WALNUT CREEK, Calif., Oct. 28, 2021 – NBA G League Ignite has added six veterans who will aid in the development of the team’s elite youth prospects, the team announced today. The veteran group brings years of valuable playing experience ranging from the NBA to college and international professional leagues, and includes Dakarai Allen, Jessie Govan, Amauri Hardy, Pooh Jeter, Amir Johnson and Malik Pope.

“We have a special group of veterans who have been super helpful and encouraging,” said head coach Jason Hart. “The group is led by Pooh Jeter, a consummate pro contributing to our younger players’ growth.”

Additionally, Ignite’s coaching staff has been finalized with assistant coaches Rod Baker and C.J. Williams, on-court player development coach Thomas Scott and video coordinator Nick Hamilton joining Hart’s staff. 

IGNITE VETERAN BIOS

Johnson and Govan return for their second stints with Ignite after joining the team for NBA G League single-site competition in the team’s inaugural season. Johnson averaged 8.7 points and 3.3 rebounds with Ignite last season, while Govan added 7.8 points and 2.6 rebounds through eight games before suffering a season-ending injury.

Jeter, who spent time with the Sacramento Kings and in the NBA G League, also brings a wealth of international experience from a prolific career spanning the globe, including time in Spain, Israel, China, France, Turkey and the Ukraine.

The 2017 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, Allen’s experience includes NBA G League stops with the Salt Lake City Stars (2017-18), Agua Caliente Clippers (2018-19) and Grand Rapids Drive (2019-20). He averaged 7.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in his season with the Drive.

Pope, who played with Allen at San Diego State, joined the Los Angeles Lakers for 2018 Summer League action before moving to Greece to play in the PAOK organization. He played for the NBA G League’s Greensboro Swarm in 2019, averaging 6.7 points and 4.5 rebounds, and also spent time in NBA G League single-site competition earlier this year, joining the Austin Spurs in Orlando.

Hardy, who joins his younger brother Jaden, a 2022 NBA Draft Prospect, on Ignite’s roster, was a four-star recruit who played four years of college basketball, including three seasons at UNLV and one at Oregon. He was a third team all-Mountain West selection as a junior after averaging 14.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

2021-22 NBA G LEAGUE IGNITE ROSTER

NO    NAME                           POS    HT      WT     DOB          Hometown                  Prior to Ignite

4       Dakarai Allen               G        6-5     193     2/4/95       Sacramento, Calif.      Salt Lake City Stars

14     MarJon Beauchamp     F         6-6     199     10/12/00   Yakima, Wash.           Yakima Valley Junior College

3       Dyson Daniels              G        6-6     199     3/17/03     Bendigo, Australia     NBA Global Academy

11     Michael Foster Jr.        F         6-8     250     1/16/03     Milwaukee, Wisc.      Hillcrest Prep (AZ)

15     Jessie Govan                 C         6-10   252     7/25/97     Queens Village, N.Y. Indios de Mayagüez (Puerto Rico)

7       Amauri Hardy              G        6-1     200     4/3098       Detroit, Mich.             University of Oregon

1       Jaden Hardy                  G        6-4     198     7/5/03       Detroit, Mich.             Coronado HS (NV)

0       Scoot Henderson          G        6-2     195     2/3/04       Marietta, Ga.               Kell HS (GA)

5       Pooh Jeter                     G        5-11   175     12/2/83     Gardena, Calif.           BC Dnipro (Ukraine)

00     Amir Johnson               F         6-9     253     5/1/87       Los Angeles, Calif.     Philadelphia 76ers

21     Malik Pope                   F         6-10   215     7/25/96     Elk Grove, Calif.        Austin Spurs

12     Fanbo Zeng                   F         6-11   199     1/11/03     Harbin, China             Windermere Prep (FL)

COACHING STAFF

Head Coach: Jason Hart

Assistant Coaches: Rod Baker, CJ Williams

On-Court Player Development Coach: Thomas Scott

Performance Coach: Ernest DeLosAngeles

Video Coordinator: Nick Hamilton

About NBA G League Ignite

NBA G League Ignite is a first-of-its-kind team dedicated to developing top young prospects in preparation for the NBA Draft.  Based in Walnut Creek, Calif., the roster includes elite players who are eligible for the NBA Draft as well as NBA and NBA G League veterans who serve as mentors to the team’s young talent.  The program focuses on high-level competition and accelerated on-court development for players who are beginning their professional careers.  Additionally, the team provides life skills training that includes financial literacy education, community service involvement and scholarship opportunities.  While Ignite is not a traditional NBA G League team, competition includes games against NBA G League opponents and exhibitions against international teams.