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NBA D-League Update

January 6, 2012 - NBA G League (G League) News Release


SHOWCASE SPRINGBOARD

Two years ago, Sundiata Gaines had a strong first game for the Idaho Stampede in the 2010 NBA D-League Showcase. The following day he signed a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz. A week later he hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to give Utah a win over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Today, he's Deron Williams' primary backup with the New Jersey Nets, averaging 9.1 points, 3.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds.

The 2012 NBA D-League Showcase kicks off Monday in Reno, Nev. The eighth annual event, hosted this season by the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, will take place at the Reno Events Center, home of the NBA D-League's Reno Bighorns. NBA TV will air 12 Showcase games -- eight of them live.

The NBA D-League Showcase welcomes general managers, player personnel staff and scouts from each of the 30 NBA teams who will be in attendance to evaluate the league's talent. The 2012 event will feature each NBA D-League team competing in two games each over four days. Full Schedule

Other recent success stories coming out of the Showcase include Anthony Tolliver, who followed Gaines into the NBA two weeks later and hasn't looked back, signing a multi-year contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves last year. Last year, Chris Johnson parlayed a strong showing at the Showcase into stints with the Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics. This year, Johnson made Portland's opening night roster.

Action tips off Monday, when the Idaho Stampede takes on the Erie BayHawks at 10 a.m. PT, and features three more contests that day, with games scheduled to tip off at 12:45 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. The schedules for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday also include four games each, and follow the same tip off times as Monday's slate.

PROSPECT REPORT

Gerald Green, Los Angeles D-Fenders -- Once upon a time Green sat in the Green Room at the 2005 NBA Draft, expecting to be drafted in the lottery. Scooped up by the Boston Celtics with the 18th overall pick, Green spent two pedestrian seasons with the Celtics -- he did win the 2007 NBA Slum Dunk Contest -- before being included in a trade with Minnesota for Kevin Garnett. Failing to establish himself with the Timberwolves, and subsequently the Rockets and Mavericks, Green has spent the past few seasons in Russia and China. Still young (he doesn't turn 26 until Jan. 26), Green is taking another shot at the NBA, playing for the L.A. D-Fenders. An electric leaper, Green's overall game lacked polish during his first NBA stint. Coming straight to the NBA from high school, he also didn't have great strength. In four games with the D-Fenders, Green is averaging 12.0 points and 5.0 rebounds.

NEWS & NOTES

Toronto Raptors Assign Alabi to NBA D-League Affiliate Bakersfield Jam The Toronto Raptors assigned center Solomon Alabi to the Bakersfield Jam, the Raptors' NBA D-League affiliate. The assignment marks the 18th time an NBA player has been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate during the 2011-12 season and the first assignment for Alabi this year. Alabi (7-1, 225, Florida State) has appeared in one game for the Raptors this season, his second with the team. During the 2010-11 campaign, he appeared in 12 games, scoring six points and grabbing 14 rebounds in 59 minutes. Alabi returns to the NBA D-League having played 22 games on assignment with the Erie BayHawks during the 2010-11 season.

Portland Trail Blazers Assign Babbitt and Johnson to NBA D-League Affiliate Idaho Stampede

The Portland Trail Blazers have assigned forward Luke Babbitt and guard Armon Johnson to the Idaho Stampede, the Trail Blazers' NBA D-League affiliate. The assignments mark the 16th and 17th time an NBA player has been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate during the 2011-12 season and the first assignment for each player this year. Babbitt (6-9, 225, Nevada-Reno) has appeared in one game for the Trail Blazers this season, his second with the team. During the 2010-11 campaign, he appeared in 24 games averaging 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds Portland and was twice assigned to Idaho where he appeared in 14 games and averaged 20.1 points and 7.4 rebounds. Johnson (6-3, 195, Nevada-Reno), who hasn?t seen action with Portland this season, returns to Idaho following a nine-game assignment to the Stampede during the 2010-11 season when he averaged 18.2 points and 4.2 rebounds. In seven games for the Trail Blazers during his rookie campaign, he averaged 5.7 points and 2.1 rebounds.

