Rode Signs With Austin Spurs of NBA G League
12/19/2024 11:55:00 AM | Men's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Former Liberty Flames men's basketball player Kyle Rode has signed with the Austin Spurs, the NBA G League affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs.
Rode is the most recent Flame to play in the NBA G League. Darius McGhee competed for the Indiana Mad Ants during the 2023-24 season.
Rode ended his Liberty career with 1,498 points (No. 14 in school history), 627 rebounds (No. 12 in school history), 467 assists (No. 6 in school history) and 269 three-pointers (No. 2 in school history) in 163 games (137 starts). He is one of two players in school history to be ranked in the top 15 in program history in career points, rebounds and assists.
Rode, a native of Lexington, Ky., graduated this past May with a master's degree in executive leadership and finished with a 3.82 GPA. Rode earned a bachelor's degree in information systems in May 2022 while carrying a 3.57 GPA. He leaves Liberty as a three-time all-conference honoree (one CUSA, two ASUN) and two-time NABC All-District team selection (first team 2023-24, second team 2022-23). Some of his other accomplishments include: 2022-23 ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year, two-time CSC Academic All-District® Men's Basketball Team, ASUN All-Tournament team (2021), three-time NABC Honors Court recipient, four-time ASUN Academic Honor Roll recipient, Bahamas Showcase MVP (2019) and ASUN Newcomer of the Week (2019).
Rode played his fifth and final year for the Flames during the 2023-24 season. The Lexington, Ky. native collected numerous awards during his last season at Liberty, including: All-CUSA second team, Conference USA All-Academic team, College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District® Men's Basketball Team, VaSID Academic All-State team, Lou Henson Award Mid-Season Watch List (Jan. 10), Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week (Nov. 21), Lou Henson National Player of the Week (Nov. 20), two-time CUSA Player of the Week (Nov. 13, Nov. 20), 2023 Myrtle Beach Invitational MVP, 2023-24 CUSA Commissioner's Academic Medal winner, 2023-24 CUSA Commissioner's Honor Roll and the MVP of the Hall of Fame Series game against Charlotte (Nov. 10).
Rode averaged a team-leading 14.2 points per game during his final season and made 100 three-pointers, tied for the fifth most in a season in program history. Rode made 3.13 three-pointers per game, which ranked 17th best in the country and first among CUSA players. His 100 total threes ranked first in CUSA and 29th most in the nation. He also averaged 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Rode and the Flames won two conference championship titles (ASUN in 2020 and 2021), three regular season crowns (2020, 2021 and 2023) and a divisional title (2022) in his five years.
Rode began his professional career with EWE Baskets Oldenburg in Oldenburg, Germany.
Rode is the most recent Flame to play in the NBA G League. Darius McGhee competed for the Indiana Mad Ants during the 2023-24 season.
Rode ended his Liberty career with 1,498 points (No. 14 in school history), 627 rebounds (No. 12 in school history), 467 assists (No. 6 in school history) and 269 three-pointers (No. 2 in school history) in 163 games (137 starts). He is one of two players in school history to be ranked in the top 15 in program history in career points, rebounds and assists.
Rode, a native of Lexington, Ky., graduated this past May with a master's degree in executive leadership and finished with a 3.82 GPA. Rode earned a bachelor's degree in information systems in May 2022 while carrying a 3.57 GPA. He leaves Liberty as a three-time all-conference honoree (one CUSA, two ASUN) and two-time NABC All-District team selection (first team 2023-24, second team 2022-23). Some of his other accomplishments include: 2022-23 ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year, two-time CSC Academic All-District® Men's Basketball Team, ASUN All-Tournament team (2021), three-time NABC Honors Court recipient, four-time ASUN Academic Honor Roll recipient, Bahamas Showcase MVP (2019) and ASUN Newcomer of the Week (2019).
Rode played his fifth and final year for the Flames during the 2023-24 season. The Lexington, Ky. native collected numerous awards during his last season at Liberty, including: All-CUSA second team, Conference USA All-Academic team, College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District® Men's Basketball Team, VaSID Academic All-State team, Lou Henson Award Mid-Season Watch List (Jan. 10), Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week (Nov. 21), Lou Henson National Player of the Week (Nov. 20), two-time CUSA Player of the Week (Nov. 13, Nov. 20), 2023 Myrtle Beach Invitational MVP, 2023-24 CUSA Commissioner's Academic Medal winner, 2023-24 CUSA Commissioner's Honor Roll and the MVP of the Hall of Fame Series game against Charlotte (Nov. 10).
Rode averaged a team-leading 14.2 points per game during his final season and made 100 three-pointers, tied for the fifth most in a season in program history. Rode made 3.13 three-pointers per game, which ranked 17th best in the country and first among CUSA players. His 100 total threes ranked first in CUSA and 29th most in the nation. He also averaged 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Rode and the Flames won two conference championship titles (ASUN in 2020 and 2021), three regular season crowns (2020, 2021 and 2023) and a divisional title (2022) in his five years.
Rode began his professional career with EWE Baskets Oldenburg in Oldenburg, Germany.
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