The Tribune

TRAVIS Munnings will get his first opportunity to showcase his skillset for an NBA franchise.

Munnings was invited to a Pre-Draft workout for the Charlotte Hornets today at the team’s training facility in Charlotte, North Carolina.

It is the 12th workout of the Pre-Draft process for the Hornets and he worked out with a group that included Jordan Caroline (Nevada), Justin Wright-Foreman (Hofstra), William McDowell-White (Brose Bamberg), Robert Franks Jr (Washington State) and Torin Dorn (North Carolina State).

Munnings called it a blessing to be considered and looks to make the most of his opportunity being a less scouted player from a mid major programme manoeuvring the draft process.

“It’s different for us than a lot of the other guys. The ones that went to the high DI programmes the scouts already know about them and their game. For someone like me from a mid major, I have to go extra hard in workouts.

“The process is kind of different for everybody,” Munnings said. “Once you get that one phone call it will probably give other teams interest. It makes other teams think ‘Where has this guy been?’ and it creates more opportunities. It’s a blessing.” Munnings, the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks graduate, was one of 40 players invited to work out at the Impact Basketball Pro Day last weekend in Las Vegas Nevada.

“In the pro day, I had to stand out so at least one team can write my name down. That’s what I did out there, I showed that I’m ready to grind, I can play with these guys and I’m ready to work hard,” he said. “I just have to continue to make shots, shoot at a high level, handle the ball, come off ball screens, make plays, get my teammates open, create my own shot and that’s mostly what I’ve been trying to work on in addition to just staying engaged on defence.”

While in Las Vegas, Munnings also had an opportunity to draw inspiration from childhood friend and Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield.

“Buddy is like a big brother, we grew up together and we stayed close. I was chilling with him the day before the pro day and he was helping me to get ready, he told me to just be me. He calls me ‘Wildman’ so he just told me to go out there to do that and just be me and do what ‘Wildman’ does, play with confidence and play with energy,” Munnings said.

Munnings concluded his four-year Warhawks career and reached several milestones as a senior. He concluded his NCCA career with a hot shooting month of March where he averaged 20.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game with two double doubles and made at least five three pointers in four games.

Munnings received a basketball commemorating membership in the 1,000-point/800-rebound career club. He also played in more games than any other player in Warhawks history with 133.

As a senior, he averaged 14 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game on 44 per cent shooting from the field and 36 per cent from three-point range.

After testing the market last spring and facing evaluation from scouts and coaches, Munnings withdrew from the NBA Draft and decided to return to the Warhawks for his final year of eligibility.

As a junior, he averaged 15.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He was previously honoured as Second-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection and won Sun Belt Player of the Week on several occasions.

As a freshman, he averaged 7.2 points and 5.4 rebounds and increased those numbers to 13.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game as a sophomore.

Munnings spent his early high school years with the St George’s Jaguars under coach Darell Sears. He was considered a three-star recruit by Yahoo Sports when he completed his prep season at Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas, before he committed to the Warhawks over Tennessee and Mississippi State.