Matt Ryan Shoots the Lights Out Against the Pistons!

        Matt Ryan has been quite the story these past couple seasons. Ryan played four years of college basketball and declared for the 2020 NBA draft. Ryan would not hear his name called and went undrafted but would sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Denver Nuggets. Ryan would bounce around the league but he made a name for himself on the Los Angeles Lakers. 

        The Lakers are one of the most valuable franchises in all of sports and they took a chance on Ryan. He would sign a non-guaranteed deal with the Lakers. Before getting waived, Ryan played in twelve games for the Lakers and his most notable moment was against the New Orleans Pelicans. Lakers were down by three and needed a 3-point shot to send the game into overtime. Austin Reeves inbounded the ball, found Ryan in the corner and made a 3-point shot to send the game into overtime and he made it as regulation time expired. The Lakers would go to win the game in overtime. 

        As mentioned, after playing twelve games Matt Ryan was waived by the Los Angeles Lakers. Shortly after being waived Ryan would sign a two-way contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He would remain in Minnesota for the rest of the 2022-23 season however, without being converted to a standard contract, Matt Ryan was not eligible to play in the playoffs for Minnesota. It would not matter as Minnesota was knocked out in the first-round against the Denver Nuggets, who later won the NBA championship, after five games. 

        This summer, Matt Ryan would sign another two-way contract with the Timberwolves but would later get waived and would be back on market. A couple days later Ryan would sign another two-way contract but with the New Orleans Pelicans. With Pelicans' Forwards Trey Murphy III and Naji Marshall sidelined with knee injuries, Matt Ryan would have an opportunity to get some minutes and make a case for himself. In a game against the Detroit Pistons he made an excellent case. 

        As the Pelicans took on the Pistons, the Pelicans were without Zion Williamson for rest purposes and Brandon Ingram with a knee issue. Ryan was not only going to get minutes but he was called into the starting lineup. Against the Pistons, Ryan earned himself new career-highs in multiple categories such as minutes, points, field-goals made and 3-pointers made. Ryan played for 35 minutes and scored 20 points shooting 7 of 10 from the field (70%) and 6 of 8 from 3-point range (75%). Pelicans won the game against the Pistons and the sharp-shooting forward is having a great start to the season and his name is only getting bigger in the NBA.