Boeheim’s Army guard Keifer Sykes hit the game-winner for Boeheim’s Army in The Basketball Tournament on Tuesday night, dropping a 3-pointer that provided an immediate ending in a 69-67 victory and clinched $1 million for his team.
Moments later, NBA reporter Shams Charania reported that he’d signed a contract with the Indiana Pacers, capping what must have been a memorable day.
“Like I was telling (Eric Devendorf), I had to wait to tell everyone,” Sykes said. “I had to get the clearance from Indiana that I could play. They are already in training camp so I don’t know how much I’ll play the first two games.”
Sykes was instrumental in Boeheim’s Army breaking through to win TBT for the first time in seven tries. He scored a game-high 21 points and was one of two players to score in double-figures for the winners, along with fellow import D.J. Kennedy.
A 27-year-old who played college basketball for the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Sykes has played in an array of high-profile international leagues during his career including in Greece and Turkey.
The website RealGM.com reported that Sykes’ deal will be an Exhibit-10 contract, which is a deal for the NBA’s league minimum. While there is no guaranteed salary, the agreement can include an optional bonus of between $5,000 and $50,000 if that player is waived and then joins the franchise’s G-League team. Exhibit-10 contracts can also be converted into two-way contracts by the franchise.
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