Cavs: 3 things to know about new signing Denzel Valentine

This point in the offseason is the time for teams to add players at the fringes of the roster to compete in training camp, and the Cleveland Cavaliers have been busy filling out that group of players. Most recently, the Cavs signed former Chicago Bulls wing Denzel Valentine to a partially-guaranteed two-year deal.

The Cavs hope that Valentine can earn a roster spot and bounce back now that he has a change of scenery. If he plays well they can keep him around; if he doesn’t they can cut him loose and use the roster spot on someone else.

Who is Denzel Valentine, and what should fans of the Cavs know about their newest signing? For Valentine it has to start before his NBA debut, when he was a bona fide star in college.

Cavs: 3 things to know about new signing Denzel Valentine – College star

Valentine attended college at Michigan State University, playing for Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo. After playing well his first two seasons on teams stacked with future NBA players, including Gary Harris, he became the team’s leader as a junior and had a breakout season for a squad that made it to the Final Four.

His senior season began atop a mountain of expectation, and Valentine delivered a truly great season. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game, shooting 44.4 percent from 3-point range. He was the consensus National Player of the Year, a first-team All-American and the Spartans won 29 games.

Valentine’s strong play as an upperclassman saw him shoot up draft boards, and he ended up going 14th overall to the Chicago Bulls in the 2016 NBA Draft. Unfortunately for the Bulls, his elite play in college did not translate over to the NBA.