SB Nation - Jared Jordan

Ridiculous Transactions 8/1-8/7

Jon L — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 14:00:11 -0000

Kasib Powell will be doing his thing over in Greece next year.

Time once again for Ridiculous Transactions, wherein we talk about all the signings, trades, and waivers that involve the players we love to talk about - D-Leaguers! (and also some European players and a handful of NBA players). Putting aside the discussion of whether these guys should be playing overseas or not, let's get right to this week's moves.

August 1: L.A. Clippers - waived Mike Taylor; Milwaukee Bucks - requested waivers for Salim Stoudamire, then traded Malik Allen to the Denver Nuggets for Walter Sharpe and Sonny Weems; L.A. Lakers - waived Sun Yue; Boston Celtics - waived Gabe Pruitt

This was a dark day in the NBA. Mike Taylor was waived after Sebastian Telfair was brought in. He's not a perfect player by any stretch, but he's shown he can definitely play. We've already discussed Sun Yue. I didn't really expect Stoudamire to make the team, but it would have been fun. Gabe Pruitt didn't have the best Summer League, and the Celtics have been more interested in signing veterans the last few years than in letting their guys actually develop, so his release isn't all that shocking. All expectations are that the Bucks are going to waive Sonny Weems, because as I understand it his contract is guaranteed after a certain date. Assuming that happens it'll really be too bad, not just because Weems can play in the NBA, but how fun would it be to see him running the floor with Brandon Jennings, Joe Alexander and Amir Johnson? The answer is really, really fun.

August 2: Stanley Burrell - signed with VOO Verviers-Pepinster (Belgium); Oklahoma City Thunder - signed Kevin Ollie

Burrell going to Europe was probably an inevitability. He's a good defender, but doesn't do enough other things well enough to get an NBA call-up, so at this point heading overseas was probably more attractive than hanging around the D-League. Between his and Sqeaky Johnson's leaving and Marcus Williams and Malik Hairston likely making the Spurs roster out of training camp, the Toros are going to look a lot different next year. I'm only mentioning Ollie here because I really, really hope that this is some kind of "assign him to Tulsa where he can play for a year and learn how to be a coach" deal. I believe he's the 15th man on the OKC roster, and they already have something like six guards, so the fact that he might take playing time away from someone like Kyle Weaver or Shaun Livingston is pretty mind-boggling.

August 5: Robert Vaden - signed with Imola (Italy); Brent Petway - signed with Ilysiakos (Greece)

So it's finally official, and Air Georgia is headed for Greece. As I mentioned yesterday I don't think this is the worst idea for his career, but I also do sort-of wonder about all these defensive specialists going overseas. Not because people don't traditionally think of defense when they think of European basketball, but because it would seem that NBA teams would be on the lookout for those types of players during the season. Then again, perhaps someone like Petway can boost his offensive numbers a little bit over there and be more attractive as an all-around player to an NBA squad. Vaden going back to Europe isn't a huge deal, though I do sort-of wonder how serious the Thunder are about having him in their plans. Given that they own their own D-League team and run the pro system there, I would think that at some point they would want to give their prospects as much chance to learn that system as possible.

August 6: Kevin Lyde - signed with Eisbaren Bremerhaven (Germany); Kasib Powell - signed with Trikasa (Greece); Ahmad Nivins - signed with Manresa (Spain); Dakota Wizards - retained Kevin Rice as assistant coach; New Orleans Hornets - hired Robert Pack as an assistant coach

Nivins had flashes of looking really good in Summer League this season, and I wonder if his going over to Spain for a year has to do with the Mavs' new affiliate going "underground" until the 2010-2011 season. If so this makes good sense, in that he was unlikely to get much playing time off the Dallas bench, and this will keep him sharp and in playing shape. Lyde rebounded really well in his limited Summer League action, and while he's been to training camp with the Jazz a few times I don't think it was in the cards this year. 2010 is when the next Sail Bremerhaven is going to be held, which is a big international sailing convention, so that might be fun to check out. Hopefully Kasib Powell will check in with us before he heads to Greece, but as I mentioned yesterday, he's already been a D-League MVP and did really will at Summer League this year, so if he hasn't gotten an NBA offer then spending a year in Greece wouldn't be the worst thing.‎

Pack is a New Orleans native, so this is a nice homecoming for him, but I also hope that his presence and access to the coaching staff and front office there will make the team a little more receptive to the D-League. As far as I know, their only experience with D-League players so far has been that they like Courtney Sims, but haven't signed him. For a team that had as many bench scoring and backup center problems as they did last year, they really should have been looking at places like the D-League for help.

Rice being retained as an assistant with Dakota may seem a little awkward, as he was mentioned as a possible (though maybe not a front-running) candidate for the head position, but he knows the team and the area, brings a measure of continuity post-Ticknor, and he's a good defensive coach. It probably won't be too much longer before he's running his own squad.

August 7: Jared Jordan - signed with Telekom Baskets Bonn (Germany)

Jordan going to Europe means he likely wasn't in the Rockets/Vipers' long-term plans, which may seem surprising for a guy who racked up so many assists in college and the D-League, but he also didn't get a lot of playing time in Summer League, so the writing may have been on the wall there. And, while I know we always say these guys should stay in the US, I wouldn't mind living in Bonn for a year.

UPDATE: Yo, this is Scott. Jon L wrote this before his vacation yesterday. A couple of other big moves happened late Friday night and my social life and monetary situation lacks just enough that I was checking the European basketball transactions so that I could update you all! Without further adieu:

Trent Plaisted signed with Zadar in Croatia - Well, this move probably shouldn't surprise you since he averaged 3.0 points and 2.8 boards in Summer League, but the last ever pick of the Seattle Supersonics (later traded for DJ White) is headed back overseas. He was set to play in Italy last season, but had a season-ending back injury just two games into the season. Apparently Detroit likes him less than Ben Wallace, though I have no idea why they wouldn't rather give a young guy a shot instead of paying the artist formerly known as Big Ben.

TJ Parker signed with Asvel in France - Why should you care? Well, you probably shouldn't because he hasn't even been able to parlay being Tony Parker's younger brother into a Summer League invite. I believe he was also the best player on SLUC Nancy, the team Rod Benson played for before returning to the D-League around Christmas last season.

Ben Woodside signed with Gravelines-Dunkerque in France - Well, this one hurts me. Since I'm employed by the Dakota Wizards, I've been salivating at the thought of Woodside being a likely allocation player due to his North Dakota State alumni status. However, it apparently wasn't meant to be. Woodside played for the Timberwolves in Vegas, but never really got his chance to shine behind Jonny Flynn. Also, Gravelines-Dunkerque is a cool name for a basketball team.

