Overview
Born and raised in Texas, Dink Pate attended L.G. Pinkston High School in West Dallas. After averaging 20.3 points per game in the 2022-23 campaign, Pate was named District MVP and earned All-State Team honors. He opted to forego his final year of high school and started playing professionally for the G League Ignite in 2023 at 17 years old, surpassing Scoot Henderson as the youngest professional basketball player in United States history. In his lone season with the Ignite, Pate averaged 8.0 points (35/21/73 shooting splits), 3.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 23.6 minutes per game across 31 appearances (20 starts). The Ignite were disbanded following the 2023-24 campaign, and Pate ultimately joined the Mexico City Capitanes for the 2024-25 season, averaging 10 points (41/26/58), 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 27 minutes per game across 34 appearances (all starts).
Analysis
Pate’s youth and potential were both evident during his first two years in the G League, and he’ll likely need more time to develop before he’s an NBA-ready contributor. He was at his best in transition, where his natural athleticism and talent could take over. His outside jumper didn’t yield results in the G League, but he was much better from beyond the arc for Mexico City than he was for the Ignite. Pate is also a fluid ballhander and passer for his size but doesn’t project as a primary playmaker in the NBA. Defensively, Pate has the size and athleticism to be elite but needed to be more engaged.
Projection
Even at 6-foot-8, Pate likes to play like a guard, which draws comparisons to Amen (6’7, 200) and Ausar (6’6, 205) Thompson’s play style. However, Pate isn’t nearly as athletic or dynamic a playmaker as the twins were heading into the 2023 NBA Draft. Pate could also develop into a defensive force like OG Anunoby (6’7, 240) or Matisse Thybulle (6’5, 201). However, Pate’s most likely outcome is landing in the slew of fellow talented big-bodied guards who started in the G League and are still trying to figure out their spot in the league, including Matas Buzelis (6’10, 209), Ron Holland (6’8, 205) and Trentyn Flowers (6’9, 185).
— Profile by RotoWire.com