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NBA D-League Update

April 3, 2012 - NBA G League (G League) News Release


TOUGH TWO-STEP FOR TEXAS

Del Harris, who won 556 games as a head coach in the NBA, and was named NBA Coach of the Year in 1995, could really use two more victories this week.

His team, the Texas Legends, sits one game behind the Iowa Energy (25-22) for the final spot in this year's NBA Development League Playoffs.

That the Legends (24-23) are still in this year's playoff discussion is a testament to the coaching job turned in by Harris this season. Texas began the season 2-10, and is still waiting for it's first NBA Call-Up. After climbing back to respectability, the Legends ripped off eight straight wins over the second half of February into March, and appeared headed for the playoffs.

Texas has dropped five of eight since the winning streak, and now sits on the outside looking in as the regular season winds to a close. The road to the playoffs isn't exactly paved with gold, either. Standing in the way of two sorely needed victories are the Austin Toros (31-16) and the Los Angeles D-Fenders (35-16), the Legends' final two opponents of the regular season.

Iowa concludes it's regular season with a home game tonight against Bakersfield (27-20) and a road tilt Friday at Sioux Falls (14-33). Like Texas, Iowa is limping to the finish line, having lost 11 of its last 15 games, though the Energy won a pivotal road game at Texas Sunday to stay a game ahead in the standings.

In other NBA D-League playoff news, the Dakota Wizards (27-20) clinched a playoff berth last night with a 111-92 win over the Bakersfield Jam (27-20). Reigning NBA D-League Performer of the Week Stefhon Hannah had 24 points and 11 assists, while recent NBA Call-Up Edwin Ubiles added 15 points and seven rebounds for the Wizards.

PROSPECT REPORT

Robert Vaden, Tulsa 66ers -- Vaden is one of those guys who fell out of bed making jumpshots. He has, without question, an NBA-caliber skill -- the ability to shoot. Had he come down the pike 30 years ago, Vaden would have likely carved a niche as a Vinnie Johnson-lite player off the bench. A career 41 percent three-pointer shooter over four years of college split between Indiana and Alabama-Birmingham, Vaden was selected by the Charlotte Bobcats in the second round (54th overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft, then traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Though he's yet to appear in an NBA game, the Thunder clearly appreciates his ability to shoot, and has kept him in the program, either over the summer or with the 66ers. In 34 games this season, Vaden is shooting 46 percent from behind the arc, and averaging 13.0 points. Vaden does an excellent job moving without the ball, reading screens and creating separation from defenders. His overall game is still a work in progress.

NEWS & NOTES

NBA Development League Playoff Format

For the fourth consecutive year, the two conference winners, along with the wild card entrant with the best regular season record, will select their first-round playoff opponent from the teams ranked five through eight. The top-seeded conference winner selects its opponent first, with the second-ranked conference winner selecting second and the wild card team with the best regular-season record selecting third. The fourth seeded team plays the remaining team.

L.A. D-Fenders' Jamario Moon Named NBA D-League Player of the Month

Los Angeles D-Fenders forward Jamario Moon was today named NBA Development League Player of the Month for games played in March. The honor is the first of Moon's career and the second for a D-Fender this season, with Brandon Costner earning the award for games played in November and December. Moon (6-8, 215, Meredian Community College), led Los Angeles to an 8-1 record in March, helping the team to clinch the top spot in the Western Conference. During the month, he averaged 16.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 36.6 minutes. He was the team's high scorer and rebounder twice last month, scoring in double figures in eight of nine games, including an NBA D-League season-high 26 points to go with 10 rebounds in a 117-89 win over the Reno Bighorns on March 28. For the month, he shot 52 percent from the floor, 37 percent from three-point range and 82 percent from the line. More

Dakota's Stefhon Hannah Named NBA D-League Performer of the Week

Stefhon Hannah, a guard for the Dakota Wizards, was named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played March 26-April 1. The honor is the first of Hannah's career. Hannah (6-1, 175, Missouri) led the Wizards to a 3-0 record last week, averaging 28.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 34.3 minutes. He shot 58 percent from the floor and 47 percent from three-point range, while hitting 100 percent (8-of-8) of his free throws. He began the week on March 26 with a 37-point outing in a 99-76 win over the Erie BayHawks, before finishing with a 27-point, 11-rebound performance in a 109-89 win over the Texas Legends on March 29. In 25 games, 23 starts, for the Wizards this season, Hannah is averaging 18.4 points, 4.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 31.5 minutes. He has scored in double figures 19 times, including an NBA D-League career-high 43 points in a 119-111 win over the Reno Bighorns on March 17, when he shot 13-of-18 from the floor and connected on 8-of-10 from beyond the arc. More

AROUND THE D-LEAGUE

The Canton Charge has acquired guard Josh Akognon (5-11, 185, Cal State-Fullerton) using its top waiver preference position. The Charge also waived forward Shane Edwards due to injury. Akognon, 26, spent the last two seasons with the DongGuan New Century Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association. In 37 games with the Leopards in 2011-2012, he averaged 28.2 points on .510 shooting with 2.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 34.2 minutes per game ... The Golden State Warriors signed Mickell Gladness for the remainder of the season, after bringing him in on a 10-day contract. Gladness began the season with the Dakota Wizards, averaging 4.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in four games, before being called-up by the Miami Heat. In a related move, the Warriors did not sign Keith Benson to a second 10-day contract. Benson was called-up from the Sioux Falls Skyforce, after appearing in 20 games and averaging 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds.

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.

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

Erie coach JAY LARRANAGA, on the luxury of having former NBA player Joey Graham on his team: "When you're around Joey, you see how talented NBA guys are.(He's) physically gifted. He's skilled. Strong as can be. Smart. Defends. Plays offense. Rebounds. Besides that, he's just a sure-handed player. (He) inspires confidence because he's tough. If there's a loose ball, I believe he's going to get it." Erie Times-News, April 3, 2012

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