There’s a new star making waves in Los Angeles.
He’s a familiar name with a familiar story, granted one that tends to be more common among broke college students rather than NBA hoopers.
But Lakers rookie Matt Ryan added another chapter to his Tinseltown tale, bottoming an off-balance, game-tying 3 as the horn sounded in the Lakers’ overtime win over New Orleans on Wednesday.
🎥 Every angle of Matt Ryan’s buzzer-beater to force OT! pic.twitter.com/YKPIZ5laht
— NBA (@NBA) November 3, 2022
It was a moment years in the making for Ryan. Once a high school standout, the 25-year-old had to wait more than his fair share of time to make it on the big stage.
But now he’s here, sharing a court with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and the rest of his Lakers teammates. And given his proclivity for 3-point shooting — Ryan is canning a team-high 45 percent of shots beyond the arc — he figures to play a central role in whatever Los Angeles is hoping to accomplish in 2022-23.
MORE: Matt Ryan plays unsung hero in Lakers OT win over Pelicans
With that, here is Matt Ryan’s journey from little-known mid-major star to fully fledged NBA contributor.
Who is the Lakers’ Matt Ryan?
Before Ryan was an NBA jock, he was a burgeoning basketball talent from White Plains, New York. Ryan was a highly touted recruit, committing to Notre Dame as a four-star prospect in 2014.
He didn’t see too much time on the court during his two years in South Bend, though. And after making just four starts in his first two seasons with the Fighting Irish, he opted to transfer.
Ryan took his talents to Vanderbilt for the 2018-19 season and saw increased playing time, making 25 starts as a junior. He still looked a world away from a productive NBA player, hitting just 34.7 percent of his field goals and 32.8 percent of his 3-point shots as a junior.
He spent his 2019-20 season in Chattanooga, turning out with the Mocs. And he hit his stride as a prospect, pouring in 15.4 points, 4.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game on 42.3/35.9/87.9 shooting splits
After not hearing his name called in the 2020 NBA Draft, Ryan’s NBA prospects were murky. And with much of the basketball world on hold after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ryan took on a series of odd jobs: delivering meals as a DoorDash driver, working at a cemetery in Yonkers and coaching a grassroots basketball team.
Ryan would finally get his chance in 2021, being added to the Cavaliers’ summer league team. That put him on the radar of NBA and G-League personnel. He bounced around a bit, signing a deal with the Nuggets — and their G-League affiliate — before joining the Celtics on a two-way contract.
Ryan was on the bench as the C’s made their run to the Finals. But he saw little action in Celtics green; Ryan played just five minutes during his time in Boston, none of which came in the playoffs.
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Nonetheless, Ryan got a shot with the Lakers for the 2022-23 season. And so far, it’s been a pretty seamless fit: Los Angeles desperately needs floor spacing for James, Westbrook and Davis to operate. Ryan, with his smooth, effortless stroke, offers just that.
Los Angeles has straddled between mediocre and awful for much of the season so far. But Ryan should see lots of game time this year, especially with the Lakers bereft of players capable of consistently making catch-and-shoot jumpers.
And as he proved on Wednesday, Ryan will be more than ready when his number is called upon again.
Matt Ryan on his clutch 3: pic.twitter.com/IznkKlpk7g
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) November 3, 2022
