University of Montana Griz Basketball Star Works Out for NBA

The NBA is the pinnacle of basketball in the U.S., and former Griz Basketball star Josh Bannan got a chance to work out for an NBA team ahead of the 2023 Draft.

The Indiana Pacers are on the clock

The Indiana Pacers announced via Twitter yesterday, June 5, Bannan was among seven different former collegiate players invited to their 7th prospect workout. Bannan of Montana, Alex Gross of Morehead State, and J.T. Shumate of Toledo represented the mid-major teams. The Pacers should be key players the night of the draft. Indiana is slated for three 1st round picks, including the 7th overall, and two more in the 2nd round.

International Itinerary

As of now, the Melbourne, Australian native is set to move back to Australia to play professional basketball. The Griz's leading rebounder a year ago announced on his Twitter page in March that he would be leaving Montana to take a shot at professional ball.

Bannan wound up landing in Brisbane with the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League. The NBL consists of ten teams, nine of them in Australia with one in New Zealand. The Bullets announced the signing a week later. The two sides agreed to a three-year deal. NBA pre-draft workouts don't affect Bannan's status with his NBL club. In fact, the NBL's Twitter page showed some love for the former Griz. 

Griz-NBA connections

Most NBA mock drafts haven't covered Bannan, so the likelihood of him being drafted is slim. There is, however, a chance to sign as a nondrafted free agent to play for an NBA Summer League team. Either way, it's special to even receive a workout invitation with an NBA team. Only eight players from the University of Montana were drafted. Most notably Larry Krystkowiak was drafted by the Bulls in 1986. That was the last time a Griz was selected in the draft. Bannan ended his Montana career with nearly 1200 points scored over three seasons and capped it off with an All-Big Sky Conference First Team nomination.  Good luck, Josh!