Breakers adds NBA vets Bailey and Walker to roster
April 11, 2007 - International Basketball League (IBL)
Santa Barbara News Release
Santa Barbara, CA - Just days before their home debut, the Santa Barbara Breakers announced the signing of ex-NBA players Toby Bailey and Samaki Walker. Coach Curt Pickering has also enticed guard Fred Vinson and former USC player Jerry Dupree to joing the Breakers for their International Basketball League home opener on Friday.
Bailey, a 6-6 guard who's 31 years old, scored 26 points while leading UCLA to the 1995 NCAA Championship and averaged nearly 18 points during his senior year in 1997-98. He was picked by the Lakers in the second round of the 1998 NBA Draft and later traded to Phoenix, where he played two seasons. Bailey played in Greece and Belgium before joining Beijing Aoshen Olympian in the ABA.
"I've been watching Toby the last 2 months and he has tremendous physical ability at the age of 31," said Pickering. "I mean, the guy can jump. In one game, I saw him score 26 points and get 16 rebounds -- in 22 minutes. And it was effortless against very good competition."
The 6-9 Walker, also 31, is a former Louisville standout who played 10 years in the NBA with six teams. He recorded the only triple-double in Louisville history with 14 points, 10 rebounds and a school-record 11 blocks during his freshman season against rival Kentucky. Walker was chosen ninth by Dallas in the 1996 NBA Draft. He played two seasons with the Lakers and appeared in all 19 postseason games during the team's 2002 NBA championship run.
Walker was on Toronto Raptors' summer league roster in Las Vegas prior to the 2006-07 season. Vinson, a 6-4 guard, had a brief 13-game career with the Atlanta Hawks (1994-95) and Seattle Supersonics (1999-2000) while the 6-7 Dupree competed in Venezuela and for the Anaheim Arsenal of the NBA's Development League.
The Breakers (0-1) will take on the Seattle Mountaineers (1-2) on Friday and Saturday (April 13-14) at 7:05 p.m. in Santa Barbara City College's Sports Pavilion and all four new players are expected to be in uniform.
The IBL has several features that produce high-scoring, non-stop action. The Breakers lost their opener against the Tri Valley Titans last Friday 137-130 despite 38 points from Mike Efevberha and 35 more from former UCLA player Billy Knight. Ex-UCSB star Adama Ndiaye, a 6-9 center, is also expected to play for the Breakers this weekend.
International Basketball League Stories from April 11, 2007
- Breakers add ex-Jazz star Bryon Russell 4-11-07 - Santa Barbara
- Chico Force ready for big third season - Chico Force
- Knights Move Into Larger Office within McCamly Place - Battle Creek Knights
- Breakers adds NBA vets Bailey and Walker to roster - Santa Barbara
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