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NBA D-League Update

Published on December 3, 2013 under NBA G League (G League) News Release


Ray McCallum has a future in the NBA.

He also has six guards currently listed ahead of him on the Sacramento Kings' depth chart -- Greivis Vasquez, Isaiah Thomas, Jimmer Fredette, Ben McLemore, Marcus Thornton and John Salmons.

For this reason, and to give McCallum some much-needed game action -- he's yet to log a minute in an NBA game -- the Kings recently sent the 36th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft to Reno for a three-game stint. Sacramento runs the basketball operations of the Bighorns under the NBA D-League hybrid model.

In three games with Reno, McCallum averaged a team-high 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 38 minutes per contest. He led the team in scoring in all three games, which included a 28-point effort against the Sioux Falls Skyforce on Nov. 22.

"It was good, going down there, getting some minutes," McCallum told Cowbell Kingdom. "I hadn't played in a while, so I just went down there with the mindset of be aggressive and play my game. I was overall pretty pleased with my performance."

Despite not being drafted in the first round, McCallum had many fans in NBA scouting circles, with most teams pegging him as a solid second-round pick, with the potential to develop into a rotation player. A former McDonald's All-American, McCallum spurned many offers from elite college programs to play for his father, Ray McCallum, Sr., at Detroit. He led the Titans in scoring, assists and steals in all three of his seasons, before entering the Draft after his junior campaign.

"The thing about Ray is he is an extension of the coach on the floor," Kings coach Mike Malone said over the summer. "He has a great feel for the game."

Though he played off the ball a lot during his college career and was asked to carry much of the scoring load for his team, McCallum has solid ball-handling skills and a high basketball IQ. He's also extremely competitive and plays with passion. Adjusting to the speed of the NBA, improving in pick-and-roll situations and shooting from the outside with more consistency are areas for improvement.

"I'm a basketball player, so any situation that I'm thrown in, any environment, I feel like I can play whatever the condition or situation is," said McCallum. "All the sets and everything were the same things that we run up here, which made it a lot easier on my teammates down there. The coaching staff was great. They let me play my game and I got along with all the players and just made it the best experience that I could."

Prospect Report

Grant Jerrett, Tulsa 66ers -- The Oklahoma City Thunder liked Jerrett so much they acquired him twice -- the first time coming in a 2013 NBA Draft Night trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, who selected Jerrett with the 40th overall section, then again when the Thunder's NBA D-League affiliate, the Tulsa 66ers, made Jerrett the top pick in this year's NBA D-League Draft. Though OKC owned his rights, and no NBA team would be able to call him up this season, the Thunder wanted to be able to keep a close eye on Jerrett and have a big say in his development plan. In his most recent performance, a loss at Texas, Jerrett scored 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting, including 3-for-4 from three-point range. He also has zero blocks and zero assists in two games this season, while averaging 5.0 rebounds. In short, Jerrett is coveted for his ability to space the floor and knock down perimeter shots at a high clip for a guy his size (6-10). Stretch fours are a hot commodity, and although he'll need to improve his body and mobility to handle the rigors of the NBA, Jerrett has a definite upside as a big man who can shoot.

NEWS & NOTES

Jeffers Named NBA D-League Performer of the Week

Othyus Jeffers of the Iowa Energy was named NBA Development League Performer of the Week for games played Nov. 22, through Dec. 1. A 6-5, 200-pound guard/forward out of Robert Morris, Jeffers averaged 25.5 points, 12.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists to lead Iowa to a 3-1 week to start the season. Jeffers recorded two double-doubles during the week; a 29-point, 17-rebound outing in a 123-102 road win over Tulsa and a 29-point, 16-rebound performance in a 108-98 loss at Sioux Falls. The award is the first for Jeffers this season and the third of his career, having twice earned the honor during the 2010-11 season. Other top performers considered include Austin's Eric Dawson, Bakersfield's Brian Butch, Canton's Jorge Gutierrez, Delaware's Steve Weingarten, Erie's Scott Suggs, Fort Wayne's Ron Howard, Idaho's Richard Howell, Los Angeles' Malcolm Thomas, Maine's Chris Wright, Rio Grande Valley's Troy Daniels, Santa Cruz's Seth Curry, Sioux Falls' DeAndre Liggins, Springfield's Willie Reed, Texas' Devin Ebanks, and Tulsa's Mario Little. More

Oklahoma City's Roberson Assigned to Tulsa 66ers

The Oklahoma City Thunder has assigned forward Andre Roberson to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA D-League, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti. Roberson has appeared in six games (one start) for the Thunder this season, averaging 1.7 rebounds in 6.5 minutes per game. Originally selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round (26th overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft, Roberson's rights were traded twice on Draft Night, first from the Timberwolves to Golden State, then from the Warriors to the Thunder. He was the first player in Colorado history to lead the team in rebounding, blocked shots and steals for three consecutive seasons. He's also the only CU player with 1,000 points (1,012) and rebounds (1,045), 150 blocks (150) and steals (164), and 100 assists (119). More

Bulls Assign Teague to Iowa Energy

The Chicago Bulls announced today the team has assigned guard Marquis Teague to the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League. Teague (6-2, 190) has played in nine games for the Bulls this season and averaged 1.2 points and 0.8 assists in 8.9 minutes per game. Teague was selected by Chicago in the first round (29th overall) of the 2012 NBA Draft, after helping lead the University of Kentucky to the 2012 NCAA Championship. As a rookie in 2012-13, Teague appeared in 48 games and averaged 2.1 points and 1.3 assists. More

AROUND THE D-LEAGUE

The Iowa Energy has acquired guard Austin Freeman, the team announced Monday. Freeman averaged 17.6 points his senior year at Georgetown, and was named First Team All Big East that season. The 6-3 guard was playing in Israel for Maccabi Ashdod, averaging 11.7 points in six games, prior to joining the Energy. Freeman also spent time in Italy after graduating in 2011 ... Los Angeles D-Fenders forward Ryan Kelly has been recalled by the Los Angeles Lakers. Kelly, a second-round pick of the Lakers in 2013, has posted averages of 25.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.3 steals in three games this season for the D-Fenders. On Sunday, Kelly tallied a career-high 30 points in a 131-96 victory over the Bakersfield Jam ... The San Antonio Spurs have recalled center Aron Baynes and guard Nando De Colo from the Austin Toros. Both players made their first appearance for the Toros this season on Sunday afternoon when they led Austin to a 114-102 home victory over the Delaware 87ers. In 34 minutes of action, Baynes posted 24 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four blocks. Also in 34 minutes, De Colo tallied a game-high 29 points to go along with eight rebounds, eight assists and six steals.

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NBA G League Stories from December 3, 2013


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