Robert Dozier signed with Kolossos Rhodes in Greece - Dozier isn't used to losing (Memphis was 137-14 while he was there) so hopefully this Kolossos team is good. I always thought Dozier was the sort of player that would dominate the D-League, but apparently it wasn't meant to be. Dozier was also the final pick in the draft in June, but apparently he didn't impress Miami in whatever they did instead of Summer League. They do retain his rights though, so it's not all bad.

Jeremy Pargo signed Gilboa Galil in Israel - Pargo played for the Pistons this Summer, and played well, averaging 10 points and shooting 50% from the field in three games. Still, the Pistons apparently didn't have room for him and since players like his older brother Jannero are taking all the good jobs, Jeremy apparently felt that overseas was the right route to go. He's another guy that would have been good in the D-League.

Gary Forbes signed with US Gruppo Triboldi in Italy - Forbes had a great Summer League for the D-League Select team averaging almost 18 points per game, but like everyone else that played in the D-League last season and got a Summer League invite, it seems he's headed overseas. I feel like more guys should play in the D-League this season just so they can play on the Select team in Vegas next Summer. Anyway, I follow Gary on Twitter and he explains it like this: crossin dem waters for that extra bread n then b back for the league nxt year. I feel you, Mr. Forbes - wish I could cross dem waters for extra bread!

Warriors vs Rockets Recap - Your Summer League Kickoff

Wayne Vore (ATS) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:59:21 -0000

The Rockets came from behind in the 4th quarter to knock off the Warriors in the opening game of the NBA Summer League presented by EA Sports. Former Spur, and championship ring wearing, James White lead the Rockets with 14 points and iced the game with two free throws in the final seconds.

The Rockets had a balanced attack with 7 guys giving them between 7 and 14 points. The Warriors on the other hand, had Randolph with 20, Stephen Curry with 16, Cartier Martin with 14, and Acie Law IV with 8.

Joey Dorsey had 12 rebounds to go with his 8 points as the Rockets out rebounded the Warriors 45-29. The Warriors were able to lead for long stretches because of the Rockets 27 turnovers.

That's the game recap, but not many people care about the outcome. They care about the players.

The big name in this game was #7 pick Stephen Curry of the Warriors. In the first half, he looked like he wasn't quite ready for the physical nature of the game. He wasn't able to create for himself and get in a rhythm. He was 2 of 6 from the field with 6 points. He picked up 4 fouls in the first quarter. The Warriors coaches had him start on James White who the Rockets were making the focus of their offense. Curry was off enough that he airballed an 18 footer and barely drew iron on another long attempt. He just never looked comfortable on the offensive end. He ended with 7 fouls, 4 turnovers, and 3 assists.

One year pro Anthony Randolph is also playing. He filled up the stat sheet. 20 points, 10 rebounds, 9 fouls, 3 turnovers, and 3 assists. He was dominant when he got the ball on the move within 10 feet of the basket. Nobody on the Rockets could stay with him. On the defensive end, he didn't have the bulk to handle Joey Dorsey in the blocks and picked up lots of fouls going for pump fakes.

Acie Law IV did not stand out in this game. He split time at point with Curry and Jared Jordan. He's a very guard who bulled his way into the paint for 4 assists and 4 turnovers.

Joey Dorsey was the most impressive Rocket to me. He did a great job of protecting the paint. He finished with only 4 fouls which is amazing given how many collisions he was involved in. He had zero plays run for him and had to work for his points. He had a pair of very nice assists on backdoor cuts to Will Conroy. They were his only 2 assists to go with 5 turnovers.

Our man James White had a very uneven game. He was aggressive enough taking the ball to the rim to get to the line 8 times. He seemed to get frustrated in the first half and copped a bit of a prima donna attitude. He came around in the second half and played a good game for the Rockets. Something to keep an eye on for the rest of the week.

Chase Budinger is going to have a hard time in the league. The Warriors were attacking him with whoever he was covering. He isn't quick enough to get in front or strong enough to hold his position.

Polling GSoM: Who are you most excited about watching on the Warriors 2009 Las Vegas Summer League squad?

Atma Brother ONE — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:38:32 -0000

It's summatime in the Golden State! Jump for the 411 on the Dubs 2009 La Vegas Summer League squad.

It looks like he's blocking his own shot! [via www.sfgate.com]

Warriors Announce 2009 Summer League Roster & Schedule [Warriors.com]

WARRIORS 2009 SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTER

NO.	PLAYER	POS	HT	WT	BORN	FROM	YRS
40	Connor Atchley	F/C	6-10	226	5/31/85	Texas	R
30	Stephen Curry	G	6-3	185	3/14/88	Davidson	R
33	Jermareo Davidson	F/C	6-10	230	11/15/84	Alabama	2
26	Lawrence Hill	F	6-8	220	9/16/87	Stanford	R
9	Joe Ingles	F	6-8	194	10/2/87	Australia	R
25	Jared Jordan	G	6-2	185	10/14/84	Marist	R
2	Acie Law IV	G	6-3	195	1/25/85	Texas A&M	2
3	Cartier Martin	G/F	6-7	220	11/20/84	Kansas State	1
22	Anthony Morrow	G	6-5	210	9/27/85	Georgia Tech	1
20	Quan Prowell	F	6-8	215	11/1/84	Auburn	R
4	Anthony Randolph	F	6-10	210	7/15/89	LSU	1
44	Lawrence Roberts	F/C	6-9	240	10/20/82	Mississippi State	2
35	Jamal Sampson	C	6-11	235	5/15/83	California	5

*Roster subject to change

WARRIORS 2009 SUMMER LEAGUE SCHEDULE

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME (PDT)	LOCATION
Friday, July 10	Houston Rockets	1:00 p.m.	COX Pavilion
Saturday, July 11	Sacramento Kings	5:00 p.m.	COX Pavilion
Monday, July 13	Detroit Pistons	7:00 p.m.	Cox Pavilion
Tuesday, July 14	Chicago Bulls	5:00 p.m.	COX Pavilion
Thursday, July 16	New Orleans Hornets	5:00 p.m.	COX Pavilion

I feel like I already know what Anthony Morrow can do- shoot the lights out, rebound the rock, and hustle on D. I'm not that interested in seeing Anthony Randolph (likely) dominate this level of competition, but it will be interesting to see his rebuilt body (just like Morrow's). As you all probably know Anthony's Been Doin' Work this summer [see Randolph bigger, vows to be better by MT].

