Basketball: Marin Catholic grad Calcaterra signs with NBA G League team
Joey Calcaterra knew he was not going to be drafted by an NBA team in June, even after helping the University of Connecticut win a national championship. He was, however, hopeful he’d receive an invitation to play in summer league, which provides an opportunity to players both drafted and undrafted to showcase their talent for the NBA world.
But that never happened, either, for Calcaterra, 24, who had multiple offers to play overseas. The all-time Marin County high school scoring leader wanted to stay in the United States for his first professional stint, though.
On Friday, his dreams became a reality, as the 6-foot-3 sharpshooter from Marin Catholic High signed a contract to play for the South Bay Lakers, the Los Angeles Lakers’ G League team.
“It’s another opportunity that I’ve been looking forward to,” Calcaterra said from Novato. “I still have the same goals and dreams I’ve had since the day I picked up a basketball. This is a great starting point in my professional career.”
Calcaterra, who earned the nickname Joey California as a fan favorite at UConn, said he spoke with numerous NBA teams — even some much closer to his Bay Area backyard than LA — about the G League, but the Lakers were the organization that delivered.
“LA is close enough for us,” cracked Calcaterra, who played four years at the University of San Diego prior to joining UConn. “We’re well traveled throughout California and we’re looking forward to spending time in LA.”
NBA dreams
Just six months ago, Calcaterra helped UConn cap a remarkable 31-8 season by beating Marin City’s Darrion Trammell and San Diego State University 76-59 in the NCAA final. He scored 35 total points with nine 3-pointers in the March Madness tournament.
“It was really special,” Calcaterra said of the Final Four and winning the title. “It was definitely a long celebration after we won the whole thing. It was a rewarding end to all the hard work that we put in from Day 1. To know that we are all national champions — everyone on the roster, the coaching staff, the managers, every single person — it’s something that we’ll have forever.”
The hardware has already been secured, but Calcaterra is not quite done with his academics. While he’s playing in the Lakers organization, he’ll also be working to complete his final two online classes to earn his MBA from UConn. He’s set to finish in December.
Calcaterra said his summer league snub just provided more motivation.
“I felt the same that I’ve always felt,” he said. “I’ve been a little overlooked my whole career. I know myself and I know the level I can play at. I was really hoping for it, but it didn’t come, so I just keep going, stay confident, move on and look forward to the next thing.”
Since returning to Marin, Calcaterra has been working daily with two trainers: one for basketball workouts and the other for strength and conditioning. He typically starts his morning with two hours of the former, then spends an hour to an hour and a half polishing his game on the Marin Catholic hardwood, the same court on which he shattered MCAL scoring records, registering 2,522 career points — 21 per game — in four prep seasons. He then will spend the afternoon hanging out with his family at home before ending the night with a personal workout. This is the hardest he has ever worked, he said.
He will report to LA on Oct. 25, and with that arrival to the South Bay Lakers training camp, Calcaterra will further elevate his legacy atop Marin County hoops lore, becoming the first to earn an NBA paycheck.
“Marin County and the people I’ve grown up with and the people who helped impact my game my whole life — at Marin Catholic and everywhere else — it’s been a blessing to come home and see how many people care about my career and how I’m doing,” Calcaterra said. “I wouldn’t be where I am without the community here.”