Cleveland Cavaliers Assign Christian Eyenga to NBA D-League Affiliate Canton Charge

The Cleveland Cavaliers assigned forward Christian Eyenga to the Canton Charge, the Cavaliers' NBA D-League affiliate. The assignment marks the 15th time an NBA player has been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate during the 2011-12 season, and the first for Eyenga this year. Eyenga (6-7, 210), who has appeared in one game for the Cavaliers this season, averaged 6.9 points and 2.8 rebounds in 21.5 minutes over 44 games during his rookie campaign in Cleveland in 2010-11. The assignment marks Eyenga's second stint in the NBA D-League following a 15-game assignment to the Erie BayHawks last season.

Denver Nuggets Assign Hamilton and Stone to NBA D-League Affiliate Idaho Stampede

The Denver Nuggets assigned guard-forward Jordan Hamilton and guard Julyan Stone to the Idaho Stampede, the Nuggets' NBA D-League affiliate. The assignment marks the 13th and 14th time in the 2011-12 NBA season a player has been assigned to an NBA D-League affiliate. It marks the first assignment for each player. Hamilton (6-7, 220) is in his rookie season and has not appeared in a regular season game for the Nuggets. Stone (6-6, 200) is also a rookie in the NBA this year and has not seen action.

AROUND THE D-LEAGUE

The Fort Wayne Mad Ants announced today their mutual decision that Joey Meyer will no longer be the head coach of the team. Steve Gansey has been named interim head coach effective immediately. This decision comes in the middle of Meyer's 11th season in the NBA Development League and his third with the Mad Ants. Meyer's record as head coach of the Mad Ants was 51-64, and 5-10 this season ... The Iowa Energy traded Jarrid Famous to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants for a second-round pick in the 2012 NBA D-League Draft. Famous averaged 16.8 points and 11.0 rebounds in eight games with Iowa this season. He attended the Indiana Pacers training camp in December ... Lance Thomas has returned to the Austin Toros after participating in NBA training camp with the New Orleans Hornets and playing in two games. Solomon Bozeman was waived as a result. The Toros roster now stands at 11, including recently assigned Cory Joseph from the San Antonio Spurs. Prior to the Hornets training camp invitation, Thomas (6-8, 225 Duke) started in the Toros first four games of the season, averaging 17.0 points and 10.0 rebounds ... Former NBA player Mike James has signed with the Erie BayHawks. James, 36, has posted averages of 10.5 points and 3.6 assists thus far in his NBA career, but he hasn't played in the big leagues since appearing in four games for Washington during the 2009-10 season. He spent 12 games in Turkey last season with Aliaga Petkim.

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS

Cleveland's Alonzo Gee scored 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting in 28 minutes in a loss to the Toronto Raptors last night. Not drafted by an NBA franchise in 2009, Gee signed with the Austin Toros, and was named the 2009-10 NBA D-League Rookie of the Year, averaging 21.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in 36 games with the Toros. After spending time with the Washington Wizards and San Antonio Spurs at the end of the 2009-10 season, Gee was signed by the Cavaliers in December 2010, and went on to average 7.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in 40 games.-->

LOOKING AHEAD

As the NBA D-League converges on Reno for the 2012 NBA D-League Showcase, look for full coverage, including game recaps, features and video on NBADLeague.com.

GATORADE CALL-UP BOARD

Boston's Ray Allen needs 28 threes to pass Reggie Miller (2,560) for first on the all-time list ... Boston's Kevin Garnett needs 60 rebounds to pass Charles Barkley (12,546) for 16th on the all-time list ... The Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant needs 52 points to pass Hakeem Olajuwon (26,946) for eighth on the all-time list. Bryant needs seven steals to pass Rod Strickland (1,616) for 22nd on the all-time list.

ASSIGNMENT BOARD

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

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

Hassan Whiteside Sacramento Reno 11/29/10 7 5.1 3.2 0.1

DeMarre Carroll Memphis Dakota 12/14/10 6 35.7 18.3 6.8

Pape Sy Atlanta Utah 12/27/10 6 24.0 5.5 5.0

Devin Ebanks L.A. Lakers Bakersfield 12/27/10 6 26.5 12.0 8.0

Garret Siler Phoenix Iowa 1/4/10 16.0 4.0 7.0

Cole Aldrich Oklahoma City Tulsa 12/30/10 28.8 7.3 8.1

-->Today's Quote

DEL HARRIS, on the possibility of Michael Finley signing with the Texas Legends in the hopes of taking one last shot at the NBA: "Mike looks very good. He's in shape and shooting the ball well. He could play somewhere and help someone." ESPN.com, Jan. 6, 2012

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