Men's Basketball: Austin signs Exhibit 10 deal with Thunder
Pitt's ZackAustin signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, as first announced by Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com Friday evening.
Austin averaged 9.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and a team-best 1.6 blocks per game, while leading the team in 3-point field goals (56) and shooting 38.1% (56-of-147) from beyond the arc last season.
An NBA Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, minimum salary deal that gives teams the option to convert it into a two-way contract or waive the player. If waived, the player can earn a bonus by signing with the team's G League affiliate and staying for a set period (usually 60 days). This type of contract is used to bring players into training camp for evaluation and potentially fill out the G League roster.
Austin finished his collegiate career with 1,408 points, 710 rebounds, 230 blocks, and 213 three-pointers in 128 games to join ShaneBattier (Duke) and JakeStephens (VMI, Chattanooga) as the only players in NCAA history to post at least 1,400 points, 700 rebounds, 200 3-point field goals and 200 blocks in a career. He is also the only player in NCAA history to record 50 or more 3-pointers and 50 or more blocked shots in three times in a career.
The Winston-Salem, N.C., native joined MouhamdouGueye (2021-22) as the only Panthers to lead the team in blocks and 3-pointers in a season, while also becoming one seven players in ACC history (eight times) with at least 50 blocks and 50 3-point field goals in a season. He led the ACC in blocks (51) in 2024-25 to join CharlesSmith (Big East - 1987) as the only Panthers to lead the conference in blocks in a season and was one of just six players the NCAA with 50 or more 3-point field goals (56) and 50 or more blocks (51) last season.
Austin totaled 511 points, 213 rebounds, and 95 blocks, while going 84-of-242 (.347) from 3-point range over 65 games at Pitt. He was named to the 2025 ACC All-Defensive Team and was also a finalist for the CollegeInsider.com Lefty Driesell Award, presented annually to the top defensive player in Division I college basketball. He began his career at High Point where he earned Big South Co-Freshman of the Year, Big South All-Freshman Team and CollegeInsider.com Kyle Macy Freshman All-American honors in 2022 and Big South Honor Mention All-Conference accolades in 2023.
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6:50 pm - 06.27.2025OaklandMen's Basketball: Austin signs Exhibit 10 deal with Thunder
Pitt's Zack Austin signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder, as first announced by Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress.com Friday evening.
Austin averaged 9.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and a team-best 1.6 blocks per game, while leading the team in 3-point field goals (56) and shooting 38.1% (56-of-147) from beyond the arc last season.
An NBA Exhibit 10 contract is a one-year, minimum salary deal that gives teams the option to convert it into a two-way contract or waive the player. If waived, the player can earn a bonus by signing with the team's G League affiliate and staying for a set period (usually 60 days). This type of contract is used to bring players into training camp for evaluation and potentially fill out the G League roster.
Austin finished his collegiate career with 1,408 points, 710 rebounds, 230 blocks, and 213 three-pointers in 128 games to join Shane Battier (Duke) and Jake Stephens (VMI, Chattanooga) as the only players in NCAA history to post at least 1,400 points, 700 rebounds, 200 3-point field goals and 200 blocks in a career. He is also the only player in NCAA history to record 50 or more 3-pointers and 50 or more blocked shots in three times in a career.
The Winston-Salem, N.C., native joined Mouhamdou Gueye (2021-22) as the only Panthers to lead the team in blocks and 3-pointers in a season, while also becoming one seven players in ACC history (eight times) with at least 50 blocks and 50 3-point field goals in a season. He led the ACC in blocks (51) in 2024-25 to join Charles Smith (Big East - 1987) as the only Panthers to lead the conference in blocks in a season and was one of just six players the NCAA with 50 or more 3-point field goals (56) and 50 or more blocks (51) last season.
Austin totaled 511 points, 213 rebounds, and 95 blocks, while going 84-of-242 (.347) from 3-point range over 65 games at Pitt. He was named to the 2025 ACC All-Defensive Team and was also a finalist for the CollegeInsider.com Lefty Driesell Award, presented annually to the top defensive player in Division I college basketball. He began his career at High Point where he earned Big South Co-Freshman of the Year, Big South All-Freshman Team and CollegeInsider.com Kyle Macy Freshman All-American honors in 2022 and Big South Honor Mention All-Conference accolades in 2023.
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