Pair Of Ex-Patriots Have NBA Dreams

July 6, 2016

Peter Solari Follow @4PeteSakeNY

A pair of former George Mason Patriots men's basketball players have found their ways into the NBA Summer League this season. Point guard Bryon Allen, who guided the Patriots between 2010 and 2014, is a member of the Philadelphia 76ers' Summer League squad, while Shevon Thompson, who owned the paint in Fairfax the past two seasons, has been invited to New Orleans Pelicans' mini-camp, and is hoping to travel with the Summer League team to Las Vegas later this month. 

Bryon Allen of the George Mason Patriots

Allen came to Fairfax in 2010 after originally committing to play at West Virginia, and went on to become one of the most consistent players in school history. The 6'3" Largo, MD native contributed almost immediately, appearing in 27 games as a freshman for coach Jim Larranaga in 2011, and helping that team reach the third round of the NCAA Tournament. 

Over the next three years, Allen was one of coach Paul Hewitt's most trusted soldiers, starting at least 28 games in each of those seasons. For his career, Allen played in 127 games for the Patriots (7th most in school history), and scored 1,048 points (8.3 PPG), which ranks 29th. Allen's name appears numerous other times in the school's record book.

Allen playing with the 76ers against the Spurs Tuesday Night. 

Allen and three of his teammates from the 2013 team appeared in 38 games that year, which is a single-season school record. His 380 career assists rank fifth in Mason history, and his 3.0 assists per game ranks 11th. His thirteen assists against Northeastern is tied for fourth most in a single game, and  his 151 assists (4.0 APG) is eighth most in Mason history.

After graduating in 2014, Allen spent two seasons honing his game overseas, before getting his opportunity in the NBA, and on Tuesday he saw his first action. With #1 overall pick Ben Simmons, and a number of other young Sixers given the night off, Allen was given an opportunity, and he didn't disappoint, finishing with 10 points and a game high 7 steals, in 95-91 loss to the Spurs.

Shevon Thompson with the George Mason Patriots

As a junior college transfer from Harcum College, Shevon Thompson only spent two years with the Patriots, but it was more than enough time to leave his mark on the program. The 6'11" center from Clarendon, Jamaica is one of the most dominant rebounders in school history.

In just 62 career games over two seasons with the Patriots, Thompson grabbed 680 total rebounds, which ranks twelfth in school history. His 11.0 career rebounds per game is the best in Mason history by a mile, while his 11.3 boards per game in 2015, is the third best rebounding season in school history. Thompson's 351 total rebounds in 2015 are also the second most for the Patriots in any season, just two shy of Will Thomas' 353 total boards in 2008. 

Thompson led the Atlantic 10 Conference in rebounding each of the past two seasons, and was among the top rebounders in the country over that span, too. Needless to say, Thompson put in a lot of work in a short time, over his Mason career.

The Pelicans opened their minicamp on Tuesday in the Big Easy and will travel to Las Vegas on Thursday. On Friday, they will open their Summer League schedule against the Los Angeles Lakers.

While it remains a long-shot, should either Allen or Thompson make an NBA roster this season, they would be the first ex-Patriots to do so since Jason Miskiri, who played one game with the Charlotte Hornets in the 1999-2000 season. Miskiri is one of only three George Mason alums to ever play in the NBA. Rob Rose (1982-86) appeared in two games for the Los Angeles Clipper in the 1988-89 season, while his teammate, Rick Wilson (1982-86) appeared in 24 games for the San Antonio Spurs and New Jersey Nets in the 1987-88 season.