Former Kentucky standout leads Patriots in scoring and rebounds
March 27, 2006 - NBA G League (G League)
Fayetteville Patriots News Release
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C., March 27 - The NBA Development League announced Monday that Fayetteville Patriots forward Erik Daniels has been named to the all D-League second team, making him the lone Patriot to receive post season honors. The first team includes high-scoring guards Will Bynum and Anthony Grundy from the Roanoke Dazzle, Austin forward Marcus Fizer, Fort Worth swingman Ime Udoka and Florida guard Andre Barrett.
"Our coaches did a terrific job of selecting the All-D-League first and second teams given the abundance of talent in the league," Senior Director of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel Chris Alpert said. "All the players, first and second team selections, as well as honorable mention choices, had exceptional seasons."
Joining Daniels on the second team are forwards Isiah Victor of Roanoke and Jamar Smith of Austin, guard John Lucas III of Tulsa, and centers Luke Schenscher of Fort Worth and Scott Merritt of Austin.
Following a stellar college career at Kentucky, Daniels (6-7, 215) spent the 2005 season as a reserve player with the NBA's Sacramento Kings. He has led the D-League in rebounds for most of this, his first D-League season, and he has led the Patriots in scoring and minutes played as well. His best game of the season was a 31-point 11-rebound performance against Florida on Dec. 30 and he has posted a league-leading 15 double-doubles as of Mar. 26. Through 44 games, Daniels has led the Patriots in scoring 18 times and rebounding 16 times.
"Erik has a great knack of being around the ball and around the hoop," said Patriots head coach Mike Brown. "That's why he is able to score so well. At the same time he can step out and shoot the jumper on guys. If you look at those statistics, he should be included with those first five.
"He's been consistent over the season. And this type of year is going to make him a better player. He may not get all of the awards, but he got a ton of minutes and showed a lot about his versatility. He's really showcased his talent."
Players earning honorable mention include guards Will Conroy (Tulsa), Tierre Brown (Albuquerque), Clay Tucker (Arkansas), Kelenna Azubuike (Fort Worth), Derrick Zimmerman (Austin) and Ramel Curry (Austin); centers Andreas Glyniadakis (Albuquerque) and James Lang (Arkansas); forwards Brian Jackson (Arkansas), Theron Smith (Florida), Desmon Farmer (Tulsa) and T.J. Cummings (Albuquerque).
Three of the first-team choices have spent time on NBA rosters this season. Fizer spent time with the Seattle Sonics, while Bynum is currently with the Golden State Warriors and Barrett with the Toronto Raptors. Bynum and Grundy led the D-League in scoring for virtually the entire season and Grundy is the first player to score 1,000 points in a D-League season.
The Austin Toros had five all-league selections, including first, second and honorable mention. Albuquerque, Arkansas, Fort Worth, Roanoke and Tulsa had three each.
The announcement of 2005-06 D-League player awards continues Tuesday with the Defensive Player of the Year, followed by Rookie of the Year on Wednesday, the Jason Collier Sportsmanship Award on Thursday and the MVP on Friday.
The NBA Development League includes the Albuquerque Thunderbirds (N.M.), Arkansas RimRockers (Little Rock), Austin Toros (Texas), Fayetteville Patriots (N.C.), Florida Flame (Ft. Myers), Fort Worth Flyers (Texas), Roanoke Dazzle (Va.) and Tulsa 66ers (Okla.). The Bakersfield Jam (Calif.) will compete in the league beginning with the 2006-07 season.
The D-League offers players the opportunity to develop their talent in a highly competitive atmosphere under the NBA's umbrella. Forty-three (43) players have been called up to the NBA on 63 separate occasions. Eleven (11) former D-League coaches, six athletic trainers, 14 referees and 30 front office executives have also been called up since the start of the league's inaugural season in November 2001.
Designed to help grow the sport of basketball both domestically and internationally, the league also offers fun, family entertainment at affordable prices. The D-League is a source of on-court talent for the NBA's 30 teams and is a diverse human resources pool for the NBA and its teams by training employees in management, operations, public relations, sales and marketing positions.
For more information on the Patriots or the NBA D-League, visit fayettevillepatriots.com or call (910) 213-1000.
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NBA G League Stories from March 27, 2006
- NBA D-League daily developments - G League
- Former Kentucky standout leads Patriots in scoring and rebounds - Fayetteville Patriots
- Warriors Sign Bynum To Second 10-Day Contract - Roanoke Dazzle
- Dazzle's Grundy Signs With Atlanta Hawks - Roanoke Dazzle
- Flame's Barrett and Smith Named to 2005-06 All-NBA D-League Team - Florida Flame
- RimRockers James Lang signs with Raptors - Arkansas RimRockers
- NBA D-League Announces All-League Selections - G League
- Flame's Andre Barrett Earns Second 10-Day Contract With Toronto Raptors - Florida Flame
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