However, my vote for most intriguing watch on the Dubs summer league team goes to Masala Curry and Law & Order IV. I really don't have a feel for what Stephen Curry and Acie Law IV can do even at this level of mostly players fighting to be NBA 12th man.

For the first time in a long time I'm actually pretty excited about the Warriors Summer League team. I hate to temper everyone's excitement, but I feel obligated to caution you- the summer league is absolutely meaningless (ahem, see fool's gold). It's like the 10th- 12th men and practice squad players dueling it out.

Now that doesn't mean it isn't fun, but it does mean that it's a fairly useless barometer of how players will actually do in the NBA regular season. There's exceptions like AMMO and Kaz of course, but for the most part this is just meaningless fun (in all fairness I guess "meaningless fun" also applies to the Warriors regular season). Having said that let's hope the Dubs summer league team dominates and is simply "Unstoppable Baby!"

NBA Finals Championships are for the Lakers, but Summer League crowns? That's reserved for us over here- thank you very much.

We should have several live GSoM correspondents to get you all the 411 and more from the City of Sin. Ridiculous Scott from the super rididiculous Ridiculous Upside in particular will be giving ridiculous airtime to the Summer League festivities. Will anyone else be making the trip out to LV this year? Scouting reports, interviews, etc. are always appreciated for your golden friends here in the Bay Area who missed the bus to Vegas.

More summatime madness:

Summer league roster [SFGate]

Say hello to Joe Ingles (the player blocking his own shot above):

The 6-foot-8 wing with point-guard skills created quite a bit of positive buzz during pre-draft workouts, but after struggling at the Reebok Eurocamp, Ingles went undrafted.

Meet the Warriors Summer League Team [Fast Break]

Summer: school is out, the fog is in, and the Warriors have a shot at winning it all. "It," of course, being the annual Las Vegas Summer League. This year the team will be rolling out two starters from last year’s regular season squad and two new backcourt acquisitions. No, Marco Belinelli will not be dazzling the crowd for a third straight year. With Anthony Randolph on the roster, however, I doubt the Vegas fans need to worry about a lack of excitement.

Poll

Who are you most excited about watching on the Warriors 2009 Las Vegas Summer League squad?

F/C Connor Atchley (R- Texas)

34 votes

G Stephen Curry (R- Warriors)

1481 votes

F/C Jermareo Davidson (2 yrs- Warriors)

17 votes

F Lawrence Hill (R- Stanford)

35 votes

F Joe Ingles (F- Australia)

117 votes

G Jared Jordan (R- Marist)

35 votes

G Acie Law IV (2 yrs- Warriors)

87 votes

G/F Cartier Martin (1 yr- Kansas State)

12 votes

G Anthony Morrow (1 yr- Warriors)

147 votes

F Quan Powell (R- Auburn)

5 votes

F Anthony Randolph (1 yr- Warriors)

858 votes

F/C Lawrence Roberts (2 yrs- Mississippi State)

15 votes

C Jamal Sampson (5 yrs- California)

40 votes

Summer League Head Coach Keith Smart

51 votes

None of the above- Summer League is meaningless

91 votes

3025 votes | Poll has closed

NBA Summer League Rosters Taking Shape

Scott Schroeder — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:00:21 -0000

UPDATED - check after the jump for everything updated in the past three days.

Alright, we got all of the personal mumbo-jumbo out of the way - let's begin with the Summer League coverage!

The Orlando of the NBA Summer League schedule (July 6-10) is here, the Vegas portion of the NBA Summer League schedule (July 10-19) is here and the NBA Summer League roster of your favorite team (so far) is... After the jump!

I was all drafted out, so sorry for the lack of posting going on this weekend - I sincerely apologize to all thirteen of you that were disappointed. As a show of goodwill, I worked feverishly throughout the weekend to scour my sources, google the news, and do anything and everything I could to start piecing together an accurate view of what your team will look like this Summer.

Granted, it's probably not likely to expect much out of some of these players, but each year there are players that pop up from nowhere in Summer League and impress enough to earn a spot on an NBA roster. The most recent example would be Bobby Brown from last season, though there are plenty more (and we'll look at them throughout the next week heading into the Orlando portion of NBA Summer League's).

After the jump, I've put together a list of which players I've (all but) confirmed. If you're aware of anymore, let me know in the comments! If you're unsure of one of the players, click on the link - it'll either take you to their SBNation page or, if they're a bit more obscure, whichever source linked them to said Summer League team.

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/29/09 9:21 AM CDT ] Added Wink Adams to New York

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/29/09 11:15 AM CDT ] Added Daniel Artest to Houston

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/29/09 9:34 PM CDT ] Added Paul Harris to Minnesota, from Cleveland

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 12:02 AM CDT ] Added Kevin Kruger to Utah

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 12:48 AM CDT ] Added Acie Law to Golden State

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 8:58 AM CDT ] Added Lee Cummard to Phoenix, Luke Nevill to New Orleans

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 10:27 AM CDT ] Added Alex Ruoff to Washington

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 12:59 PM CDT ] Added Trent Plaisted, Deron Washington, Will Bynum, Dwayne Jones, Clay Tucker, Ibrahim Jaaber and Matt Freije to Detroit

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 1:42 PM CDT ] Added Mohamed Tangara to Milwaukee

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/30/09 8:50 PM CDT ] Added Rod Benson to Houston, Demetris Nichols to Toronto

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/01/09 12:19 AM CDT ] Added Dar Tucker and Kevin Rogers to Dallas; Jaycee Carroll to New Orleans; completed Minnesota, Golden State and Utah

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/01/09 11:54 AM CDT ] Completed San Antonio, Orlando and Boston roster

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/01/09 2:08 PM CDT ] Added Phoenix roster, Robert Swift to Boston

[Note by Jon Lewallen, 07/01/09 2:50 PM CDT] Added Jim Baron to Washington

[Note by Jon Lewallen, 07/01/09 5:00 PM CDT] Completed Chicago, Sacramento and New Orleans rosters

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/01/09 6:40 PM CDT ] Completed Indiana, Milwaukee, New York, Oklahoma City, LA Clippers

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/01/09 8:02 PM CDT ] Completed Washington

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/02/09 4:05 PM CDT ] Completed Houston

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/02/09 5:31 PM CDT ] Completed Portland, Memphis

[Note by Jon Lewallen, 07/02/09 8:10 CDT ] Completed Philadelphia/N.J. roster

[Note by Scott Schroeder, 07/03/09 11:12 AM CDT ] Completed (?) Denver roster

[Note by Jon Lewallen, 07/07/09 7:45 PM CDT ] Completed Dallas, Detroit and D-League Select rosters

