FRESNO, Calif. - Oct. 22 marked the beginning of the 2024-2025 NBA season and for Paul George and Orlando Robinson, this season provides the former Bulldogs with an opportunity to make significant impacts with their new teams in hopes of competing for an NBA championship.
Paul George entered the NBA after being selected with the 10th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers following his career at Fresno State which spanned from 2008 to 2010. During his career at Fresno State, George started in all 63 games he appeared in and averaged 15.5 points per game and shot 44.4% from the field and 39.6% from the 3-point line.
After playing for Indiana from 2010-2017, George was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder where he played for two seasons before signing with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019 as a free agent. Following the conclusion of the 2023-2024 season, George declined his player option and instead signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in hopes of winning his first NBA championship in his 14th season alongside two-time MVP Joel Embid.
George's personal accolades include being a nine-time NBA All-Star and being named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team twice and All-NBA First Team in 2019. George was also named NBA's Most Improved player in 2013 and won Olympic gold as a member of Team USA at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Orlando Robinson played for Fresno State from 2019-2022 where he started in all 90 games he played in and averaged 15.7 points per game throughout his college career. In his last season at Fresno State, Robinson earned First Team All-Mountain West honors before declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft.
Robinson signed with the Miami Heat after going undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft and joined their G-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. After earning a two-way contract with the Miami Heat, Robinson appeared in 67 games for Miami over a two-year span where he averaged 10.9 minutes 3.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game, and shot 51.6% from the field.
In August of 2024, Robinson signed a one-year contract with the Sacramento Kings, a team with established veterans such as DeMar DeRozan and De'Aaron Fox who are looking to bring Sacramento its first NBA championship since 1951.
As both players eagerly anticipate the start of the NBA season, Robinson and George continue to receive support from the Central Valley as both look to help their teams contend for an NBA championship.