in May, The Capitanes scalded Nick Lagios He left the Lakers organization to make him general manager, and by September some sort of compromise had been reached: The Capitanes would head out for 14 games as part of the G League’s Showcase Cup, then play a double show in January. G League Ignite is the team for the best NBA prospects.
When building their roster, Lagios and Díaz sought out a range of players: Latin American players, defensive players, seasoned players who could mentor their young teammates. The team wooed players with the slightly less attractive offer of a commensurate G League salary, typically $37,000 for a full 50-game season, with the possibility of being spotted by NBA scouts. Also, players can be part of something new.
“It’s a team that cares about winning,” said Justin Reyes, a former football player. st. Part II all-American at Thomas Aquinas College Sparkill, NY “So we all knew we had to make sacrifices to get it to work in such a short time.”
Serratos remembered the start of last month’s training camp and a moment of collective joy: The captains finally came together after much delay and uncertainty. But his composure was shaken when Tyler Davis, a 6-foot-10 power forward, stepped out for a dunk and smashed the backboard in the first minutes of the team’s first practice. Díaz ran to check on him.
“Tyler, you’re a monster!” Díaz told him.
As Serratos began calculating how much it would cost to replace the backboard, there was another more pressing concern: The Nomad collection suddenly fell into a circle. No more dunking.
‘Win Every Match’
On the morning of their game against the Austin Spurs, the Capitanes were back on the bus – this time bound for another opportunity to build a light shot and chemistry in the arena. The team has been bolstered by several late additions, including Moises Andriassi, a 21-year-old quarterback and one of Mexico’s top young players.