Buddy and Jimmy Boeheim are beginning their pro basketball careers together, just as they ended their collegiate chapter at Syracuse University and initially started their shared journey in the sport.
The Boeheim brothers are playing for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League and were set to debut overnight Thursday with a midnight tip time on ESPN against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The Pistons will face the Washington Wizards at 6 p.m. Saturday in the same location for a game to be televised on ESPN2.
“It’s been great, obviously having someone you know as well as your brother here is an amazing experience, someone you’re super close with,” Buddy Boeheim said during a phone interview before the opener.
“It’s been very fun sharing these experiences together, talking, going to get food here or there after practice. It’s been really fun sharing it with him and I know our parents like that, too.”
The duo spent one year together for the Orange under their dad and Hall of Fame coach, Jim Boeheim, and played together at Jamesville-DeWitt High School. They have frequently spoken of intense childhood 1-on-1 battles on the court in their family home.
“It’s just such a learning process, a lot of new experiences for both of us, so it’s fun to be able to go into it with someone else that you’ve grown up with your whole life,” Jimmy Boeheim said.
The Boeheim brothers were among the 18 members of the Pistons summer league squad that convened for a brief training camp last Saturday before arriving in Las Vegas this week.
Detroit will play two additional games next week — 9 p.m. Tuesday against Indiana and Thursday versus Cleveland, both to air on NBA TV — before the championship and consolation wraps up July 17.
Buddy Boeheim signed a two-way contract with the franchise soon after the NBA draft ended on June 23 without his being selected. He will split his rookie season with the Pistons and their G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, allowed to play up to 50 games for Detroit but won’t be eligible for playoffs.
The 6-foot-6 shooting guard aims to prove his value to the NBA squad over the next week after ranking second in SU history with 309 career makes from deep and leading the ACC in scoring as a senior at 19.2 points per game.
“Personally, (to show) that I can really space the floor and I’m an elite shooter,” said Buddy Boeheim, who will wear No. 45. “Something that I think the Pistons can use going forward is shooting and a guy who can come in and make shots, always staying ready, making the right plays, and being able to help out on defense as well and not be a liability.”
Jimmy Boeheim inked a summer league deal with the Pistons the day after his brother signed. Both had multiple options after going undrafted, and Jimmy pointed to the front office and upward trajectory of the team as the main reasons behind his choosing Detroit.
The older Boeheim brother averaged 13.7 points and 6.2 rebounds in his lone campaign for SU after three seasons at Cornell and hopes to secure a deeper look with the Pistons beyond the summer.
“For me, it’s just being someone that you can rely on to go in and make the right play, that’s going to play hard the whole game, can knock down a shot, play hard on defense and get some stops, rebound,” said Jimmy Boeheim, the 6-foot-8 forward who will wear No. 46 for the summer. “So, it’s really just a little bit of all that, being a utility guy that can kind of help out everywhere on both sides of the ball making some plays.”
Buddy and Jimmy Boeheim spent draft night in New York City with their parents, Jim and Juli, their sister, Jamie, and several other close friends and family members. They celebrated Buddy’s signing soon after the draft concluded, a process he described as quick and easy to end up in his desired landing spot.
“Coming a long way and seeing it all pay off, it was a great feeling being there with them and they were all proud of us, so it was a fun night,” Buddy Boeheim said.
Detroit general manager Troy Weaver was an SU assistant coach from 2000-04. Rob Murphy, who fills the role of assistant GM for the Pistons along with president and GM of the Motor City G League team, worked on Jim Boeheim’s staff from 2004-11.
Buddy also played on the same AAU team with Rochester native and Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart for the Albany City Rocks. Stewart averaged 8.3 points and 8.7 rebounds while starting 71 games in his second NBA season.
“It’s great having a lot of the guys here, some of the main guys from last year,” Buddy Boeheim said. “Their core group, just learning from them every day and seeing where I can help, and just learning from the coaches, it’s been a great experience.”
Other expected key contributors headlining the Pistons summer league roster are 2021 top overall pick, Cade Cunningham, along with his projected backcourt mate, Jaden Ivey, who was selected No. 5 overall last month.
They will be joined by forward Saddiq Bey, who started all 82 games for Detroit and averaged 16.1 points and 5.4 rebounds last year.
“I’m just trying to absorb everything I can from everyone that is with us here,” Jimmy Boeheim said. “So, just learning a lot and trying to be out there and compete, play as hard as I can every single second, and letting everything else control itself.”
Jim and Juli Boeheim were expected to be on hand for the summer league opener to join in the experience of Buddy and Jimmy’s first taste of the pros.