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NBA D-League Update

Published on January 3, 2014 under NBA G League (G League) News Release


GREEN LIGHT FOR SHOWCASE

Two years ago this week, he was just another face in the crowd.

Today, he's one of the most indispensable members of the Phoenix Suns, which at 19-12, are one of the NBA's top stories this season.

Gerald Green wasn't immediately called up following the 2012 NBA D-League Showcase, where he shined for the Los Angeles D-Fenders. That came a month later after he captured MVP honors at the 2012 NBA D-League All-Star Game in Orlando.

But, the seed had clearly been planted in front of a packed house of general managers and scouts in Reno, Nev., which is set to host the 2014 Showcase, which tips off Sunday, Jan. 5.

A 10-day contract with the Nets quickly became a rest-of-season deal, which gave Green enough time to strut his stuff and secure a three-year contract with the Indiana Pacers in the summer of 2012.

His tenure with the Pacers was brief -- he was traded this past summer with Miles Plumlee and a first-round pick to the Suns for Luis Scola -- but his stay in Phoenix could last a while, with the uber-athletic Green providing consistent offensive punch off the bench. He currently ranks third on the Suns in scoring (13.0 ppg), and considering he doesn't turn 28 until Jan. 26, Green's best years could very well be in front of him.

The 10th annual event, hosted for the third-consecutive season by the Reno Bighorns and the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, will take place at the Reno Event Center in Reno, Nev., home of the Reno Bighorns.

Action tips off with two games on Sunday, with the Delaware 87ers taking on the hosting Bighorns at 5:30 p.m. ET, and the Bakersfield Jam facing the Sioux Falls Skyforce at 8:15 p.m. ET. The schedule continues with four games on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with action commencing at 1:00 p.m. ET each day. The event concludes with a three-game slate on Thursday, with the Springfield Armor and Iowa Energy playing the winter classic's final game beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Prospect Report

Manny Harris, Los Angeles D-Fenders -- Harris appeared to have this whole making the NBA thing licked when he, despite going undrafted in 2010 after three very productive seasons at Michigan, made the Cleveland Cavaliers, and actually played decent minutes as a rookie. He spent the bulk of his second pro season with the Cavaliers as well, before signing to play in the Ukraine for the 2012-13 season. Harris is back in the NBA D-League hoping for another shot at the NBA, and announced his presence with authority, hitting for 42 points in his debut with the D-Fenders on Dec. 14. In eight games with Los Angeles, Harris is averaging 28.0 points and 5.5 rebounds. Harris' versatility and athleticism allowed him to excel at the collegiate level, but his lack of consistency as a shooter, combined with just average size for an NBA wing, has limited his effectiveness at the NBA level. Harris does several things well, but sometimes when you're on the fringes of the NBA, you need a calling card to get over the hump. Still only 24, Harris has time and room for improvement, and he's certainly in the right place to get noticed by the NBA.

NEWS & NOTES

Iowa's Othyus Jeffers Named NBA D-League Player of the Month

Iowa Energy guard/forward Othyus Jeffers has been named NBA Development League Player of the Month for games played in November and December. The honor, the first of the 2013-14 season, is also the first of Jeffers' NBA D-League career. Jeffers (6-5, 200, Robert Morris) led Iowa to a 9-4 record to start the 2013-14 season, averaging 24.2 points, fourth-best in the NBA D-League, while shooting 50 percent from the floor. He ranked second in the league in rebounds (12.4 rpg), steals (2.4 spg), and minutes (40.2 mpg) during November and December. Jeffers scored in double figures in all 13 contests, including 10 20-plus point games and a 30-point outing to open the season on Nov. 30. For his efforts, he was named NBA D-League Performer of the Week on Dec. 2. Twelve additional players were considered for the award, including Austin's Eric Dawson, Delaware's Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Fort Wayne's Ron Howard, Idaho's Pierre Jackson, Los Angeles' Manny Harris, Maine's Chris Wright, Rio Grande Valley's Troy Daniels, Santa Cruz' Seth Curry, currently of the Memphis Grizzlies, Sioux Falls' Justin Hamilton and DeAndre Liggins, Springfield's Willie Reed and Tulsa's Mario Little. More

Knicks Sign Erie's Jeremy Tyler

New York Knicks President and General Manager Steve Mills announced that the team has signed forward Jeremy Tyler of the Erie BayHawks, the 10th Gatorade Call-Up from the NBA Development League this season, and waived guard Chris Smith. Tyler, 6-10, 250-pounds, has averaged 18.0 points, on 48 percent shooting, and 10.2 rebounds over 31.0 minutes in six games (all starts) with the BayHawks. He originally signed with New York on Aug. 6, after playing for the Knicks' entry in NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, and was waived on Oct. 25, while recovering from a broken right fifth metatarsal. Tyler was originally selected by the Charlotte Bobcats in the second round (39th overall) of 2011 NBA Draft before having his rights traded to the Golden State Warriors. He holds career averages of 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds over 10.1 minutes in 63 games (23 starts) over two seasons with Golden State and Atlanta. He played professionally in Israel (Maccabi Haifa) and Japan (Tokyo Apache) for two seasons after leaving San Diego HS following his junior season. More

AROUND THE D-LEAGUE

The Delaware 87ers have released Aquille Carr. Carr (5-6, 148) was selected by the 87ers with the ninth pick of the third round in the 2013 NBA Development League Draft. Carr was one of three NBA Draft-eligible players playing this season in the NBA D-League, and one of two players with no collegiate experience. He appeared in 10 games with the 87ers and averaged 10.7 points, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 13.8 minutes per game ... The San Antonio Spurs have assigned Nando De Colo and Malcolm Thomas to the Austin Toros. This marks De Colo's fifth assignment to the Toros this season. In four games with Austin, he's averaged 25.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 3.25 steals in 38.8 minutes. He has appeared in 11 games this season for the Spurs, averaging 1.8 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 7.3 minutes. This is Thomas' fourth stint in Austin this season. In four games with the Toros, Thomas has averaged 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 3.25 blocks in 30.3 minutes ... The Portland Trail Blazers have assigned guard C.J. McCollum to the Idaho Stampede, the Trail Blazers' NBA Development League affiliate. McCollum (6-3, 197, Lehigh University), the 10th overall pick by the Trail Blazers in the 2013 NBA Draft, has been sidelined since fracturing his left foot in training camp. He was recently cleared to return to practice ... The Atlanta Hawks have assigned guard Jared Cunningham to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League Cunningham, who was recalled from Bakersfield on Dec. 29, has averaged 18.1 points, 5.4 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 33.1 minutes in eight games (all starts) in two stints with the Jam this season. In his last two contests with Bakersfield, Cunningham has put up 27.5 points, 9.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in 34.5 minutes. He has appeared in three games with the Hawks this year ... The Boston Celtics have assigned guard MarShon Brooks to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. Brooks, a 6-5 guard, has appeared in nine games for the Celtics this season, posting averages of 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 6.8 minutes per game. Brooks recorded a season high of eight points twice (Dec. 8 at New York and Nov. 16 at Minnesota) and recorded a season-high five rebounds against Indiana on Dec. 22.

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