Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com NOV. 6, 2017 59 IRISH IN THE PROS BY COREY BODDEN F ormer Irish star guard Pat Con‑ naughton wasn't exactly sure what his future would be this sum‑ mer while he waited for the Portland Trail Blazers to decide on his future with the organization. Ultimately, Portland opted to pick up Connaughton's $1.4 million option for 2017‑18, keeping him around for a third season and giving him a chance to earn the backup shooting guard role behind starter C.J. McCollum. It likely helped Connaughton's case when the Blazers traded fellow reserve guard Allen Crabbe to the Brooklyn Nets in late July to shed his four‑year contract worth nearly $75 million. Crabbe made $18.5 mil‑ lion during the 2016‑17 season and was scheduled to make more than $19.3 million this year, according to spotrac.com. With Crabbe out of town, Con‑ naughton had the opportunity to take his role as the backup shooting guard — and he took full advantage. Per Jason Quick of NBC Sports Northwest, Connaughton spent his summer completing two workouts per day with a goal of making 500 three‑pointers during each. The effort has paid off early into the 2017‑18 campaign. McCollum served a suspension for the season opener against the Phoe‑ nix Suns Oct. 18, leaving the door open for Connaughton to receive ex‑ tended minutes. Though he didn't get the start, Connaughton found himself in the game early. In 32 minutes, he scored a career‑ high 24 points on 9‑of‑14 shooting, including 4 of 7 from deep, helping the Blazers run away from the Suns 124‑76. The 6‑5, 210‑pounder also grabbed two rebounds and dished out two assists in the win. "I don't ever want to look back and be like, 'Oh, if I just put in a little more time,'" Connaughton told NBC Sports Northwest. "I just want to make sure I put in my work. "This is the year I wanted to make sure I was prepared for. If it didn't work out this year, then at least I could say I did it in attack mode. But I wanted to be ready for the moments." Connaughton has continued his solid play to open his third season in the NBA. Though he didn't match his opening point total, he averaged 6.3 points and 3.0 rebounds over his next three contests in 21.3 minutes per game. In his first four games of the sea‑ son, Connaughton scored eight points or more three times. In the 73 games he played in his first two seasons in the NBA, he reached that total only twice. Despite starting the season with averages of 9.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game in five out‑ ings, Connaughton was not satisfied. "I hear from people, 'Oh, you played so well on the road trip; you started the season the way you wanted to,'" Connaughton said. "But when I look at it, I look at Milwau‑ kee, and I think I could have played better. "I had two turnovers I could have avoided if I just took the jump shot that I had been shooting well." After averaging just 1.8 points in 6.3 minutes per contest in his first two seasons, Connaughton is playing himself into a bigger role and poten‑ tially a long‑term future in the NBA. "What he did is good for his confi‑ dence, good for the [coaching] staff's confidence," McCollum told NBC Sports Northwest. "Lots of guys can shoot in practice. Lots of guys can shoot when there is nobody in the gym. And some guys can shoot at home in front of the home crowd. "But not everybody can shoot on the road, at OKC, or at Golden State. That's when you really see about players … and that's when you judge people." NOTRE DAME IN THE NBA Through Oct. 26 • Pat Connaughton (Played at Notre Dame from 2011‑15), G, Portland Trail Blazers: Saw action in each of the 3-2 Blazers' first five contests … Averag- ing 9.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 21.2 minutes per contest, while shooting 48.6 percent from the floor and 45.5 percent from three-point range … Scored a career-high 24 points in a 124-76 win at Phoenix Oct. 18. • Jerian Grant (2011‑15), G, Chicago Bulls: Started each of the 1-3 Bulls' first four games this season … Averaged 10.8 points, 7.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 32.3 minutes per con- test, while shooting 39.5 percent from the floor … Posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 assists, plus six rebounds, in a 119-112 loss at Cleveland Oct. 24. • Demetrius Jackson (2013‑16), G, Houston Rockets: Came off the bench in four of the Rockets first five contests, and averaged 9.8 minutes, 1.0 point, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game, while shooting 28.6 percent from the floor … Played a season-best 17 minutes in a 107-91 win versus Dallas Oct. 21, tallying four points, five rebounds and two assists. Note: Jack Cooley (Kings) and forward V.J. Beachem (Lakers) are in the G-League (formerly the D-League). ✦ Pat Connaughton Off To Strong Start Connaughton made a solid contribution to the Portland Trail Blazers in a reserve role early in the season, averaging 9.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in five games. PHOTO COURTESY PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS NOTRE DAME IN THE NFL: Week Seven Highlights • Anthony Fasano (Played at Notre Dame from 2002‑05), TE, Miami Dolphins: Caught three passes for 25 yards and a touchdown in a 31-28 win over the New York Jets. • Kyle Rudolph (2008‑10), TE, Minnesota Vikings: Recorded five catches for 43 yards in a 24-16 triumph over the Baltimore Ravens. • Jaylon Smith (2013‑15), LB, Dallas Cow‑ boys: Tallied three tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in a 40-10 victory versus the San Fran- cisco 49ers.