IRVINE, Calif. -- Two former Big West men’s basketball players have earned a spot on NBA Opening Week rosters for the 2023-24 season.

Fourth-year NBA veteran Gabe Vincent (UC Santa Barbara ’18) signed a three-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers this past offseason. Vincent played four seasons at UC Santa Barbara and earned 2014-15 Big West Freshman of the Year, 2015-16 All-Big West Honorable Mention and 2017-18 All-Big West Second Team honors. The former Gaucho's professional career started with the Stockton Kings, the G-League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. After averaging 23.4 points per game for the team during the 2019-20 season, Vincent was offered a two-way contract with the Miami Heat, which eventually turned into a standard NBA contract before the 2020-21 season. The Modesto, Calif. native played a key role in getting the Heat to the 2023 NBA Finals averaging 9.4 points per game. The Lakers tip-off the season at reigning NBA champions Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 4:30 p.m. PT

Miles Norris (UC Santa Barbara ’23) signed a two-way contract for the Atlanta Hawks in July after graduating from UC Santa Barbara. Norris played three seasons for the Gauchos and earned All-Big West Second Team honors in 2022-23, averaging 14.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game with four double-doubles across 35 games. The former UC Santa Barbara standout was a member of the 2023 Hawks Summer League team and shot 56 percent from 3-point range. As a two-way player, Norris is projected to split time this season with the top team and the College Park Skyhawks, the G-League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks. The opening game for the Hawks is Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 4 p.m. against the Charlotte Hornets. 

The Big West is prominently represented on NBA coaching staffs with eight alums from five schools featured on the sidelines. In addition to Vincent and Norris, over 95 other players that competed for Big West schools will play professionally this season across the globe. 

Big West alumni on NBA rosters
Miles Norris (UC Santa Barbara '23) - Atlanta Hawks (two-way contract)
Gabe Vincent (UC Santa Barbara '18) - Los Angeles Lakers 
 
Big West alumni on NBA coaching staffs
Scott Brooks (UC Irvine '87) - Assistant Coach, Portland Trailblazers
AC Carter (Hawai’i ’98) - Assistant Coach, Memphis Grizzlies
Phil Handy (Hawai’i ’95) - Assistant Coach, Los Angeles Lakers
Maxwell Kupchak (UC Santa Barbara ’19) - Coordinator of Cap Strategy and Player Personnel, Atlanta Hawks
Jon Pastorek (UC Santa Barbara ’11) - Assistant Coach, Phoenix Suns
Joe Prunty (Cal Poly '91) - Assistant Coach, Milwaukee Bucks
Brian Shaw (UC Santa Barbara '88) - Assistant Coach, Los Angeles Clippers
Isaac Yacob (CSUN '18) - Assistant Coach, Indiana Pacers
 
Former Big West coaches on NBA coaching staffs
Garrett Jackson (Hawai’i graduate manager 2018-19) - Assistant Coach, Houston Rockets