7 G-League players that could help Portland make a playoff push
By Rowan Kent
![Kenneth Faried, Capitanes de Ciudad de Mexico - Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports Kenneth Faried, Capitanes de Ciudad de Mexico - Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/b546d40798659870df6d1c1fcb597bc0c0a91c36a48c93e7b9cca590e7b88751.jpg)
Michael Foster Jr., Delaware Blue Coats
The G-League Ignite has been a mixed bag as a program so far, producing some lottery picks like Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga, but also losing most of their games and not developing all of their players.
Michael Foster fits into that category, as he’s a player who was highly rated coming out of high school but went undrafted after his year with the Ignite.
He quickly landed in Delaware, solidifying his spot on the team by being a dangerous shot-blocking pivot for the Blue Coats. Foster is a springy athlete with great length, a combination that makes him the best rim protector on the 76ers’ G-League team.
It’s easy to imagine Foster Jr. making plays like this in Portland, both because the team isn’t great on defense, but also because having a player like this on their back line would do wonders for the team’s defense.
the block machine... Michael Foster Jr.#CoatsWin | @LandRoverWilm | @MBWilmington | @porschedelaware pic.twitter.com/OeEJJn0C39
— Delaware Blue Coats (@blue_coats) March 1, 2023
Given his youth, Foster Jr. is another young big man that could both play minutes this year and also stand to develop more on an NBA roster. He’s somewhat similar to Jabari Walker and Greg Brown III, but Foster Jr.’s athleticism translates better than either of them to the NBA game, which could be the difference for his development going forward.