Sam Merrill Selected No. 1 Overall by Cavs' Affiliate in 2022 NBA G League Draft

Sam Merrill, who won an NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, was selected by the Cleveland Charge with the first pick in the 2022 G League draft Saturday.

The Charge are the G League affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Merrill, a 2020 second-round pick in the NBA draft, made 30 appearances for the Bucks during his rookie season, averaging 3.0 points while shooting 44.7 percent from three-point range. He also played in eight playoff games during the team's run to the title.

"It was so fun," he said after the 2021 playoffs. "To be a part of those games in Phoenix and in Milwaukee where it was just unbelievably loud was definitely something that I'm grateful that I was able to be a part of."

The Utah State product was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in August 2021 as part of a deal headlined by Grayson Allen heading to Milwaukee.

He split last season between the Grizzlies and their G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle. His best moments came in the G League's Showcase Cup as he posted 45 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and seven three-pointers in 67 minutes across two games.

Merrill recorded 11.2 points per game in five regular-season G League contests, and he made six appearances for the Grizzlies (4.2 PPG).

The 26-year-old shooting guard, who spent this year's training camp with the Sacramento Kings before getting released, will get a fresh start with the Charge.

Cleveland is scheduled to tip off the G League season Nov. 4 when it hosts the Motor City Cruise, the Pistons' affiliate, at the Wolstein Center.