OKLAHOMA CITY – Former UT Arlington standout Kevin Hervey has signed a two-way contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder, positioning the program's all-time leading rebounder and 2nd-leading scorer to become the first Maverick to play in an NBA game.
 
An Arlington native, Hervey has spent the past season and a half with the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA G League after being drafted by the Thunder in the Second Round with the 57th pick in 2018.
 
The 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward is averaging 19.7 points, a team-leading 11.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 2.3 steals and 1.3 assists in 26.6 minutes per game so far this season. In 32 games with the OKC Blue last year, the Arlington Bowie product averaged 10.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 22.4 minutes per outing.
 
Each NBA team is permitted a pair of two-way contract players on its roster, and those players are limited to 45 days of NBA service – which doesn't need to be done consecutively – and the rest of the season is spent with a G League affiliate.
 
Hervey, who is officially on the Thunder roster as of Friday, would become the first-ever UTA men's basketball player to appear in an NBA game whenever he makes his debut. The Thunder play at the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night; their next nationally-televised contest in Dec. 22 on NBA TV against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Thunder's regular-season finale is at the Dallas Mavericks on Apr. 15.
 
The 2017 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year and Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention, Hervey graduated with 1,783 points, 921 rebounds and a program-record 36 double-doubles – seven more than any other player. Hervey was a two-time Sun Belt First Team selection in 2017 and 2018; he led UTA in scoring average and rebounding in three of his four seasons.
 
Hervey, who missed 19 games as a sophomore due to a knee injury, averaged 15.5 points and 8 rebounds over his four seasons with the Mavs. He shot 44 percent from the field and 76.8 percent from the free-throw line, while handing out 1.9 assists and intercepting 1 steal per game. As a senior, Hervey finished 2nd in the Sun Belt in scoring (20.5) and rebounding (8.5).
 
UTA won 65 percent of its games during Hervey's career, going 88-48 overall and claiming the 2017 Sun Belt Regular Season Championship.
 
When Hervey's name was called last June, he became the fourth UTA player ever selected in the NBA Draft and the first since the NBA reduced the number of rounds to just two in 1989. Paul Renfro became UTA's first-ever draft pick when he was taken in the 9th Round (181st overall) by the Utah Jazz in 1980. Two UTA products were selected in 1982 – both by the Dallas Mavericks: Ralph McPherson in the 9th Round (188th) and Albert Culton in the 10th Round (209th). However, none of those three appeared in an NBA regular season/postseason game.
 
PURCHASE TICKETS
Season tickets start as low as $99, and tickets for all home games are available by visiting UTATickets.com, calling the UTA Box Office at (817) 272-9595 or by stopping by the College Park Center during regular business hours.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For updates, behind-the-scenes photos, videos and more engaging and personal content, be sure to follow the men's basketball program on Twitter (@UTAMavsMBB), Instagram (@UTAMavsMBB) and Facebook (/UTAMavsMBB).