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G League Northern Arizona Suns

NAZ Suns Draft LSU Center Aaron Epps with Sixth Overall Pick

October 20, 2018 - NBA G League (G League)
Northern Arizona Suns News Release


PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz. - The Northern Arizona Suns selected Aaron Epps with their top pick, the sixth overall pick, in the 2018 NBA G League Draft on Saturday.

The Suns also selected Roddy Peters (first round, 16th overall), Anthony "A.J." Mosby (second round, 36th overall) and LaQuinton Ross (second round, 51st overall) to round out their draft.

Epps (6-10, 214 pounds) is a center out of Louisiana State, playing there the last four years. Last season, his senior year, Epps averaged 9.5 points on 52.3 percent shooting and 5.5 rebounds per game in 32 games (28 starts). The center showcased his outside shooting ability his senior season too, making 35-of-103 (.340) from beyond the arc. Over his entire collegiate career at LSU, the 22-year-old averaged 5.9 points on 50.8 percent shooting and 3.7 rebounds per game (105 games).

"We were really excited to get Aaron," interim General Manager Dylan DeBusk said. "We weren't sure if he would be available at our spot. We're thrilled to have him. He's going to fit in well with our needs and what we're doing and he'll be able to stretch the court."

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Epps was raised in Ball, Louisiana, where he went to high school (Tioga). As a senior there, he averaged 22.3 points, 11.2 rebounds and 6.7 blocks per game.

"It's a blessing," Epps said about getting drafted by the NAZ Suns sixth overall. "It's something I've worked my whole life for. I appreciate the Northern Arizona Suns for giving me this opportunity."

Peters (6-4, 195 pounds) played his last two collegiate years at Nicholls State. Last year as a senior, the guard averaged 19.7 points on 51.5 percent shooting, 5.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 26.8 minutes per game (32 games, 10 starts). He earned Southland Conference First Team honors for his efforts. Nicholls State was one of three colleges Peters attended. He started at the University of Maryland in 2013-14, where he played 32 games. He transferred to the University of South Florida where he played 10 games in 2015-16, before transferring to Nicholls State for his last two collegiate seasons.

Peters, 23, played for the New Orleans Pelicans in NBA Summer League in Las Vegas this past offseason, getting action in three games. A Washington D.C. native, Peters went to Suitland High School in Maryland. He was widely considered a five-star or four-star prospect. He chose Maryland over offers from UCLA, Illinois, Rutgers, Xavier and Georgetown.

Mosby (6-3, 160 pounds) played his last two collegiate years at Alcorn State. In his senior season last year, he averaged 15.2 points on 50.3 percent shooting (40.0 percent from beyond the arc), 4.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Altogether, he played 64 games at Alcorn State, earning the start in 62 of them. He transferred to Alcorn State from Chattahoochee Tech, where he played his first two years. There he was First-Team All-Conference both seasons, and the guard was named Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association Freshman of the Year. Mosby, 22, is a Cartersville, Georgia, native.

Ross (6-8, 220 pounds) played two games for the Texas Legends last season, his first year in the NBA G League. The forward has played for two teams in NBA Summer League after going undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, getting time with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2014 and the Washington Wizards in 2015. Since then, Ross has had several stops professionally overseas, playing in Argentina, Israel and Italy.

Ross, 26, spent three years at Ohio State from 2011-14. Before declaring for the NBA Draft early, Ross averaged 15.2 points on 44.7 percent shooting and 5.9 rebounds in 35 games (all starts). With Ross, the Buckeyes went as far as the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament in 2012, his freshman season, before dropping the national semifinal 64-62 to Kansas. Ross is a Jackson, Mississippi, native.

"We had a great day," Head Coach Bret Burchard said. "I think our staff did a tremendous job preparing for it, thorough in their research and study and background checks. We felt really prepared and I think we got everyone and everything that we needed coming into today. We filled a lot of positional needs, we got some young, developing players, we added a veteran, and we got a good, diverse set of skills."

DeBusk added, "We're very excited about our draft as a whole. All of the guys that we got we're targets of ours, and high targets of ours. The guys we selected are talented and specifically fit a need that we had. We're excited to have them and we're looking forward to getting them here."

The Northern Arizona Suns begin their third season in the NBA G League on Nov. 3 against the Santa Cruz Warriors at the Prescott Valley Event Center. Single-game tickets start at just $10 apiece, with plenty of other discounted pricing options, including the team's 4 on the Floor package, Flex Plan, Group Experience packages, or season ticket memberships. More information about all of the NAZ Suns ticket options can be found at www.nazsuns.com/tickets, emailing sales@nazsuns.com, or calling 928-772-SUNS.

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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.

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