4 things to know about Knicks summer league wing DaQuan Jeffries
The New York Knicks are 2-0 in the 2022 NBA Summer League with another game to play on Monday at 11 p.m. ET (yes, it’s a late one). Fans are aware of how talented players like Quentin Grimes and Jericho Sims are, but with it being summer league, there are a few players on the roster who fans likely hadn’t heard of before last week. And one of those players is 6’5” DaQuan Jeffries.
The 24-year-old went undrafted in 2019, so this isn’t his first time at summer league. In New York’s 101-69 win over Chicago on Sunday, Jeffries had 13 points (5-of-7), 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block in 22 minutes.
In Friday’s 101-88 win over the Warriors, he finished with 12 points (4-of-6), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in 20 minutes.
DAQUAN JEFFRIES. ERASED HIM.@overtimemegan with the CRAZY angle 😳 pic.twitter.com/gerRDRzNKJ
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) July 9, 2022
4 facts about Knicks summer league player DaQuan Jeffries
4: He attended three colleges
Coming out of Edmond Santa Fe High School in Oklahoma as a two-star recruit, Jeffries attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa. As a first-year in 2015-16, he averaged 6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 57.4% from the field and 39.3% from the 3-point line in 29 games.
He then attended Western Texas College, a community college, in 2016-17, where he averaged 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in 30 games while shooting 65.3% from the floor and 29.4% from deep.
Jeffries transferred to the University of Tulsa, where he developed into a shooting guard and learned how to operate as a perimeter player.
In his senior year, he averaged 13 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1 steal, and 1.2 blocks in 31 games while shooting 50.2% from the field and 36.6% from three. That year, Jeffries was named the 2019 College Slam Dunk Champion during Final Four weekend.
YOUR 2019 @CollegeSLAM DUNK CHAMPION -- DAQUAN JEFFRIES!#ReignCane #ForOurCity pic.twitter.com/5sqZdqI5x9
— Tulsa Basketball (@TUMBasketball) April 5, 2019
3: He was drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters in 2019
Yes, Jeffries was part of the Harlem Globetrotters’ 2019 draft class, along with Mahershala Ali, Kristine Anigwe, Tacko Fall, and Kyler Murray. That happened after the 2019 NBA Draft.
The Globetrotters are known for selecting winners and runner-ups from the slam dunk contest, which is where Jeffries came in. Obviously, he hasn’t played in a game for the Globetrotters, but it’s still a cool fun fact.
2: He’s appeared in big league games for the Kings, Rockets, and Grizzlies
After suffering a hip injury at the 2019 NBA Draft Combine and going undrafted a few weeks later, Jeffries joined the Orlando Magic’s summer league team but was released before the start of the 2019-20 season.
The Sacramento Kings claimed him off waivers and signed him to a two-way contract. He appeared in 13 games as a rookie, averaging 3.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in 13 games.
Before the start of the 2019-20 season, the Kings signed Jeffries to a two-year, $3 million contract. He averaged 3.5 points and 1.6 rebounds in 18 games for Sacramento in 2020-21 while dealing with an ankle injury. During that time, he made his first official NBA start. Before the end of the season, he was waived and claimed by the Houston Rockets.
To close out the 2020-21 season, Jeffries averaged 4.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 rebounds in 13 games (three starts) for the Rockets. After six weeks, Houston waived Jeffries.
The San Antonio Spurs claimed Jeffries off waivers in May of 2021, and he went on to play for them in last year’s summer league. Last October, he was signed by the Atlanta Hawks but was waived a week later.
In 2021-22, he played for the College Park Skyhawks in the NBA G League (Atlanta’s affiliate). In 16 games (he was limited by injuries), he averaged 14.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1 steal.
In January, he signed a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies via the hardship exemption. He appeared in three games before rejoining the Skyhawks.
1: He played for the USA Basketball’s Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team this month
Jeffries was one of 12 players to be named to the USA Basketball Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team for their third qualifying window, and he was the youngest player on the roster by two years.
The team played against Puerto Rico on July 1 and Cuba on July 4. The United States beat Puerto Rico, 85-73, and Cuba, 87-64.
Against Puerto Rico, Jeffries had 4 points (2-of-3), 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in 23 minutes. Against Cuba, he had 5 points (2-of-2), 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 block in 13 minutes.
With the Knicks, Jeffries has proven that he can impact the game on both ends of the floor. If he doesn’t get his next opportunity in Westchester, hopefully he’ll end up where he’s meant to be.