2009 ORLANDO SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTERS

Boston Celtics

Bryan Mullins, Lester Hudson, Chris Lofton, Gabe Pruitt, Bill Walker, J.R. Giddens, Michael Sweetney, Coby Karl, Darius Washington, Bryce Taylor, Kevin Rogers, Robert Swift,

Indiana Pacers

Aaron Jackson, Leo Lyons, Tyler Hansbrough, Brandon Rush, Josh McRoberts, A.J. Price, Roy Hibbert, Will Blalock, Trey Johnson, Anthony Smith, Derrick Byars, Courtney Sims, Scott Vander Meer,

Philadelphia 76ers/ New Jersey Nets

Blake Ahearn, Jrue Holiday, Marreese Speights, Dionte Christmas, Chris Johnson, Rob Kurz, Gary Forbes, Marcus Slaughter, Terrence Williams, Chris Douglas-Roberts, AJ Abrams, Jeff Adrien, Jason Ellis,

Oklahoma City Thunder

Serge Ibaka, Shaun Livingston, BJ Mullens, James Harden, Robert Vaden, DeVon Hardin, Russell Westbrook, Kyle Weaver, D.J. White, Marcus Dove, Moses Ehambe, DeAngelo Alexander, Richard Roby, Kyle Hines, Doug Thomas, Keith McLeod,

Orlando Magic

Ryan Anderson, Levance Fields, Richard Hendrix, Russell Robinson, Darian Townes, Maurice Ager, Lance Allred, Brian Chase, Ronald Dupree, Courtney Fells, C.J. Giles, Steven Milosevic, Jeremy Pargo, Milovan Rakovic, Jeremy Richardson

Utah Jazz

Eric Maynor, Gary Wilkinson, Goran Suton, Kosta Koufos, Kyrylo Fesenko, Wesley Matthews, Kevin Kruger, Kevin Lyde, Andre Ingram, James Augustine, Cedric Bozeman, Justin Reed, Josh Duncan, Jim Baron, Reyshawn Terry and Larry Turner

2009 VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTERS

Chicago Bulls

Luke Zeller, James Johnson, Taj Gibson, Bryan Mullins, Tyrell Biggs, Mario Austin, AD Vasallo, Anthony Roberson, Linton Johnson, Chris Davis, Taurean Green, Lorenzo Mata-Real, DeMarcus Nelson, Julius Hodge, Brandon Costner, James Augustine, Nick Lewis

Cleveland Cavaliers

Maureece Rice, Christian Eyenga, Danny Green, Jawad Williams, Darnell Jackson, Tarence Kinsey,

Dallas Mavericks

Aaron Miles, Rodrigue Beaubois, Ahmad Nivins, Curtis Jerrells, Dar Tucker, Kevin Rogers, Quinton Hosley, Damjan Rudez, Luke Jackson, Henry Dugat, Nick Calathes, Mickael Gelabale, Herbert Hill, Shan Foster, Trent Strickland, Andre Owens, Alfred Aboya, Moussa Seck, Bryson McKenzie

Detroit Pistons

Austin Daye, DaJuan Summers, Jonas Jerebko, Walter Sharpe, Trent Plaisted, Deron Washington, Will Bynum, Dwayne Jones, Clay Tucker, Ibrahim Jaaber, Michael Bramos, Andre Owens

Denver Nuggets

Richard Hendrix, Ty Lawson, Derrick Byars, Ronald Dupree, CJ Giles, Coby Karl, Kareem Rush, Cedric Simmons, Sonny Weems

Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry, Anthony Morrow, Anthony Randolph, Jermareo Davidson, Acie Law, Connor Atchley, Lawrence Hill, Joe Ingles, Jared Jordan, Cartier Martin, Quan Prowell, Lawrence Roberts, Jamal Sampson

Houston Rockets

Garrett Temple, Will Conroy, Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger, Rod Benson, Hassan Adams, Marcus Cousin, Joey Dorsey, Charles Gaines, Mike Green, Brad Newley, Maarty Leunen, Darryl Watkins, James White

Los Angeles Clippers

Kyle McAlarney, Kevinn Pinkney, Blake Griffin, Eric Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Mike Taylor, Sean Banks, Dionte Christmas, Marcellus Kemp, Nik Caner-Medley,

Los Angeles Lakers

Tony Gaffney, Chinemelu Elonu, Alan Anderson, Aron Bynes, Dominique Coleman, Terrel Harris, Justin Hawkins, Ben McCauley, David Monds, Adam Morrison, Taylor Rochestie, Luke Schenscher, Mustafa Shakur,

Milwaukee Bucks

Brandon Jennings, Salim Stoudamire, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Joe Alexander, Jodie Meeks, Dominic James,Mohamed Tangara, Will McDonald, Juan Palacios, Chris Richard, Szymon Szewczyk, Lorrenzo Wade

Minnesota Timberwolves

Ben Woodside, Corey Brewer, Jonny Flynn, Wayne Ellington, Paul Harris, Oleksiy Pecherov, Bobby Brown, Pat Carroll, Devin Green, Gerald Henderson, Steven Hill, Rob Kurz, Garrett Siler,

Memphis Grizzlies

Jeff Adrien, Hasheem Thabeet, DeMarre Carroll, Sam Young, Darrell Arthur, Hamed Haddadi, Daniel Ewing, Greg Stiemsma, Erik Daniels, Trey Gilder, Longar Longar, Brion Rush, Donta Smith, Marcus Williams

New Orleans Hornets

Marcus Thornton, Terry Martin, Darren Collison, Julian Wright, Luke Nevill, Jaycee Carroll, Earl Barron, Earl Calloway, Bryan Cusworth, Larry Owens, Marc Salyers, Courtney Sims, Anthony Tolliver, Quinton Watkins

New York Knicks

Jordan Hill, Blake Ahearn, Toney Douglas, Alex Acker, Wink Adams, Morris Almond, Warren Carter, Joe Crawford, Patrick Ewing Jr., Ron Howard, Yaroslav Korolev, David Noel, Mouhamed Sene, Rashaad Singleton, Nikoloz Tskitishvili,

Oklahoma City Thunder

Phoenix Suns

Earl Clark, Taylor Griffin, Goran Dragic, Robin Lopez, Lee Cummard, Alando Tucker, Micah Downs, Zabian Dowdell, Josh Carter, Kaspars Berzins, Jiri Hubalek, Geary Claxton, Chris Rodgers, Carlos Powell

