How former USC star PJ Dozier is doing in the NBA’s G League

While his college team gets ready to play SEC East opponent Florida on Wednesday night, former South Carolina standout P.J. Dozier is making steady progress in the NBA’s G League as a member of the Oklahoma City Blue.

Dozier, who would have been a junior with the Gamecocks this season, had a double-double on Tuesday night. He scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the Blue’s 118-114 loss to the Northern Arizona Suns.

He is averaging 11.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. The Blue has a 16-14 record in the G League’s Midwest Division.

Dozier signed a two-way contract in October with the Oklahoma City Thunder. This is the first year teams are using two-way contracts. In addition to the standard 15 players on the roster, players on two-way contracts spend most of the season in the NBA G League, but they can be called up to their NBA team for a maximum of 45 days.

Dozier is wearing Kevin Durant’s old No. 35 jersey. The number has not been worn since Durant left OKC last season for the Golden State Warriors.

Dozier was not selected in this past June’s NBA Draft.

He spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers’ summer league team and in the preseason with the Dallas Mavericks before being waived. OKC scouted Dozier when he was at USC, with general manager Sam Presti making several trips to Columbia.

In two seasons at South Carolina, Dozier started 64 games, averaged 10.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.34 steals in 24.0 minutes per game.

During the Gamecocks’ NCAA Tournament run last year, Dozier averaged 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game in helping USC to its first Final Four berth.

The NBA G League consists of 26 teams for the 2017-18 season, all affiliated with an NBA franchise: Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario (Los Angeles Clippers), Austin Spurs (San Antonio Spurs), Canton Charge (Cleveland Cavaliers), Delaware 87ers (Philadelphia 76ers), Erie BayHawks (Atlanta Hawks), Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Indiana Pacers), Grand Rapids Drive (Detroit Pistons), Greensboro Swarm (Charlotte Hornets), Iowa Wolves (Minnesota Timberwolves), Lakeland Magic (Orlando Magic), Long Island Nets (Brooklyn Nets), Maine Red Claws (Boston Celtics), Memphis Hustle (Memphis Grizzlies) Northern Arizona Suns (Phoenix Suns), Oklahoma City Blue (Oklahoma City Thunder), Raptors 905 (Toronto Raptors), Reno Bighorns (Sacramento Kings), Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston Rockets), Salt Lake City Stars (Utah Jazz), Santa Cruz Warriors (Golden State Warriors), Sioux Falls Skyforce (Miami Heat), South Bay Lakers (Los Angeles Lakers), Texas Legends (Dallas Mavericks), Westchester Knicks (New York Knicks) and Wisconsin Herd (Milwaukee Bucks).

This story was originally published January 24, 2018 at 1:35 PM.