307 to the Pros: Cheyenne Native Makes NBA Debut in Denver

He is something you don't hear about everyday, but a Wyoming native recently played his very first day in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Lawson Lovering is now on an active NBA roster.

Cheyenne native, Lawson Lovering, played his first NBA game as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, February 11th, 2026, against the Denver Nuggets. The 7'1" center played his college ball for two years in Colorado, before transferring to Utah, where he finished his final two years. He was undrafted and had been playing in the NBA G-League before signing a 10-day contract on February 9th, 2026 with the Grizzlies.

In case you didn't get to see the game, here is a side by side photo comparison of Lovering, with a pic from his college days and a screenshot of his on-court appearance during his first NBA game.

How did he do in his first NBA Appearance?

Considering he had the Herculean task of guarding Denver's Nikola Jokic, who is widely regarded as the best player in the world (Jokic has an NBA Championship title, the 2023 Finals MVP award, three regular season MVP awards and he's a six-time NBA All-Star), Lovering did pretty well. He recorded 3 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in 18 minutes, which isn't bad at all for your very first game.

I'm a hardcore Nuggets fan, but it was a joy to see another Wyoming native in the NBA, even on the opposing team.

Are there any other Wyoming-born players in the NBA?

Yes, there is one other. James Johnson, who is also a Cheyenne native, currently plays for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted 16th overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. Prior to that, he attended Cheyenne East High School and during his senior year, averaged  28 points and 9 rebounds per game, which are monster stats. Johnson is also also a black belt in karate and has a kickboxing & mixed martial arts (MMA), record of 21-0.

Get our free mobile app