Guard Out of the G League Just Picked Providence and Nobody Saw It Coming

Dink Pate is heading back to college basketball after a monster season in the G League, and Providence just landed one of the most intriguing recruits in the country. The 6-foot-8 guard committed to the Friars on Thursday, according to his agent Sam Permut of Roc Nation Sports, marking a major win for new coach Bryan Hodgson.

From the G League to the College Game

Pate was a top-30 high school recruit back in 2023 but took the G League Ignite route instead of going straight to a traditional college program. He bounced around the G League circuit, playing for the Mexico City Capitanes before landing with the Westchester Knicks this season. Now he is flipping the script and heading back to the college game.

This was not some fringe role player either. Pate averaged 16.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 36 games for Westchester this season. The biggest story though is his shooting improvement. Last year with Mexico City, he was at 26.1% from three. This season? He bumped that up to 36.8% on nearly eight attempts per game. That kind of growth is huge when you are trying to convince a program you belong in the college ranks.

Hodgson Flexes His Recruiting Muscle Right Away

Pate became the second major commitment for Hodgson on Thursday. San Diego State transfer Miles Byrd, a 6-foot-6 wing and reigning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, also picked Providence on the same day. Both players are being called statement recruits for a coach who just took over the Friars last month after one season at South Florida.

Before landing at Providence, Hodgson was an assistant coach at Alabama under Nate Oats and built a reputation as one of the top recruiters in the country. Beating out a long list of contenders, including Kentucky, for both Byrd and Pate proves that reputation is legit.

The G League-to-College Pipeline Is Real

Pate entered the 2025 NBA draft but went undrafted, making the college route his next logical step. He is the latest G League player to head back to the college game. Thierry Darlan started the trend last September by committing to Santa Clara, with London Johnson (Louisville) and Abdullah Ahmed (BYU) following after. The pipeline is becoming a real pathway for players who need another route to the NBA.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.