WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – NBA G League Ignite has bolstered its roster with the additions of longtime NBA and NBA G League veterans Kosta Koufos and Kevin Murphy, the team announced today.

An 11-year NBA veteran, Koufos enjoyed stops with the Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings. His best season came with the Nuggets in 2012-13, starting all 81 games and averaging 8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Prior to joining Ignite, Koufos played with Russia’s CSKA Moscow (2019-20) and Greece’s Olympiacos (2021).

Murphy was the No. 47 overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, selected by the Utah Jazz after four seasons at Tennessee Tech. Murphy spent time with G League teams including the Reno Bighorns, Idaho Stampede and Grand Rapids Drive, as well as internationally in China, Japan, Croatia, Turkey, the Philippines and Bahrain.

The duo brings Ignite’s veteran total to eight, also including Dakarai Allen, Jessie Govan, Amauri Hardy, Pooh Jeter, Amir Johnson and Malik Pope. Alongside head coach Jason Hart and his coaching staff, the veteran group will help aid in the development of the team’s elite youth prospects, serving as mentors on and off the court.

Ignite opens its season tonight against the South Bay Lakers at 7 p.m. PT from the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, Calif. The game will be streamed on NBAGLeague.com.

About NBA G League Ignite

NBA G League Ignite is a first-of-its-kind team dedicated to developing top young prospects in preparation for the NBA Draft.  Based in Walnut Creek, Calif., the roster includes elite players who are eligible for the NBA Draft as well as NBA and NBA G League veterans who serve as mentors to the team’s young talent.  The program focuses on high-level competition and accelerated on-court development for players who are beginning their professional careers.  Additionally, the team provides life skills training that includes financial literacy education, community service involvement and scholarship opportunities.  While Ignite is not a traditional NBA G League team, competition includes games against NBA G League opponents and exhibitions against international teams.