McNeal Earns Gatorade Call-Up to New Orleans
March 9, 2011 - NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release
MCALLEN, TEXAS - The defending NBA Development League champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers announced Wednesday that guard Jerel McNeal (6-3, 200, Marquette) has earned a GATORADE Call-Up and signed a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Hornets.
McNeal becomes the third GATORADE Call-Up from the Vipers this season and the 15th in franchise history. He is expected to be available tonight when the Hornets host the Dallas Mavericks at 7:00 p.m.
The only members of the Vipers to start each of the first 40 games of the season, McNeal averaged 19.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 45.3% from the field, 36.1% from behind the arc and 81.3% from the foul line. Over his last five games, McNeal posted a 33-to-13 assist-to-turnover ratio while averaging 23.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game. He recorded his first double-double with 14 points and a career-high 10 assists at Springfield on February 26 and a career-high five steals at Bakersfield on March 4. A Western Conference All-Star, McNeal scored a career-high 40 points, the fifth-highest individual total in the NBA Development League this season and the highest by a Vipers player on December 11 at Reno.
"We've been lucky to have a lot of call-ups, but we're very happy for Jerel in this case. I was kind of worried he wasn't going to get the attention that I thought he deserved. He's been quietly putting together a fantastic season, for us." Vipers head coach Chris Finch said.
McNeal becomes the 12th active Vipers-alum in the NBA, joining Jeff Adrien (Golden State Warriors), Mustafa Shakur (Washington Wizards), Ish Smith (Memphis Grizzlies), Garrett Temple (Charlotte Bobcats), Patrick Patterson (Houston Rockets), Jermaine Taylor (Sacramento Kings), Joey Dorsey (Toronto Raptors), Shannon Brown (Los Angeles Lakers), C.J. Watson (Chicago Bulls), Aaron Brooks (Phoenix Suns) and Steve Novak (San Antonio Spurs).
The Vipers roster stands at nine.
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. College
Marquis Gilstrap F 6-7 215 Iowa State
9 Jon Scheyer PG 6-5 190 Duke
10 Terrel Harris SG 6-5 190 Oklahoma State
11 Jerel McNeal PG 6-3 200 Marquette
15 Patrick Sullivan C 6-9 215 S.E. Louisiana
19 Kelvin Lewis SG 6-4 195 Houston
21 Richard Roby SF 6-6 210 Colorado
32 Mouhammad Faye PF 6-10 210 SMU
34 Connor Atchley PF 6-10 225 Texas
41 Arinze Onuaku C 6-9 261 Syracuse
Head Coach Chris Finch (Franklin & Marshall)
Assistant Coaches Paul Mokeski (Kansas)
Jai Steadman (Nebraska)
Johan Roijakkers (ELE College)
Ath. Trainer/Strength & Conditioning Coach Joe Resendez (UT-Pan American)
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