The G League’s annual Winter Showcase just wrapped up, with the Salt Lake City Stars winning the tournament championship (shoutout John Tonje, Steven Crowl and Max Klesmit). In the Showcase, players have the opportunity to display their talents in front of scouts and front office personnel from all 30 NBA teams. Several showcase standouts already earned new two-way deals, including Stanley Umude (Spurs) and MarJon Beauchamp (76ers). Here are a few more players who performed well in the Winter Showcase and are worthy of NBA opportunities:
(Note: ratings from twowaytalents.com, a Bench Mob Blog creation, are included in this article. After reading, go check out the site for more info on these guys!)
Killian Hayes
Hayes has been completely dismissed as a bust, but his story is still being written. The former seventh-overall pick has been one of the best guards in the G League all season long, averaging 24.0 points and 7.8 assists. He was always an NBA-level defender and passer, but now the scoring seems to be coming along. This isn’t just a minor league thing— he notched 9.0 points and 5.2 assists while shooting 38.1% from three in six games with the Nets last season, and he definitely showed “flashes” during his time in Detroit. Hayes is just 24 years old, and while he’s out of two-way eligibility, he’s still done enough to get a chance at redemption.
Jalen Bridges
Two-star prospect on Two-Way Talents
Coming out of Baylor, Bridges profiled as a useful plug-and-play 3&D forward. He joined the Suns on a two-way as a rookie in 2024-25, but didn’t get a fair shake, logging just 30 total minutes across eight appearances. He’s been playing with the Maine Celtics this season, averaging 13.4 points and an impressive 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks. On December 19th, he went for 28 points and eight triples against the SLC Stars. Bridges’ off-the-dribble game is limited, which dulls his appeal, but a 6’7” shooter with defensive chops will always have some sort of place in this league.
Tristan Enaruna
Three-star prospect on Two-Way Talents
The Cavaliers have been searching for answers on the wing all season long, shuffling through rotations and struggling to find consistent results from anyone not named Jaylon Tyson. Tristan Enaruna could be part of the solution they need. The Cleveland State product has been dropping 19.4 points a night on 51.8% shooting for the Charge. He has an NBA frame, scores on and off the ball and brings some juice as a rebounder and defender. Enaruna already proved himself two-way worthy in Summer League. Now it’s just a no-brainer.
Dexter Dennis
Two-star prospect on Two-Way Talents
The NBA is turning into a ball pressure league (shoutout to Tyler Metcalf for his awesome article on that subject). Role-playing guards are being asked to give constant energy and pick up ball handlers full-court for long stretches of games. With this in mind, an NBA comeback for Dexter Dennis feels possible. Dennis is a 6’5” bundle of energy with strong athletic traits and a non-stop motor. He’s averaging 15.6 points and 1.0 steals for the Stockton Kings, doing damage in transition and as a slasher. Dennis played four games for the Mavericks in 2023-24. Why not see what he could do in a longer stay? The big-league Kings could certainly use the spark he provides.
Brice Williams
Three-star prospect on Two-Way Talents
Williams built a successful six-year college career by being as reliable as they come as a shooter. He was one of the Big 10’s best scorers during his time at Nebraska, posting 20.4 points a night as a senior. The undrafted rookie has brought his smooth bucket-getting to the pros. He’s connecting on 37.8% of 7.0 three-point attempts while totaling 14.9 points per contest for the Motor City Cruise. Williams has a clear NBA skill, and that should be enough to get him a foot in the door at some point, even if his ceiling is low.
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