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Former Bradley basketball star elevates his stock with multiple NBA workouts

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Former Bradley basketball star elevates his stock with multiple NBA workouts

PEORIA — Former Bradley Braves star Malevy Leons has worked out for several NBA teams in the last 10 days, and he’s currently on a video making the social media rounds, draining 3s.

Five … six … eight … 10 in a row. Then that big grin on the court that made fans fall in love with the 6-foot-9 forward during his career at Bradley.

Leons would destroy you at a game of H-O-R-S-E. Or a game more suited for a guy who can sink 10 straight 3s: T-R-E-M-E-N-D-O-U-S.

“That video was down in Jonesboro, Ark., where my agent (Drew Kelso), from One Motive Sports, has a practice site for us,” Leons said Wednesday. “It’s in the middle of nowhere. All you can do is basketball and lift weights and train. Perfect.”

The facility brings in pro and college players to play with and against. Leons has met former Texas Southern point guard Trae Jefferson. And former Orlando Magic forward DeQuan Jones.

And Tristan Walley, a power forward and international player out of Arkansas State. “His advice to me was ‘Stick with it, work hard,’ ” Leons said. “He’s giving me advice in general. He’s experienced a lot.”

Working out for NBA teams

Leons has worked out for four NBA teams in nine days so far, beginning with the New York Knicks on May 29.

He was a prolific 3-point shooter as a wing for Bradley. But he was also a generational defensive player, putting up blocks and steals totals never before seen in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Leons finished last spring with 51 blocks and 54 steals in 35 games, following a 2022-23 season in which he 52 blocks and 52 steals in 35 games. He finished his college career with back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year honors in the Valley.

He is the only player in the 117-year history of the MVC to reach 50-50 levels in blocks and steals in a single season, and the only man to do it in consecutive years.

That defense, combined with his 3-point shooting, has NBA teams interested in seeing him.

“I was not nervous, just curious what was about to happen,” Leons said of his first NBA workout with the Knicks. “After that, I knew what it was so the next workouts were fine for me, I did better. There are six players in those sessions. You have a shooting session, then one-on-one, three-on-three, fitness and measurements.”

His second workout was with the Orlando Magic. Then the Utah Jazz followed. The Memphis Grizzlies worked him out on Thursday.

He’s scheduled to work out for the Cleveland Cavaliers on June 12 and the Boston Celtics on June 17.

“It would be really cool if the Celtics were playing an NBA Finals game while I was there,” Leons said. “I’m just taking in the moment and enjoying it day by day. I’m meeting pro and college players.

“After the workouts, the NBA teams give feedback to my agent,” he said. “I don’t worry about that, I just go through the workout and do what I need to do. That’s my job, and I feel like it’s going well.”

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.

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