By Manny Vieites
Ex-Nevada basketball star Deonte Burton was released by the Sacramento Kings on Sunday a week before the National Basketball League season tips off.
The point guard was the odd man out in a depth chart that includes Darren Collison, Ray McCallum and former Wolf Pack star Ramon Sessions.
“You have to be ready when you get your number called,” Burton said during the NBA Summer League in July. “There’s things that you adjust to in the league and you have to be mentally tough. Hopefully I can sign with a team and they could give me a shot.”
Burton is six months removed from finishing his illustrious Wolf Pack career, where he placed second all-time in points with 2,102 and was the program’s flag bearer for four years.
Leading up to the 2014 NBA Draft, Burton was invited to 14 NBA teams pre-draft, including the Kings.
“It has a Reno vibe here in Sacramento,” Burton said at Kings pre-draft mini camp. “I feel like I could bring great penetration as well as a change of speed. I’m an up tempo player that can run the floor so I feel that I can adapt well at the NBA speed.”
However, with a deep pool of NBA-ready and international players, Burton went undrafted before latching onto the Washington Wizards for the NBA Summer League — a developmental league tournament between 24 NBA teams held in Las Vegas and Orlando.
Burton had a dismal summer league to say the least, averaging less than two points and two rebounds and one assist in 16.7 minutes a game — all while shooting a horrific 15.8 percent from the field.
“I’m not going to let this affect me,” said Burton at the time. “I know my game and I know how to utilize my self and I know my strengths better than anyone.”
After the setback, the Kings kicked Burton’s tires, signing him in late August.
This was the first real taste for Burton of what it is like to be on an NBA roster. Burton trained with the Kings for the entirety of September to get ready for the NBA preseason.
The Kings played two back-to-back games with the Toronto Raptors in early October, but Burton did not see the court in either of the two. The preseason continued with a week-and-a-half trip to China to play consecutive games against the Brooklyn Nets in Shanghai.
Burton traveled to Shanghai but did not see a single minute on the court. Burton traveled with the team back to Sacramento this last Thursday before being cut during the weekend.
However, the road for Burton likely doesn’t end there. A Reno homecoming is a strong possibility for Burton, who could be signed to the Kings’ D-League affiliate team the Reno Bighorns.
Despite being released, Burton is confident in his future.
“Stick with me, I’m going to make Nevada proud and I still bleed blue,” Burton said during the NBA Summer League.
Manny Vieites can be reached at euribe@sagebrush.unr.edu.