Portland Trail Blazers

Jeff Pendergraph, Dante Cunningham, Jerryd Bayless, Patrick Mills, Thomas Gardner, Pooh Jeter, Bobby Jones, David Padgett, Deji Akindele, Matt Freije, Dwayne Mitchell, David Moss

Sacramento Kings

Tyreke Evans, Omri Casspi, Jon Brockman, Donté Greene, Jason Thompson, Wesley Matthews, Jerel McNeal, Spencer Hawes, Robert Battle, John Bryant, Pat Calathes, Marcus Landry, Brian Roberts, Victor Stowes, Ryan Toolson

San Antonio Spurs

James Gist, Jack McClinton, DeJuan Blair, Eric Dawson, Malik Hairston, George Hill, Romel Beck, Nando de Colo, Carldell "Squeaky" Johnson, Antonio Anderson, Marcus Vinicius, Ian Mahinmi, Alonzo Gee,

Toronto Raptors

Brent Petway, DeMar DeRozan, Nathan Jawai, Demetris Nichols, Quincy Douby, Roko Ukic, Patrick O'Bryant, Carl English, Ekene Ibekwe, David Doublas, Paul Davis, Smush Parker

Washington Wizards

Tyrese Rice, Nick Young, Javaris Crittenton, JaVale McGee, Alex Ruoff, Jim(my) Baron, Alade Aminu, Ryan Ayers, Jon Edwards, Josh Heytvelt, James Lang, Dominic McGuire, Tywain McKie, Jason Rich, Diamon Simpson, Kyle Spain, Brandon Wallace

NBA D-League Select

Coleman Collins, Walker Russell, Will Frisby, Gary Forbes, Marcus Hubbard, Othyus Jeffers, Jasper Johnson, Trey Johnson, Kurt Looby, Curtis Stinson

D-League Player Profiles: Jared Jordan

Jon L — Sat, 09 May 2009 17:11:13 -0000

View full size photo »

Sorry again for the no-show yesterday. Today's profile moves south from Austin, to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In addition to having a great play-by-play man, this past season RGV had a few players who will likely see some Summer League action, and maybe eventually some time in the NBA. Let's start with 6'0", 185 pound point guard Jared Jordan.

How he got here

Jordan attended Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, and made an immediate impact, being named to the MAACV All-Rookie Team. His sophomore year really started to reveal what he could do, as he was second in the league in assists per game and had already reached ninth on Marist's career assist ladder. Jordan started 26 games that year, and had four double-doubles that year. Another year, more improvement. As a junior, Jordan led the NCAA in assists and in assists per game, averaging 8.5, and was a unanimous All-MAAC First Teamer. As a senior he led the nation in assists once more, and became the 23rd player in Marist history to score 1,000 points.

Jordan attended the pre-draft camp in Orlando, and caught some peoples' attention. DraftExpress said,

One of the more intriguing prospects from day one, Jordan really stood out in the scrimmage portion of today's session. He displayed the ability to find the open man from anywhere on the floor, both in transition and in the half court offense, thanks to his fantastic court vision. He threw a great alley-oop lob to Stephane Lasme on one occasion, and did a solid job throughout on the pick and roll. The limitations of his game were just as apparent, however. Jordan will need to prove he can come over his disadvantages physically to really impress NBA scouts. At times he looked a step slow, needing a high ball screen at the top of the key to get the offense in motion.

Other observers praised his decision-making ability and intensity. Jordan was even featured in a glowing Sports Illustrated article (or at least on their website...I have no idea if this was in the print edition, because the only time I read that is when I'm at the dentist), and was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft. He played on the Clippers' Summer League team that year, then was traded to the New York Knicks for cash. He played a few preseason games for the Knicks, about eight minutes total, before being waived. Jordan then spent a year playing in Lithuania before joining the Phoenix Suns for their 2008 Summer League team. Phoenix didn't work out, either, and Jordan signed a training camp contract with the New Orleans Hornets. There he received praise from Coach Byron Scott, though he ultimately lost the backup point guard competition to Mike James and Devin Brown (which not everyone agreed with).

Jared Jordan then signed a contract with the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers. We'll take a look at how he did after the jump.

D-League play

Once in the D-League, Jordan was able to once again show his knack for racking up assists. He was fifth in the league in total assists, second in assists per game (when you discount Kyle Weaver, who only played in two games), and narrowly edged out Walker Russell, Jr. for tops in the league in assists per 48 minutes. He also had the third-best assist/turnover ratio in the league.

He wasn't immediately successful, though. Outside of a nine-assist game on December 26 against Los Angeles, Jordan only averaged about 2.5 assists per game for his first few weeks in the D-League, and he didn't really start to shine until late February. After another game against the D-Fenders, in which he had 4 points on 2-7 shooting and zero assists in 21 minutes, Jordan exploded for 23 points and nine assists against Bakersfield, followed by four straight double-doubles, starting with 16 points and 21 assists against Fort Wayne on February 26. From then on there were only two games where Jordan didn't finish with double-digits in either points or assists, and against Idaho on March 14 he had 15 points, 13 assists and only one turnover in 41 minutes.

Overall outlook

Not a whole lot has changed for Jared Jordan since he was drafted, but then it's only been a few years. He still has very good point guard skills, though he's limited defensively and not very quick. I saw Rio Grande Valley play in April and had these thoughts on Jordan:

He didn't really penetrate with the ball until later in the game, but he knows where his teammates are and makes solid decisions. He also had two nice alley-oops to [Kurt] Looby late in the game, one to pull within two and another to tie it up. Jordan also isn't particularly quick, but he was able to get around both [DeMarcus] Nelson and [Squeaky] Johnson.

Another thing Jordan doesn't do very well is shoot from outside. He tends to only take one or two threes a game (and sometimes not even that), but even at that he finished the year shooting 28 percent from behind the arc. That said, he's talented enough with the ball in his hands that he'd make a solid backup point guard in the NBA.

Game Notes: Austin 106, Rio Grande Valley 105

Jon L — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:30:56 -0000

Last night Austin hosted the first game of a three-game season-ending series against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, winning a close game that really didn't amount to much until the fourth quarter. Marat Kogut was on the scene again, though there were fewer weird calls and fewer fouls overall than Tuesday's Austin-Reno tilt.

The book against the Toros is that you can hang with them if you slow them down, and the Vipers did just that, limiting Austin to just 95 possessions. Malik Hairston was in the building but in street clothes after being waived by the Spurs, and there were times when the Toros missed his shot-making ability. It also meant Austin started, in essence, three point guards (Johnson, Burrell and Nelson) and two centers (Jones and Dawson).

