Shelvin Mack, the dude who punched his ticket to the NBA after not one, but *two* Final Four appearances at Butler, wrapped up his eight-season NBA run with a blink-and-you-miss-it stint for the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018-19 season. It was wild to think a guy drafted 34th overall in 2011, who worked his way to solid backup point guard minutes with the Hawks and Jazz, would end his NBA journey like that.
From Draft Pick to Backup King
Mack’s path to steady playing time wasn’t instant, taking a few seasons to really stick. But when he did, especially with the Atlanta Hawks and later the Utah Jazz, he showed out. Those were some impressive seasons for a backup point guard, for real. He earned that spot, man.
The Sudden End in Charlotte
Fast forward to the 2018-19 season. Mack was playing with the Grizzlies for 53 games, doing his thing. Then, bam, he gets claimed by the Charlotte Hornets, and that, my friends, was it. He suited up for just four games in a Hornets uniform, clocking in with averages of 2.3 points, 0.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists, and 0.5 steals. After 456 total games across eight seasons, his career averages settled at 6.6 points, 2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 0.7 steals.
And just like that, the NBA chapter closed. Mack moved on, taking his talents overseas before finding his way to the analyst desk for college basketball. It’s a wild ride for so many of these guys, from Butler to the pros to the Hornets, and then calling games. What a way to finish out an NBA career, right?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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