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LAS CRUCES, N.M. - In less than a week, the number of former NM State men's basketball players on current NBA rosters has tripled.
Various roster moves by multiple NBA teams over the past four days allowed Trevelin Queen (Houston Rockets) and Jemerrio Jones (Los Angeles Lakers) to join Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors) in the NBA ranks.
With Jones, Queen and Siakam all securing spots on NBA rosters for the time being, it marks the first NBA season in which three former Aggies will be in the league for the same season since 1977-78. That year, Charlie Criss (Atlanta), Sam Lacey (Kansas City) and John Williamson (Indiana) were each logging minutes for teams across the association.
Monday afternoon, the Los Angeles Lakers inked Jones to a 10-day hardship exemption, bringing him on board from the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G League. Jones' second stint with the Lakers is set to begin Tuesday (Dec. 21) night when the Lakers battle the defending NBA Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns at 8:00 p.m. MT.
Currently fourth on the Lakers' depth chart behind the likes of LeBron James (day-to-day), Carmelo Anthony and Trevor Ariza (day-to-day), Jones rejoins the Purple and Gold after playing in six regular season contests for the 17-time world champion during the 2018-19 season. The Memphis, Tenn., product averaged 4.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 23.8 minute per game during his six-game stint with the Lakers at the tail end of their 2018-19 campaign.
Jones' final game in a Laker uniform was his best as the former Aggie finished with 11 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a pair of steals in 46 minutes during his team's narrow 104-101 setback to the Portland Trailblazers on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. Since then, Jones' motor and elite rebounding ability has been on display on a nightly basis in the NBA G League. An All-NBA G League Third Team choice in 2020, Jones averaged 10.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
Following a one-year stint with the Delaware Blue Coats (the Philadelphia 76ers G League affiliate) in 2021, Jones rejoined the Milwaukee Bucks' G League club for the 2021-22 campaign.
For Queen, his NBA dream came to fruition late Friday night when the Houston Rockets signed the high-flying guard to a two-way deal. Formerly on the Los Angeles Lakers' summer league and NBA training camp rosters ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, Queen had been playing for the Rockets' G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, prior to Friday night's news.
Queen made his NBA regular season debut on Saturday, Dec. 18, in the Rockets' 116-107 victory over the Detroit Pistons in the Motor City. The Glen Burnie, Md., product logged his first minutes in an NBA regular-season game that day, going 0-for-2 from the field in three minutes of action in the fourth quarter.
Monday night, Queen finished with two points, one rebound and an assist in four minutes during the Rockets' 133-118 loss at the Chicago Bulls. His driving layup with 3:10 left in the fourth quarter represented his first points in an NBA regular-season showdown. Prior to signing on with the Rockets' Queen was averaging 22.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.8 steals in 32.6 minutes per game for the Vipers at the G League level.
NM State's most well-known NBA commodity as of late, Siakam is currently in the NBA's health and safety protocols as one of a multitude of players in the association who have been affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Though and injury kept him out of the Toronto Raptors' lineup earlier in the season, the forward returned to the team's ranks on Sunday, Nov. 7 against the Brooklyn Nets. Through 17 contests this season, Siakam is averaging 19.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 34.5 minutes per game for Toronto.
Jones (2016-18) and Queen (2018-20) were both prepped by current NM State head coach Chris Jans while Siakam (2014-16) also suited up for the Aggies for two seasons.
The complete schedule for Jones', Queen's and Siakam's respective teams for the remainder of the 2021 calendar year can be found at the conclusion of this release.
For complete coverage of NM State men's basketball throughout the 2021-22 season and to keep up with all the former Aggies who are now living their respective NBA dreams, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Men's Basketball), Twitter (@NMStateMBB) and Instagram (@NMStateMBB).
Toronto Raptors (Pascal Siakam)
12/22 vs. Chicago Bulls | 6 p.m. MT
12/26 at Cleveland Cavaliers | 4 p.m. MT
12/28 vs. Philadelphia 76ers | 5:30 p.m. MT
12/31 vs. Los Angeles Clippers | 5:30 p.m. MT
Houston Rockets (Trevelin Queen)
12/22 at Milwaukee Bucks | 6 p.m. MT
12/23 at Indiana Pacers | 5 p.m. MT
12/27 at Charlotte Hornets | 5 p.m. MT
12/28 vs. Los Angeles Lakers | 6 p.m. MT
12/31 vs. Miami Heat | 5 p.m. MT
Los Angeles Lakers (Jemerrio Jones)
12/21 vs. Phoenix Suns (TNT) | 8 p.m. MT
12/23 vs. San Antonio Spurs | 8:30 p.m. MT
12/25 vs. Brooklyn Nets (ABC/ESPN) | 6 p.m. MT
12/28 at Houston Rockets | 6 p.m. MT
12/29 at Memphis Grizzlies (NBA TV) | 6 p.m. MT
12/31 vs. Portland Trailblazers (NBA TV) | 8:30 p.m. MT