For the Vipers, having Jawad Williams called up by the Cavs meant they missed a consistent scoring punch that could've given them the game, particularly since they shot a collective 6-22 from three-point range. The Viper get another shot in Austin on Friday, then the teams head south to play one more on Saturday. The usual too-long player comments after the jump.

Kurt Looby has gotten a lot of attention at RU of late, and it's warranted. He's a terrific rebounder with god hops, and finished with 12 rebounds and two blocks in 31 minutes. He had a particularly impressive one in the 4^th quarter, getting in between Dwayne Jones and Serge Angounou to pull it down. He's a little raw offensively, because while he shot 4-5, that one he missed was pretty much the only one that wasn't a dunk, and his shot was a line drive that hit the front of the rim. He also has an incredibly awkward free-throw shooting form, where he basically pushes the ball towards the rim with his entire upper body. He could also stand to add some weight and muscle, particularly in his lower body, but there's definitely a lot to like about Looby.

Jared Jordan had a fairly quiet game, I thought, even though he finished with 11 points and nine assists. He didn't really penetrate with the ball until later in the game, but he knows where his teammates are and makes solid decisions. He also had two nice alley-oops to Looby late in the game, one to pull within two and another to tie it up. Jordan also isn't particularly quick, but he was able to get around both Nelson and Johnson.

Julian Senseley caused some problems on the offensive end at times, being too quick for either Dawson or Angounou to handle on the outside but also being able to play inside against Dwayne Jones. Ultimately, though, he didn't have a great shooting night (6-16), and neither did Trent Strickland (9-23). With Jawad Williams gone one or both of those guys will have to start hitting more shots in these last two games. Backup center Rashid Byrd isn't much on offense end, but he had five blocks in a four and a half minute stretch in the fourth. It was pretty amazing to see.

DeMarcus Nelson played off the ball for most of the game, except when it came down to the end, when he took control. He took and hit a fair amount of outside shots early on, which makes the Tulsa game seem more like a fluke. He's definitely a good finisher at the rim, but he needs to work on his point guard skills. He didn't always make the best decisions with the ball (seven turnovers overall to six assists), and even on plays where, for example, it led to a made three, dribbling away from screens isn't something you should make a habit of doing. He also passed the ball to where Jamaal Thomas was on one play, instead of leading him, and when Thomas cut to the basket the ball ended up behind him, off his hands and out of bounds. His offensive game is pretty well developed, but if he's going to have the ball in his hands as much as he does, he needs to cut down on the turnovers.

Dwayne Jones had another poor shooting night, and also missed almost half of his free throws. His form was still good on them, though, so that should lead to better percentages in the future. He really stepped up his defense at the end, and there was a great play in the fourth quarter that kept the Vipers at bay (I didn't mean to do that, but I'm also not changing it). Jared Jordan found himself all alone driving to the hoop, and it really looked like an easy layup. But Jones turned his head at the right moment, and stepped across the lane to challenge. Jordan pulled up and released a floater, and while Jones didn't block it, Jordan had to release it early enough that it airballed short of the rim. Jones got rebound and the Toros scored on the other end. Jones isn't great about stepping out to challenge on the perimeter, but that lane is pretty much his if he wants it to be.

Eric Dawson also had a kind of meh game, shooting 6-15, and while he showed a nice midrange shot at times, he also airballed a stepback jumper at one point. Again, he's not really quick enough to play on the perimeter, but he showed some decent post defense, breaking up an alley-oop in the second quarter and was responsible for a top-notch play at the end of the game; down 106-105, Jared Jordan once again drove to the basket, but Dawson not only blocked the layup, but saved it from going out of bounds and tossed it to Burrell just before time expired.

Jamaal Thomas has technically been with the team since late February, but Tuesday's night's game against Reno was the first time he's played in a month and last night's 25 minutes was the most he's played since January 4. He had a solid game off the bench against the Vipers, scoring 20 points on 13 shots with seven rebounds. He has a decent shot and is also a decent finisher around the rim, but he's also even skinnier than Looby, and as he's already 28 I wonder how much further his game or body will develop.

Stanley Burrell had his shot going early, though that meant he kept shooting, and he's not consistent enough to warrant taking 14 shots in a game, as he only made five. Squeaky Johnson had a similar shooting night (5-12), though to their credit the two guards combined for only four turnovers. Serge Angounou missed all of his field goals, but watching him during the shootarounds he has a nice, smooth midrange and long-distance shot, somewhat reminiscent of D.J. White's. He just can't seem to get it off consistently when he's being guarded.

Ridiculous Upside's All-Impact Team

Scott Schroeder — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:42:44 -0000

More photos » by Chris Young - AP

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Honestly, I'd never heard of this until reading Mr. Matt Brennan's D-League "Prospect Watch". Apparently, this award goes to a player who joins a D-League team after the season begins and makes a positive impact on their fortunes. In the ever-changing D-League, I would assume it's impossible to just pick one - so we've made a team out of it.

PG - Eddie Gill, Colorado - Eddie Gill hasn't so much made an impact, because this team is so good anyway, but it'd be hard not to include him. At the beginning of the season, Colorado was cycling in some sort of combination of Jamar Brown, Damien Lolar, and Lamar Butler. Now, Colorado is the best team in the D-League, record wise, and Eddie Gill is leading the ship.

SG - Blake Ahearn, Dakota - Ahearn, to me, seems like he's always been a Dakota guy. He hasn't. After being called up at the beginning of the season to the Spurs, he was actually assigned to the Toros and wasn't picked up until December 19th by the Wizards. I can't say Dakota would have been lost without him, as David Bell has been a great shooter off the bench, but they probably wouldn't be playing Thursday for the Central Division.

SF - Jawad Williams, RGV - Williams has come into the league after playing with the Cav's earlier this season and set it on fire. I really wanted to get him on our All-D-League team, but he's played in less than half the D-League games, so there were just players that have impressed us for a longer time. In 19 games, the 6'9 forward is shooting 42% from behind the arc, averaging 25.7 points per game.

PF - Richard Hendrix, Dakota - Hendrix rarely impresses, but wow is he good. He made an immediate impact with the Wizards, scoring 23 points, grabbing 12 boards and swatting three shots his first game with the team. Also, if I had to watch this team play Jesse Smith 48 minutes a game, my Wizard watching would go way down.

C - Pops Mensah-bonsu, Austin - Pops had a short stay in Austin, but it was a great stay in Austin. In eight games, all starts, he averaged 26.6 points, 13 boards and 2.5 blocks, shooting 61% from the field. Currently, I think the Toronto Raptors might give him their Impact Player award.

