Coats Select Ponds, Njie in NBA G League Draft

CAMDEN – OCT. 23, 2021 – The Delaware Blue Coats selected Shamorie Ponds with the first overall pick in the 2021 NBA G League Draft on Saturday. Ponds, who starred at St. John’s from 2016-19, arrives in Delaware with NBA experience after splitting the 2019-20 season with the Toronto Raptors and the team’s G League Affiliate, Raptors 905. 

Ponds was named to the Big East All-Freshman team before consecutive First-Team All-Big East selections over his final two years in Queens. He finished his career with the Red Storm with averages of 20 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. 

The Brooklyn, New York native made his NBA debut on Nov. 27, 2019, scoring four points against the New York Knicks. He averaged 14 points, four boards, three assists and two steals across 18 G League games with Raptors 905. 

The Blue Coats made Barra Njie (EN-jye) of Sweden their second-round selection (No. 32 overall). Njie most recently played for KFUM Fryshuset Basket in the Swedish Basketligen, where he averaged 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. He won the league’s Rookie of the Year Award for the 2020-21 season. 

The Blue Coats are set to return to Chase Fieldhouse for the team’s home opener on Nov. 6 when the Long Island Nets visit Wilmington for a 7:00 p.m. tip-off. Single game tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com/BlueCoats. Group packages, including birthday parties and unique fan experience packages are available at SIXERS.COM/BlueCoats. Team merchandise is available at Al’s Sporting Goods in Wilmington and at www.alssportinggoods.net.