Two former Waves were announced to the NBA Development League Draft on Thursday. The 2011 graduates, Mychel Thompson and Jonathan Dupre, have received invitations from the Erie BayHawks and the Maine Red Claws.
Mychel Thompson, a 6-foot-7-inch forward from Portland, Ore., has always lived and breathed sports. Thompson being drafted keeps up the family tradition he got from his father, Mychal Thompson, a two-time NBA champion, and his brother Klay Thompson, who was recruited for basketball by Washington State University and was the 11th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. From a young age Thompson received a great deal of support from his father, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1978 NBA Draft, and who shared his 12-year experience in professional sports with his son.
During his Pepperdine years, Thompson earned his second All-WCC honorable mention as a senior, after receiving the title his junior year. Being selected in the third round by the Erie BayHawks, Thompson proved that his genes and years of hard work are the premises for a brilliant career.
A 6-foot-8-inch forward, Jonathan Dupre, from Houston, has no less impressive achievements while a student at Pepperdine, leading the team in many games by contributing a high number of points at several major games.
“I am very excited about my selection to the Maine Red Claws,” Dupre said, “It’s a great opportunity to further my basketball career and have a shot in making it to the NBA. Pepperdine helped me in getting where I am by the education I received and maturing on and off the basketball court.”
“The competition of Division I basketball at Pepperdine also prepared me to get ready for the pro level in having determination as well as a good work ethic,” Dupre added. “My future plan is to have a successful career in the NBA. It has always been my dream.”