Former UL Star Shawn Long Throws Down Big Dunk In NBL Game
Former Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun men’s basketball team standout Shawn Long recently threw down a monster dunk during a recent professional contest.
During 89-87 loss to Sydney on Thursday in Game 3 of a semifinal playoff series, Long pump-faked at the top of the key, before going in for the two-handed jam.
Long finished with 17 points and 9 rebounds for Melbourne United.
Long, who played for the Cajuns from 2013-2016, put up some impressive numbers for Melbourne United of the National Basketball League, which is compiled of nine teams, including eight in New Zealand and one in Australia, in his fourth professional season.
In 28 regular-season games, Long averaged 18.2 points-per-game, which ranked 12th in the league, to go along with 9.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots a contest.
Of course, success in the NBL is nothing new to Long, who was tabbed a second-team All-NBL performer last season while a member of the New Zealand Breakers.
In the 28 games last year, Long averaged 18.2 points-per-game, which ranked 5th in the league, to go along with 9.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, which ranked second and third, respectively, while shooting 56% from the field, which placed him in a tied for fifth in the league.
Long appeared in 18 games for the Philadelphia Sixers during the 2016-2017 season, his first in the NBA, averaging 8.2 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 13.0 minutes per contest.
Prior to signing with the Sixers, Long was a standout in the G League in his first professional season, averaging a double-double (20.2 PPG, 11.1 RPG) in 39 games for the Delaware 87ers, an affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers.
A forward/center, Long began the 2017-2018 season with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association, where he averaged over 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest, before playing again in the G League with the 87ers, averaging 14.6 PPG and 7.7 RPG in 33 games, following his 13-game stint in China.
A native of Morgan City, Long scored 2,342 points and compiled 1,447 rebounds in his career at UL, becoming the first player to school history to score 2,000 points, while also pulling down 1,000 rebounds.
Long’s career points are the third-most in Cajun basketball history, while his rebound number ranks first.
The 6-foot-9, 248-pound Long was named a first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection three times.