6th Man: Jared Jordan, RGV - From Jon: Pop quiz, hot shot. Who leads the league in assists per 48 minutes? Walker Russell? No. Eddie Gill? No. Will Conroy? I'm sure the League wishes that were true. Sun Yue? Don't we all wish that were true. This has grown tedious, as I'm sure you've guessed that it's Jared Jordan. For good measure, Jordan is also fourth in the league in steals per 48 minutes.

7th Man: Rod Benson, Reno - I'd be remiss if we didn't get him somewhere. I'm not sure that he's the sole reason for Reno's resurgence (he came in with David Noel and Richie Frahm), but he's a big part of it. With Reno, he's averaged 15.8 points, 8.8 and 2.8 blocks per game. Not bad.

EDIT: Eddie Gill won the D-League's official award.

Not again! Rick Kamla does show about top 10 D-League Prospects

Scott Schroeder — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:00:10 -0000

I'm working on a bigger post for later today and I had a bit of a game thread going for last night's lone D-League game, plus I thought you may want to read a bit more about my impending death with the blizzard/flood of 2009 creeping closer to myself, so this morning, I'll just break down the work of Rick Kamla on NBATV. Gross.

Of course, my favorite part of that screenshot is the bottom: It has nothing to do with this, but you can watch video of Sun Yue's game PLUS Sun Yue was re-assigned to the D-Fenders. Kudos, D-League, I wondered where all the Sun Yue coverage had gone! Sun Yue!

To give you a little background, I have to have respect Ryan Blake (as much as I didn't like him on the D-League's pre-draft show), as his dad, Marty Blake, has done excellent work for many, many years. Marty, along with Eric Chapman and Jim Hlavac, are the top minor league scouts - someday, I'm planning to the fourth. Mr. Kamla, on the other hand, was a noted fantasy basketball guru before taking over the NBATV D-League duties. I probably shouldn't rip apart Kamla and Blake, as they are reviewing Dime Magazine's call-up rankings, but I'd assume there has to be some better rankings out there (Hlavac would be the best bet, since he didn't get a fair shake last time, but I would gladly let them use mine. If they would like to publish the Chapman Report, that'd be even better!). Dime seems to have looked at the stats, or remembered names from yesteryear, but it doesn't appear they really watched (m)any games.

For starters, they don't include Trey Johnson, but they do include Jasper Johnson. Jasper is not sniffing an NBA roster anytime soon. When Blake compares a player to Antonio Meeking, it's usually not a good thing, and it especially shouldn't warrant the number two slot out of the top ten D-League prospects. If it does, why isn't Antonio Meeking included? Correct me if I'm wrong, but 6'7", 280 pound power forwards haven't fared well in the NBA. If I was still with the Minot SkyRockets of the CBA, I'd pay big bucks for a lefty undersized power forward, but there's no way he's the second most NBA-ready player in the D-League.

Trey Johnson, on the other hand, has had two 10-day call-ups with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season along with being a couple of NBA camps as well. If they would have switched Trey with Jasper, it'd be a great list. Johnson had 20 points and seven assists in a big Bakersfield victory last night. With his shot, versatility, and potential, there's no doubt he should have been much higher on the list.

At the 10 spot, they include Jared Jordan. While I liked Jordan at Marist, I don't like him as one of the top 10 D-League prospects. If they're going with a prospect as being a younger guy, I would have included Walker Russell, who scores seven more points and dishes 2.5 more assists per game, with similarly terrible shooting percentages. Russell however works harder to create in the games that I've watched, excelling in the fast break.

If they want to go with just any point with a better chance to make the league, I've got two more point guards I'd rank ahead of Jordan on this list: Eddie Gill, who has already had two 10-days this season and is leading the best team in the D-League, or Mateen Cleaves, who played an exceptional game last night, scoring 21 points on 12 shots, dishing 12 assists, and turning the ball over just twice, coming up HUGE when the Jam needed him.

While those are the only two players that I have a problem with their inclusion, they failed to mention a couple players that have equal or better chances at the D-League. Continue on to see some of the unheralded heroes of the D-League!

Josh Davis - I'm not even going to explain. It's just dumb they didn't include him.

Othyus Jeffers - the fact that they didn't include him blows my mind. The 6'5" swingman averages 20.6 and 9.1 rebounds per game. Over nine rebounds per game and he's 6'5" and not playing in the post and he hasn't even started 15 of the 40 games he's played in. He's also (in my opinion of course) the top perimeter defender currently in the D-League.

Richard Hendrix - Hendrix was a second round draft pick and is currently a beast for the Dakota Wizards. He's the league's top rebounder and has oodles of potential. In 31 minutes of action, he's averaging 13.6 points and 11.6 rebounds.

Dwayne Jones - Jones is an NBA veteran. He's tearing up the league right now. He doesn't get mentioned. This month, he's averaging 15.8 points and 13.5 rebounds in 35 minutes of action, shooting a whopping 61% from the field.

Kurt Looby - I'll admit, even we here at Ridiculous Upside don't talk about Kurt Looby enough. The 6'10" rookie out of Iowa has been mighty impressive for the RGV Vipers this season, though. His shot blocking and rebounding is what's going to get him a call-up, which isn't admittedly sexy, and therefore Dime wouldn't have noticed him. We do though! In the month of March, Looby is averaging 3.7 blocks and 13.1 rebounds, along with adding 9.2 points to boot.

Dominique Coleman - My esteemed colleague Jon L has recently turned me on to Coleman after incessantly telling me he's better than what I thought he was. Turns out, he's right. The problem is, with so many other players on Colorado, it's hard to focus on Coleman. I went back and watched the majority of a recent 14er game though, and he's impressive. Over his past 11 games, the 6'3" guard is averaging 18 points, 6.6 boards, and 5.2 assists, shooting a ridiculous 59% from the field.

Bigger is better; random thoughts on last night in the D-League

Scott Schroeder — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 14:30:07 -0000

Three games Saturday night (in the D-League), all very close, all with different outcomes than I expected. Plus, I watched Jason Horner and the Mandan Braves win the North Dakota High School championship instead of the buffering madness that has recently been D-League basketball. Yikes! I may no longer be the D-League guru!

Looking good, Mr. Marat Kogut (also featured, Jasper Johnson)

Don't forget to watch the games starting at 4 central today. Five games on tap!

Continue reading for my breakdown of the individual games!

Colorado 107 @ ALBUQUERQUE 111

This is the most surprising game of the night. Albuquerque trotted out a lineup I loathe, featuring Jasper Johnson and Antonio Meeking, each with body dimensions very similar to mine (read: not tall enough, too wide, and not ideal for the NBA), big ol' Brad Stricker, Will Conroy, and Antoine Agudio, some dude I've never heard of.

