Skyforce Acquires Player Rights to Pickett and Rice

The Sioux Falls Skyforce announced the team has acquired the returning player rights to forward Jamorko Pickett and guard Sir’Jabari Rice from the Austin Spurs. Additionally, the Skyforce has acquired a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA G League Draft next weekend.

Pickett, a 6-9 forward out of Georgetown University went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft. He signed a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons on 9/24/21, where he averaged 15.0 points on 41.8 percent shooting, 6.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals per 32.8 minutes in 31 appearances (30 starts) with the Motor City Cruise. He played in 13 games with the Pistons and averaged 3.9 points on 36.0 percent shooting, 2.5 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per 13.6 minutes a game. He signed an exhibit-10 contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers on 9/8/22 and was later allocated to the Cleveland Charge, where he averaged a career-high 17.1 points on 42.3 percent shooting, 8.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per 34.2 minutes in 41 appearances (33 starts). He was traded to the Grand Rapids Gold ahead of the 2023-24 season and averaged 11.5 points on 42.9 percent shooting, 5.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.9 steals per 27.2 minutes in 46 games (16 starts).

Prior to his professional career, Pickett spent four seasons as a Georgetown Hoya and averaged 9.5 points on 37.8 percent shooting, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.8 blocks per 29.0 minutes in 119 appearances (110 starts). He was named to the Big East All-Rookie Team for the 2017-18 season as a freshman, where he averaged 9.6 points on 36.3 percent shooting, 3.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 0.6 blocks per 27.5 minutes a game in 30 appearances (29 starts). He finished his collegiate career in 2020-21 and posted highs of 12.2 points on 38.5 percent shooting, 7.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steals per 34.7 minutes in 26 starts. Pickett is currently playing with Manisa Buyuksehir Belediye of the Turkish BSL overseas.

Rice, a 6-4 guard out of Texas went undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft. He signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs on 7/5/23 after averaging 12.0 points on 45.0 percent shooting, 1.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 3.5 steals per 17.2 minutes a game at the 2023 NBA Summer League. Rice was waived from his two-way contract on 12/14/23 but appeared in 39 games (14 starts) for the Austin Spurs and averaged 9.7 points on 43.2 percent shooting, 2.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 0.9 steals per 21.1 minutes a game during the 2023-24 season.

Prior to his time with the Spurs, Rice played collegiately for the University of Texas (2022-23) and New Mexico State University (2017-2022). He averaged 10.7 points on 43.6 percent shooting, 4.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.7 steals per 24.6 minutes in 149 appearances (84 starts) between the Longhorns and Aggies. He averaged 12.8 points on 46.8 percent shooting (38.8 percent from beyond the arc), 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.8 steals per 26.3 minutes in 30 appearances (19 starts) as a redshirt sophomore in 2019-20, which earned him WAC All-Conference First Team honors. He would go on to earn WAC All-Conference Second Team (2021, 2022) and WAC All-Tournament Team (2022) before transferring ahead of the 2022-23 season. Rice averaged 13.0 points on 46.4 percent shooting (37.1 percent beyond the arc), 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 0.9 steals per 25.2 minutes in 38 appearances (11 starts). His play earned him the Big 12 Sixth Man Award, Big 12 All-Newcomer Team, All-Big 12 Third Team and Big 12 Championship All-Tournament Team.

Sioux Falls sent the returning player rights of Jamaree Bouyea and a second-round pick in the 2024 NBA G League Draft to Austin to complete the transaction.