Groove Stars Make NBA Summer League Rosters

Published on July 10, 2002 under NBA G League (G League)
Greenville Groove News Release


Greenville, S.C., July 10, 2002:

Three players from the 2002 NBDL Champion Greenville Groove have been assigned to NBA Summer League rosters and will compete in the Shaw's Pro Summer League in Boston later this month.

Billy Thomas (6-4 guard from Kansas), a member of the 2002 All-NBDL First Team, will participate with the Indiana Pacers organization. From his shooting guard position, Thomas averaged 14 points per game in 45 games in Greenville. He led the Groove in points scored (629), and 3-point FG attempted (228), while shooting 37% from outside the arch. He led the Groove with season highs in 10 separate individual statistical categories.

Thomas Hamilton (7-2 Center from Pittsburgh) joined Thomas on the 2002 All-NBDL First Team, and led the Groove with 8.8 rebounds per game while playing 32 games after coming to Greenville from Huntsville. Hamilton had a season high 11 rebounds in a first-round playoff game against Columbus while leading the Groove with 39 rebounds during the playoff championship run. Hamilton will be a part of the Dallas Mavericks roster.

Kimani Ffriend (6-10 forward from Nebraska), played the final 23 regular season games, and made an impact as the 3rd leading scorer for the Groove during the playoffs. Ffriend will return to the Miami Heat summer league roster, after spending time the Heat pre-season camp last season.

The Groove will open defense of the inaugural NBDL Championship in Greenville at the BI-LO Center on November 15th against the Columbus Riverdragons in a rematch of last years' first-round playoff series.

NBDL players already scheduled to play in NBA Summer Leagues include Columbus' Livan Pyfrom (Golden State Warriors); Fayetteville's Terrell McIntyre (Orlando Magic); Huntsville's Eric Chenowith (New York Knicks), Tyrone Ellis (Dallas Mavericks) and Michael Wilks (Milwaukee Bucks); Mobile's Jamario Moon (Los Angeles Lakers); and North Charleston's Nate Green (Miami Heat) and Galen Young (Phoenix Suns).

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NBA G League Stories from July 10, 2002


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