Standing out for the Thunderbirds was Agudio, who, upon further research, is the all-time leading scorer from Hofstra, which boasts such luminaries as Speedy Claxton and Norm Richardson! Agudio is a lights out shooter (Blake Ahearn-esque) that's recently been given an opportunity since Keith McLeod went down with an unknown injury three games ago. Since that injury, Agudio's killing it. Tonight was no different, as he finished with 23 points on 11 shots and had five steals. As a bonus, his name is fun to say.

Other notables for the Thunderbirds were Will Conroy, who had 27 points, eight assists, and seven turnovers (OUCH!), making 7-of-16 from the field. Jasper Johnson, who I'm not sold on, had 17 points, nine boards, five assists, and four blocks. Antonio Meeking had a similar line with 16 points and nine boards.

Standing out for Colorado was Trey Gilder. Gilder is the opposite of the Johnson-Meeking tandem in that he's tall enough to play power forward in the NBA, but weighs in at about 180 pounds, and that's only after Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Super Bowl Sunday. Obviously, this means he's much quicker than those that matched up with him, and was able to get a couple nice putback dunks, moving well to the basket. The draft-eligible Gilder (I'm changing his name to that so everyone knows) had 19 points and 12 boards in 24 minutes of action.

Other standouts for Colorado included the the point guard tandem of Eddie Gill, who had 19 points and eight assists, and John Lucas, who finished with 17 points off the bench, along with Josh Davis, who finished with 13 points, grabbed six boards, and dished four assists in just 32 minutes of action. Sonny Weems box score didn't impress me, as he scored 13 points and grabbed four boards, his least impressive performance with the 14ers since he's been assigned.

RIO GRANDE VALLEY 108 @ Idaho 106 (OVERTIME)

I'm waiting for Rumble to come on and tell me that at 1:35 of this video, Jawad Williams was clearly out of bounds. I hate to question the D-League officials, but it seems to me that he was out of bounds. To put it in perspective, that was in overtime, and ended up being the game winning shot. Ugh.

RGV was led by their shooting from the 3-point line. When a team can shoot 28 3's and be nearly 50%, they're probably going to win. Trent Strickland also stood out for RGV. Strickland, who I rarely mention because I'm not all that familiar with him, is a third year player out of Wake Forest. When he's hot, he's hot, and when he's not, you definitely know that he's not. Strickland has started all 39 games for RGV this season, averaging 18 points and six boards, shooting just 33% from deep.

Other notables for RGV were Jawad Williams with 22 points and six boards, shooting 5-for-9 from beyond the arc (just 7-for-23 overall though) and Jared Jordan, who had 15 points and 13 assists while committing just one turnover in 40 minutes of playing time!

Idaho was led by The Big Aristotle (he's that smart - more deserving than Shaq) Lance Allred, who finished with 27 points and 12 boards in 30 minutes of action. While I didn't watch tonight, he's also been showing off a nice shooting touch from about 17 feet. This can only help his shot at the show (or a huge overseas contract).

Other notables for Idaho include Nate Jawai with 14 points, 10 boards, and four fouls in 26 minutes, Brent Petway with 10 points, 10 baords, and six blocks (four of Williams , as I had assumed in preview), and Mo Abukar off the bench with 16 points and nine boards in 23 minutes.

Sioux Falls 101 @ UTAH 107

Got nothing on this game. Utah won. Mo Almond had 26. Sioux Falls lost. Sean Singletary came off the bench with 23 points. Alexis Ajinca looked terrible - seven points four boards, fouled out in under 18 minutes. Frank Williams had 23 as well. According to Dee-Jay, Kyrylo Fesenko drinks Red Bull before the game and Almond wears his socks inside out. Now you know!

Recapping a Busy Night In The D-League

Scott Schroeder — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:00:11 -0000

Just my thoughts as I peruse the box scores with close attention to potential NBA Gatorade Call-ups. I mean, seriously, there's like 40 former NBAer's with in the D-League with RidiculousUpside. Here's a rundown

Reno 102, Idaho 91 -- Reno was led by Richie Frahm, who scored 25 points, but contributed nothing else to the box score. Patrick Ewing Jr. came off the bench to score 20 points, had eight boards, and swatted four shots, though shot just 4-for-13 from the field. Gerry McNamara had 15 points and five assists off the bench, including 4-for-6 from 3-point territory. For the Stampede, Former Cav Lance Allred had 20 points and five boards, former Bobcat Kevin Burleson had 10 points, six assists, and former a-lot-of-teams Luke Jackson had 15 points, seven assists, and five turnovers.
Erie 98, Sioux Falls 96 -- Erie had four players in double figures, led by Erik Daniels, who scored 21 points, had seven assists, and six rebounds. For Sioux Falls, Bobby Jones had 22 points andd 1 boards. John Edwards had 15 points, eight rebounds. Kasib Powell missed his second straight game.
Albuquerque 120, Tulsa 114 -- For Albuquerque, 6'8", 320 pound Jasper Johnson dominated. He had 42 points and 19 rebounds. Keith McLeod had a career game, scoring 29 points and dishing 11 assists, somehow getting to the line TWENTY times. Will Conroy was a DNP, presumably with an eye injury. Tulsa was led by former Jazz first round pick Ryan Humphrey, who put up 42 points and 11 rebounds. Draft eligible Keith Clark scored 20 points and had eight rebounds.
Iowa 107, Utah 96 -- Iowa was led by 6'5" guard Othyus Jeffers, who scored 27 points and added nine rebounds. Demetris Nichols had 25 points, but turned the ball over five times. The Flash were led by Ronald Dupree with 22 points, five boards, five assists. Dontell Jefferson added 19 points.
Los Angeles 116, Anaheim 104 -- The D-Fender's were led by Gabriel Hughes, who I have no clue about. He finished with 22 points and 15 boards off the bench. Lakers' second round pick Joe Crawford had 20 points. CJ Giles, Dwayne Mitchell, and Longar Longar all didn't play. Anaheim was led by James White, who had a great all-around game. He scored 33 points, had 11 boards, and seven assists. Hawks send-down Othello Hunter had 10 points and 11 rebounds and teammate Thomas Gardner had 26 points and seven boards.
The Bakersfield Jam snuck by RGV, with a 107-106 victory. Derrick Byars led Bakersfield with 24 points and seven boards. Mateen Cleaves added 13 points and 14 assists. RGV was led by former Cav Jawad Williams, who had 24 points. Jared Jordan also had a good game, best in the D-League by far, with 23 points, nine assists, and six rebounds.