1/28-2/3 Spotlight: Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn
Hailing from Lafayette, Indiana, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn was a highly-touted combo guard with the potential to star for a college program. The four star recruit originally committed to Matt Painter and Purdue, but would change his mind and flip to Illinois ahead of the 2023-2024 season.
DGL had an incredible first game, dropping 18 points on Eastern Illinois, but that would be the peak of his freshman season in Champaign. He ended the year averaging 2.4 points across seven minutes per game as the third
point guard off the bench. As a sophomore, coach Brad Underwood played him in all 35 games, with Gibbs-Lawhorn putting up a respectable 5.9 points per game. He also started the first two games of his collegiate career, but the former Top 100 prospect had the desire to run an offense himself. At the end of the 2024-2025 campaign, he entered his name into the transfer portal, and decided to join Josh Pastner in Las Vegas to begin a new era for the Rebels.
In hindsight, it’s crazy to say that Gibbs-Lawhorn was not the projected starting point guard entering the year for UNLV. Pastner had also signed Myles Che from UC Irvine, who was one of the best three point shooters in the country, but a season-ending foot surgery cleared the runway for the Illinois transfer. DGL has used that runway to propel himself to an All-Mountain West level, with him sitting second in the conference at 18 points per game. He’s reached double figures in 20 of his 22 starts, and has notched at least 21 points in four of his last five games. Although the Rebels went winless this week, the Lafayette product did all he could, with 26 points against Nevada and 28 points against Fresno State. There’s still time for UNLV to right the ship and make a miracle run into the postseason, but regardless, it’s great to see a player like Gibbs-Lawhorn bet on themselves in the bright lights of Vegas and cash in.
Team of the Week
First Team
Point Guard
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, Junior, Illinois to UNLV || (2 game average) 27 points, 3.5 assists, 3 rebounds, steal, 66.7% FG, 53.3% 3PT, 6/6 FT
Shooting Guard
Corey Camper Jr, Senior, UTEP to Nevada || (2 game average) 33 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 67.6% FG, 58.8% 3PT, 77.8% FT
Small Forward
Jaden Henley, Senior, UNLV to Grand Canyon || (2 game average) 16.5 points, 6 assists, 5.5 rebounds, steal, block, 61.9% FG, 50% 3PT, 50% FT
Power Forward
Kimani Hamilton, Senior, High Point to UNLV || (2 game average) PF/SF Kimani Hamilton: 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3 assists, block, 0.5 steal, 43.8% FG, 50% 3PT, 75% FT
Center
Elijah Price, Sophomore, Fresno State to Nevada || (2 game average) 19.5 points, 10 rebounds, assist, 0.5 block, 0.5 steal, 52.6% FG, 0/1 3PT, 79.2% FT
Second Team
Point Guard
Dylan Andrews, Senior, UCLA to Boise State || (2 game average) 17.5 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 47.6% FG, 44.4% 3PT, 91.7% FT
Shooting Guard
Jake Heidbreder, Senior, Clemson to Fresno State || (2 game average) 21.5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.5 steals, 53.8% FG, 46.7% 3PT, 72.7% FT
Small Forward
Howie Fleming Jr, Senior, Texas-Rio Grande Valley to UNLV || (2 game average) 14 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 3.5 steals, 55.6% FG, 16.7% 3PT, 70% FT
Power Forward
Luke Haupt, Graduate, Point Loma Nazarene (DII) to New Mexico || 7 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 1/4 FG, 0/2 3PT, 5/6 FT
Center
Nana Owusu-Anane, Graduate, Brown to Grand Canyon || (2 game average) 11.5 points, 7 rebounds, 0.5 assist, block, 1.5 steals, 61.5% FG, 71.4% 3PT, 2/2 FT
Third Team
Point Guard
Tayshawn Comer, Senior, Evansville to Nevada || (2 game average) 14 points, 6 assists, 52.4% FG, 50% 3PT, 3/3 FT
Shooting Guard
Khaden Bennett, Junior, Quinnipiac to Wyoming || (3 game average) 15 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2 steals, 38.2% FG, 45.4% 3PT, 69.2% FT
Small Forward
Jevin Muniz, Senior, Florida Gulf Coast to Colorado State || (2 game average) 11.5 points, 6 assists, 2 rebounds, 0.5 steal, 50% FG, 28.6% 3PT, 83.3% FT
Power Forward
Garry Clark, Senior, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to Utah State || (2 game average) 7.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.5 block, 85.7% FG, 42.9% FT
Center
Drew Fielder, Junior, Georgetown to Boise State || (2 game average) 9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.5 block, 38.5% FG, 16.7% 3PT, 87.5% FT
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