PROVIDENCE, R.I. – UCF's Matt Williams, SMU's Ben Moore, Troy Caupain of Cincinnati and UConn's Amida Brimah have each reached agreement to begin their professional basketball careers. Williams will compete on the Miami Heat's NBA Summer League squad, while Moore reached an agreement with the Indiana Pacers. Caupain will star on Toronto's Summer League team, while Brimah reached agreement to play for the Chicago Bulls in the Summer League.
The UCF guard ranked second in the nation in three-pointers made last season and finished his career as the Knights’ all-time record holder in threes. Williams' 126 three-pointers last season set an American Athletic Conference record.
Williams was outstanding in his senior campaign in Orlando, averaging 15.1 points per game as he led the Knights to 24 wins, a fourth place finish in the American Athletic Conference, and a trip to the National Invitation Tournament Final Four in New York City.
The Jones High School product left UCF as the program’s all-time leader in threes made in a game (11), a season (126) and a career (274). His 126 triples in 2016-17 were the second most in the entire nation. The sharpshooter was named to the American Athletic Conference Honor Roll four times and knocked down five or more threes in 10 games as a senior.
Caupain, named a second team All-American Athletic Conference selection by the league’s coaches earlier this month, averaged 10.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.4 steals in 2016-17. He was named first team NABC All-District 25 earlier this month.
Caupain completed his senior campaign ranked sixth in the nation with a 3.36-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio and was listed among The American leaders in assists (sixth at 4.4), steals (13th at 1.2), minutes played (22nd at 32.3) and points (27th at 10.5). The senior finished his UC career as the school’s all-time assist leader (515), ranked second in career wins (102), third in career minutes (3,980), tied for third in games played (137) and tied for 22nd in career points (1,317).
Moore was voted Second Team All-American Athletic Conference after averaging 11.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks, while shooting 56.0 percent from the field. In conference play, Moore averaged 12.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Moore started all 32 games, recording double-digit points in 23 games and eight double-doubles this season.
Brimah played 133 games at UConn, averaging 6.7 points and 4.5 rebounds. Up to 230 pounds, he was a more effective rebounder as a senior, averaging 6.1. He shot 63.7 percent from the floor in his career. Defensively, Brimah blocked 367 shots and was the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2014-15.
The Heat and Pacers will play in the Orlando Summer League, which is scheduled for July 1-6 at the Amway Center. The Raptors and Bulls will join the Heat in the Las Vegas Summer League is slated for July 7-17 with games at Cox Pavilion and the Thomas and Mack Center.
American Athletic Conference Players Chosen in the 2017 NBA Draft
| Round |
Overall |
Player |
Pos |
School |
NBA Team |
| 2 |
37 |
Semi Ojeleye |
F |
SMU |
Boston |
| 2 |
44 |
Damyean Dotson |
G |
Houston |
New York |
| 2 |
46 |
Sterling Brown |
G |
SMU |
Philadelphia (rights traded to Milwaukee) |