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November 18, 2010 - NBA G League (G League) News Release


TEXAS AND RIO GRANDE VALLEY KICK OFF 2010-11 NBA D-LEAGUE SEASON ON VERSUS TONIGHT

Houston Rockets assignee Patrick Patterson and the defending D-League Champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers host the Texas Legends on Versus tonight at 8:00 p.m. NBA TV will carry a pre-game show beginning at 7:00 p.m. Most of the key players from last season's championship team are not on the roster to start the season. Instead, the Vipers will rely on a mix of NBA D-League veterans and newcomers in head coach Chris Finch's second season. The big name to watch early is point guard Mustafa Shakur, acquired in a post-draft trade with the Tulsa 66ers. Shakur was one of the top point guards in the D-League last season, averaging 19.3 points and 6.3 assists. Texas kicks off its D-League tenure with Nancy Lieberman at the helm, the first female coach in D-League history. The Hall of Famer brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to the D-League, and will look to mesh Texas' NBA veteran talent with some of the young players acquired in the draft. Most recently an ESPN analyst, Lieberman returns to coaching after serving as the GM and Head Coach of the WNBA's Detroit Shock for three seasons between 1998 and 2000.

NEW JERSEY NETS TO RUN BASKETBALL OPERATIONS OF SPRINGFIELD ARMOR BEGINNING IN 2011-12

The Springfield Armor, the New Jersey Nets and the NBA Development League announced that the Nets and Armor have entered into a single affiliation partnership beginning during the 2011-12 season, giving the Nets full control over the basketball operations of and making them the sole affiliate for the Armor. The Nets are the second NBA team to enter into a single affiliation with an NBA D-League team, joining the Houston Rockets and the 2009-10 NBA D-League Champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In a structure similar to other minor leagues, this partnership model, also referred to as the "hybrid affiliation," allows for NBA teams to secure control over and cover the expenses related to the basketball operations of an NBA D-League team, while partnering with existing local ownership, which maintains responsibility for the team's off-the-court business operations.

PHOENIX SUNS ASSIGN GANI LAWAL TO NBA D-LEAGE AFFILIATE IOWA ENERGY

Phoenix Suns forward Gani Lawal was assigned to the Iowa Energy, the Suns' NBA D-League affiliate, on Tuesday, Nov. 16. The assignment marks the third time in the 2010-11 season an NBA player has been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate, and it is the first assignment for Lawal, a rookie out of Georgia Tech. Lawal (6-9, 234) has not appeared in any of the Suns' regular season games, but averaged team highs in points (15.4 ppg), rebounds (7.4 rpg) and blocks (1.0 bpg) for Phoenix's 2010 Las Vegas Summer League team, earning All-Tournament Team honors. Lawal also averaged 4.3 points and 11.7 minutes in six preseason games. An early entry candidate for the 2010 NBA Draft, Phoenix selected Lawal 46th overall with one of its two second-round picks.

TORONTO RAPTORS ASSIGN SOLOMON ALABI TO NBA D-LEAGUE AFFILIATE ERIE BAYHAWKS

Toronto Raptors center Solomon Alabi was assigned to the Erie BayHawks, the Raptors' NBA D-League affiliate on Monday, Nov. 15. The assignment marks the second time in the 2010-11 season an NBA player has been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate, and it is the first assignment for Alabi, a rookie out of Florida State. Alabi (7-1, 251) has appeared in one game this regular season for Toronto. He played in five preseason games, averaging 2.0 points and 1.0 rebounds in 4.8 minutes per game. An early entry candidate for the 2010 NBA Draft, Alabi was selected in the second round (50th overall) by the Dallas Mavericks, who traded his draft rights to Toronto

HOUSTON ROCKETS ASSIGN PATRICK PATTERSON TO NBA D-LEAGUE AFFILIATE RIO GRANDE VALLEY

Houston Rockets forward Patrick Patterson was assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets' NBA D-League affiliate on Nov. 9. The assignment marks the first time in the 2010-11 season an NBA player has been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate, and it is the first assignment for Patterson, a rookie out of Kentucky. Patterson (6-9, 235) had been on the inactive list for Houston's first six games this season. In six preseason games with the Rockets, Patterson averaged 4.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 15.2 minutes per game. Houston selected Patterson, an early entry candidate after his junior season, with the 14th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS: A look at NBA D-League Alumni in last night's NBA games:

28 players with NBA D-League experience competed in 10 NBA games last night, two as starters.

Oklahoma City's D.J. White came off the bench to score 12 points in a win over Houston.

ASSIGNMENT BOARD: NBA Players Currently on Assignment in the NBA D-League

Player NBA Team NBA D-League Team Assignment Date G MPG PPG RPG APG

Patrick Patterson Houston Rio Grande Valley 11/9/10 -- -- -- -- --

Solomon Alabi Toronto Erie 11/15/10 -- -- -- -- --

Gani Lawal Phoenix Iowa 11/16/10 -- -- -- -- --

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