Cavs rookie point guard Darius Garland has made a decision with regards to the footwear he’ll be wearing in the coming seasons. According to a report from ESPN’s Nick DePaula, the former Vanderbilt standout has signed a multi-year deal with Nike.
The Cavs selected Garland with the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s draft. There were some who questioned Cleveland’s decision to take another point guard, as they had just selected Collin Sexton in the previous draft. Despite that fact, newly-appointed head coach John Beilein has plans of utilizing the two ball handlers in the same lineup.
“It is truly a two guard front,” Beilein recently said of the Sexton-Garland duo. “It opens the floor up so much for everyone, because you can put people in the corners — the court is open. It allows the guards to have so much more freedom.”
Garland, now 19 years of age, played in just five collegiate games due to a meniscus injury. In those five appearances, he racked up averages of 16.2 points on 53.7 percent shooting from the field (47.8 percent from beyond the arc), 3.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and just under one steal (0.8) in 27.8 minutes per outing.
The Cavs finished the 2018-19 season with a disappointing 19-63 overall record, which left the team well out of playoff contention. Hopefully, though, with their new-look coaching staff and an influx of talented young players on-board, Cleveland will be able to get back into the hunt.
