bombs to Jameson Williams in every game to be a winner. He just has to do what he did in this win - control what you can control, and operate with trust in your front line. One note for him, though: kindly pick up some tips on how to increase your speed from Jahmyr Gibbs. He was surgical, full stop. And that helped chug the Lions' offense right along. Winner: Amon-Ra St. Brown St. Brown was always going to be a huge piece of this win. The oft-reliable receiver finished up the contest with 77 receiving yards and one touchdown, and a game-sealing first down catch during a 4th and 2 situation late in the game when the Lions were up. He made it known all game long that Baltimore was going to have issues draping coverage on him. And, congratulations to him for moving to third all time on the Lions' receiving touchdown list. Winner: David Montgomery Montgomery, aka Knuckles, had to pick up some slack for his Sonic, Gibbs, in this one. He had multiple huge breakoff runs, and ended the game with 151 rushing yards and two scores. He also iced the game with a touchdown, making it impossible for the Ravens to get back into the contest. Through the first two weeks of the year, Montgomery had 82 total rushing yards. He nearly doubled that total in one game. Winner: Al-Quadin Muhammad Muhammad was thrust into a starting role this week after Marcus Davenport went on the IR with a pec strain. To anyone who has been paying attention to Lions football over the last few weeks, it felt like a blessing in disguise that Muhammad would finally be getting the reps he deserves in this contest. For anyone not paying attention, they were introduced to Muhammad with 2.5 sacks and two stuffs. He's the best answer to the hole left by Davenport that the Lions have, and he's not a terrible one. It was clear that Aidan Hutchinson was greatly aided by him actually providing pass rush and pressure on Jackson on the night, and it's exciting to think about his development over these next few games with Davenport not expected back for a few weeks. Winner: Jake Bates We have to give Bates his flowers for his tackle on a Ravens return that could've ended really badly for Detroit. Bates got the hit on Rasheen Ali, who looked like he had an open runway for a touchdown had he not gotten him down prior to then. Bates continues to prove why he's such a critical piece of this Detroit team, despite not playing the flashiest of positions, necessarily. Winner: Lions offensive line There was a drive for the Lions in the 2nd quarter that lasted a whopping 10 minutes and 48 seconds that ended in a touchdown for Montgomery, and the offensive line was absolutely gassed. ESPN's Laura Rutledge said during her sideline report after that drive that the line was so tired, that Tate Ratledge was shaking sweat out of his mullet. They all worked ridiculously hard during this win, and it was yet another confidence building experience for their young guards in Ratledge and Christian Mahogany. READ MORE: Lions have a perfect trade target conveniently falling right into their laps Loser: Terrion Arnold This probably isn't surprising, but Arnold is the one loser from this contest. Back when the game looked like it could slip from Detroit, Arnold was getting targeted heavily by Jackson and the Ravens' receivers, allowing numerous big gains for De'Andre Hopkins during one series and committing a terrible DPI on that same drive. He had so much hype from training camp that you have to wonder if there's something going on with Arnold and his previously problematic groin injury. He's a step slow and not doing a good job of sticking to his man in coverage through three weeks of action. It's been a tough schedule to start, but he's got to pick it up at some point.
A Lions veteran lost his starting job in Lions win over Ravens, 8 other post game facts and takeaways
What a performance from the Detroit Lions against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football. A 38-30 win that featured some classic moments, and the Lions also got their revenge from 2013. Goff Report Jared Goff played an outstanding game in this one. He completed 71.4% of his passes for 202 yards and a touchdown. The big one was the fourt-an-2 pass that we'll talk about later. Goff continues to just shatter the idea that he can't succeed without Ben Johnson and Sean McVay. Lions brought the pressure Detroit Lions pressure fast facts The Lions defense put up five pressures in he first half against the Ravens. That was the best performance pressure-wise that the Lions have had in 2025 The Lions notched their first first-half sack of the season on Jack Campbell's sack fumble in the second quarter The Lions had 30 total pressures in this game. You read that right. 30! Couple that with seven sacks, and it's time for people to stop asking me about Trey Hendrickson. What a night. The creativity is not gone in Detroit If you were super concerned that Ben Johnson's leaving meant the Lions wouldn't be creative on offense anymore, that was a bit of an overreaction, wasn't it? John Morton drew up some super fun plays, including a little flea-flicker type move where Goff handed the ball off and then ran to the side and got it thrown to him before he hit Amon-Ra St. Brown with a first down pass. Then there was this beauty: Terrion Arnold continues to struggle with backbreaking penalties I'm not going to dog pile on the guy like others have. It is concerning that he's been targeted almost exclusively this season, and teams keep making it work. For the most part, he's been in a position to make a play after the catch, and in other situations, he's been in a position to get a pick, and it just hasn't happened yet. That's not even the big complaint I have. The big complaint is that he keeps getting flagged at the worst possible time. Last week, he turned a Bears third-and-15 into a first down with a DPI. They would score a few plays later. Against the Ravens, a DPI on a pretty uncatchable ball put the Ravens on the goal line, and then they scored. It just has to stop. Will anyone catch an interception? Like, anyone? Is there anything worse than watching one of the best defensive players in the game drop an easy interception? Yes, watching another really good player drop one on the same drive just a few plays later. Brian Branch and D.J. Reed both dropped what should have been sure picks during the Ravens' opening drive of the third quarter, and it resulted in the Ravens taking the lead in the game. Just horrible stuff to see. LaPorta blocked like the rent was due If you saw Sam LaPorta on Monday night, he was either blocking like an insane person or catching passes on third down. The blocking was really nice. It wasn't just pass blocking either; LaPorta shone in run blocking. Something that hasn't really been his strongest suit in the past. AQM stole Marcus' job What a game from Al-Quadin Muhammad. With Marcus Davenport going down with a chest injury, Muhammad got the chance to have an expanded role against the Ravens, and he made the most of it with two and a half second-half sacks and seven pressures. At this point, if he keeps playing like this, he's going to steal Marcus Davenport's starting job. The grapefruits on Dan Campbell, the watermelons on Jared Goff On that fourth-and-2 in the fourth quarter, you knew Campbell was going for it. You wouldn't have it any other way, would you? But still, admit you were scared. We were all scared. What was expected was a David Montgomery run up the middle; what we got was maybe one of the best throws of Jared Goff's career. Just what a moment. Lions struggle to take advantage of turnovers for the second straight game The Lions need to get this fixed going forward. Against the Bears, they left 14 points off the board, and then did it again against the Ravens. They forced a turnover on downs, punted, and then forced a fumble and settled for a field goal. This has to be a focus for the Lions going forward.
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