V. J. Beachem
Victor Eric "V. J." Beachem Jr. (born January 15, 1995) is an American basketball player for the Windy City Bulls of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
 | |
| No. 2 – Windy City Bulls | |
|---|---|
| Position | Forward |
| League | NBA G League |
| Personal information | |
| Born | January 15, 1995 Fort Wayne, Indiana |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Listed weight | 186 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | New Haven (New Haven, Indiana) |
| College | Notre Dame (2013–2017) |
| NBA draft | 2017 / Undrafted |
| Playing career | 2017–present |
| Career history | |
| 2017–2018 | South Bay Lakers |
| 2018 | Wisconsin Herd |
| 2018–present | Windy City Bulls |
College career
Beachem was a standout basketball player at New Haven, being selected as an Indiana All-Star and helped the Bulldogs to a 2013 sectional title. He signed with Notre Dame, where he posted averages of 5.9 points and 1.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Beachem averaged 12 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as a junior and shot 44.4 percent from three-point range.[1][2] He led the team to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive season and was named to the All-East Regional team. Following the conclusion of his junior season Beachem declared for the NBA Draft along with teammate Demetrius Jackson, however he pulled his name out before the deadline.[3] Beachem's best season was as a senior, as he averaged 14.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game and played solid wing defense.[2] However Beachem had a poor showing in Notre Dame's two NCAA Tournament games, going 3-for-23 from the field and 1-for-12 from 3-point range.[4]
Professional career
After going undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft, Beachem was picked up by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Summer League.[2] On August 11, 2017, Beachem signed with the Los Angeles Lakers,[5] but was waived by the Lakers on October 9, 2017.[6] He subsequently signed with the South Bay Lakers and averaged 8.9 points per game.[7]
Beachem was added to the opening night roster of the Wisconsin Herd on November 1, 2018.[8] He was added to the opening night roster of the Windy City Bulls on November 7, 2019.[9]
References
- Candor, Austin (June 21, 2017). "Ex-New Haven star 'ready to take that next step' to NBA". The Journal Gazette. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
- Ratke, Kyle. "Get To Know Him - Summer League Addition: V.J. Beachem". NBA.com. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
- Skrbina, Paul (May 1, 2016). "Notre Dame's V.J. Beachem will return for senior season". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
- DeFabo, Mike (May 12, 2017). "Degree in hand, Notre Dame's Beachem sets his sights on the NBA". The Herald-Bulletin. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
- "Lakers Sign V.J. Beachem". NBA.com. August 11, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
- "Lakers Waive Beachem and Zimmerman". NBA.com. October 9, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
- Marini, Glenn (February 18, 2018). "Beachem relishing first season as a pro". WANE. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
- "Wisconsin Herd Finalizes Opening Night Roster". NBA.com. November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
- Kessenich, Joe (November 7, 2019). "WINDY CITY BULLS ANNOUNCE 2019-20 OPENING NIGHT ROSTER FOR TEAM'S FOURTH SEASON". NBA.com. Retrieved December 5, 2019.