Dink Pate

Dink Pate
No. 1 – Mexico City Capitanes
PositionPoint guard / Small forward
LeagueNBA G League
Personal information
Born (2006-03-10) March 10, 2006 (age 18)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High schoolL. G. Pinkston (West Dallas, Texas)
Playing career2023–present
Career history
2023–2024NBA G League Ignite
2024–presentMexico City Capitanes
Career highlights and awards

Dink Pate (born March 10, 2006) is an American professional basketball player for the Mexico City Capitanes of the NBA G League. He became the youngest professional basketball player in U.S. history after joining the NBA G League Ignite.

Early life and high school career

A native of Dallas, Texas, Pate played primarily point guard at L. G. Pinkston High School in West Dallas. In his last season, he averaged 20.3 points and was the named the 2022–2023 District 13-4A Most Valuable Player. He was also named to the 2022–2023 University Interscholastic League Boys 4A All-Region Team and All-State Team.[1]

Wanting to focus full time on basketball, Pate graduated from Pinkston a year early and continued his education by enrolling in online classes created by the NBA G League at Arizona State.[1]

Recruiting

Rated as a five-star prospect by ESPN, Pate announced he would forgo playing college basketball and instead play professionally for NBA G League Ignite after reclassifying to the 2023 class.[2] He would have enrolled at Alabama or Arkansas had he not have joined Ignite.[1]

College recruiting information
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Dink Pate
SG 		Dallas, TX West Dallas (TX) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) — 
Star ratings: Rivals:4/5 stars   247Sports:4/5 stars    ESPN:5/5 stars   ESPN grade: 88
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 35  247Sports: 30  ESPN: 30
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2023 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved March 21, 2024.

Professional career

NBA G League Ignite (2023–2024)

On April 17, 2023, Pate signed a two-year contract with the NBA G League Ignite. By joining Ignite, he became the youngest known professional basketball player in U.S. history, surpassing Scoot Henderson by five weeks.[3] On February 27, 2024, Pate scored a career-high 16 points along with 9 assists against the Texas Legends.[4]

After the shutting down of the NBA G League Ignite on March 28, 2024, Pate was suggested to have had a waiver request to enter the 2024 NBA draft due to the team's closure and having turned 18 during the season, but he was denied entry to the draft that year.[5]

Mexico City Capitanes (2024–present)

On July 3, 2024, Pate signed with the Mexico City Capitanes.[6]

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

NBA G League

Dink Pate NBA G League statistics
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2023–24 G League Ignite 31 20 23.6 .347 .214 .727 2.9 3.8 .6 .1 8.0
Career 31 20 23.6 .347 .214 .727 2.9 3.8 .6 .1 8.0

References

  1. ^ a b c "Recruit Dink Pate signs with NBA's G League Ignite program". ESPN.com. April 17, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  2. ^ Sam, Doric (April 17, 2023). "Dink Pate Picks G-League over Alabama, Arkansas; Youngest US-Born Pro Ever". BleacherReport.com. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "Texas High School Standout Dink Pate Signs With Ignite". NBA.com. April 17, 2023. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  4. ^ "Ignite Opens Seven-Game Road Trip With Loss To Legends, 132-111". NBA.com. February 27, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  5. ^ "A Look at Dink Pate, the Ignite Guard Attempting to Enter the 2024 Draft After G League Program's Dissolution". SI.com. April 9, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  6. ^ Chávez, Eduardo (July 3, 2024). "CAPITANES ANUNCIA LA INCOPORACIÓN DE DINK PATE". Capitanes.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved July 13, 2024.