76ers Gaming Club Protects Radiant, Steez, and BreadwinnerLA Prior To NBA 2K League Expansion Draft
August 30, 2019
PHILADELPHIA – AUG. 30, 2019 – 76ers Gaming Club (GC) announced today that 76ers GC has protected point guard Ethan “Radiant” White, center Alexander “Steez” Bernstein and power forward Christopher “BreadwinnerLA” Lafanette from being selected by the league’s new franchises in the 2019 NBA 2K League Expansion Draft.
Originally selected with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2018 NBA 2K League Draft, Radiant averaged team highs in both points (20.0) and assists (11.1) in the regular season. Both marks ranked top five in the league, which led to him being named a 2019 NBA 2K League MVP Finalist and to the All-NBA 2K League Second Team.
Steez, a 2018 fourth-round selection out of Orange County, California, nearly averaged a double-double over the course of the regular season with 11.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. The center kept his play consistent going into the postseason where he averaged 11.1 points and 9.1 rebounds while increasing his field-goal percentage from .696 in the regular season to .831 in the postseason.
Breadwinner, a 2019 first-round selection out of Lake Charles, Louisiana, finished top 10 in both total steals (45) and total blocks (17) during the regular season. The power forward finished his first year being named to both the NBA 2K League All-Defensive Team and All-Rookie Team.
Together, Radiant, Steez and Breadwinner helped 76ers GC to an 11-5 regular-season record, clinching the No. 3 seed in the 2019 NBA 2K League playoffs. The team advanced to the NBA 2K League Championship, falling to T-Wolves Gaming in a five-game series. Under the tutelage of 2019 NBA 2K League Coach of the Year Jeff Terrell, 76ers GC has amassed the most victories in the league’s two-year history with a 42-16 record in all competitions, good for a .724 winning percentage.
All 21 NBA 2K League teams were required to protect at least two players on their roster. By opting to protect a third player, 76ers GC has forfeited a third-round pick in the 2020 NBA 2K League Draft and can only retain one additional player after the expansion draft. The expansion draft will occur later this fall.