LOCALS IN THE NBA
Former Utah G Both Gach Joins Orlando Magic Summer League Team
Jun 30, 2022, 9:45 AM
Utah Utes guard Both Gach (11) drives on Oregon State Beavers forward Kylor Kelley (24) in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020. Utah won 81-69. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – Former University of Utah men’s basketball guard Both Gach has landed a spot in the NBA with the Orlando Magic in Summer League.
After returning to Utah for the 2021-22 season, Both Gach is starting his journey as a professional basketball player and beginning with the Orlando Magic.
The Magic posted their Summer League roster on Wednesday.
squaaaad pic.twitter.com/h528KecB3J
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) June 29, 2022
A big name on the roster is No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero from Duke. Gach will also team up with former Utah Utes guard Devon Daniels. Daniels spent the 2016-17 season with the Runnin’ Utes before moving on to NC State.
Another connection with Gach on the Magic Summer League roster is his former teammate at Minnesota, Daniel Oturu. Gach played for the Golden Gophers in 2020-21, following two seasons with the Utes.
After playing for Minnesota for one season, Gach decided to return to Salt Lake City and play for Craig Smith, who was entering his first season as the head coach of the Runnin’ Utes.
It was an up-and-down season for Gach in 2021-22, averaging 8.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 29 games played, including eight starts. He reached double figures in 14 games and over 20 points once when he had 28 against USC on December 1.
After this past season, Gach announced he would enter the NBA Draft and forgo his final year of eligibility. Gach didn’t hear his name called on draft night last week.
Gach’s best season as a member of the Runnin’ Utes was 2019-20 when he averaged 10.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. In the one season with Minnesota, Gach started in 16 of the 29 games he played in, posting averages of 6.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest. He shot 40% from the field and 80% from the three-point line. Gach started that season by scoring in double figures in six-straight games.
The Magic will begin Summer League action on Thursday, July 7 against the Houston Rockets at 8 p.m. MT on ESPN. They will be in Las Vegas with the 29 other NBA teams for Summer League.
