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NBA G League

NBA D-League Update

December 3, 2014 - NBA G League (G League) News Release


MY NAME IS EARL

The TV show lasted four seasons. The player made it to five, before failing to secure an NBA roster spot this Fall, despite signing a lucrative contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers as recently as July 2013.

Today, Earl Clark is the reigning NBA Development League Player of the Month, after competing in four games for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and averaging a robust 28.8 points. Yesterday, he was the 14th overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft, who after a few modest seasons had seemingly found his place in the NBA, averaging 7.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in 23.1 minutes per game for the Los Angeles Lakers.

His path from surefire NBA contributor to possible NBA D-League reclamation project -- rumor has it several teams are taking a long, hard look at signing Clark -- has been circuitous, but the reasons are fairly straightforward. NBA teams have had a hard time defining his role.

"I made threes in L.A., proved myself as a stretch guy," Clark told The Monitor. "I go to Cleveland and all they want me to do is shoot threes. When I'm in Orlando, I'm told don't shoot the ball, just play defense. It's tough for me. I've gotten into this tweener thing because I've gone from coaches who really don't know how to use me."

While Clark's points are somewhat valid, they're also a bit outdated, given his age (he'll turn 27 in January) and current address -- on the outside looking in. Simply put, the NBA is a competitive place. You either figure out a way to maximize your ability within a team concept, or the next guy will get a chance.

That said, Clark clearly has NBA tools, and his decision to play for the Vipers, who've established a winning culture while sending numerous players to the NBA, appears to have been a smart one.

"Sometimes it's a gift and a curse," said Vipers assistant coach Chris Johnson, who has trained Clark the last four summers as a player development coach. "For players that have a lot of talent, they have so much that they can't find a specialty role. And in the NBA, you can have specialty positions. What we're trying to do is define him a role so NBA teams can identify him and know for sure if he fits a particular service they need."

PROSPECT REPORT

James Michael McAdoo, Santa Cruz Warriors -- Had McAdoo entered the 2012 NBA Draft following his freshman season at North Carolina -- especially on the heels of scoring 15 points in 19 minutes in the NCAA Tournament against Kansas -- he would have absolutely been drafted, and most likely in the first round. Similar to Marvin Williams seven years prior, he played a small but meaningful role to perfection while flashing serious potential. Two more seasons at North Carolina gave scouts more time to pick apart his game, and by the time they were through, McAdoo went undrafted following his junior campaign. It's not often a player from North Carolina with such a big reputation floats through the Draft unclaimed. McAdoo was quickly scooped up the Golden State Warriors, had a strong summer and was one of the team's final cuts heading into this season before landing in Santa Cruz. In seven games with the Warriors, McAdoo is averaging 18.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.7 blocks. McAdoo is intriguing from an NBA perspective given his above average quickness for his size (6-9) and overall skill level, though he doesn't quite fit the stretch-four mold and was a below average free throw shooter in college. Still, his ability to run the floor and get to the basket will keep him in the NBA discussion, as he's just at the beginning of his career.

NEWS & NOTES

Rio Grande Valley's Earl Clark Named NBA D-League Player of the Month

Rio Grande Valley Vipers forward Earl Clark has been named NBA Development League Player of the Month for games played in November. The honor, the first of the 2014-15 season, is also the first of Clark's NBA D-League career. Clark (6-10, 228, Louisville) helped the Vipers to a 4-3 record to start the 2014-15 season. The team was 4-0 in games he competed in. For the month, Clark led the Vipers in scoring (28.8 ppg), good for second-best in the NBA D-League, while shooting 45 percent (42-of-93) from the floor. He also averaged 7.3 rebounds and was third in the league in blocks (3.3 bpg). Clark scored in double figures in all four games he played in, including a 35-point outing to secure a 151-148 triple-overtime road win over the Bakersfield Jam on Nov. 18. Other players receiving consideration for the monthly award were Bakersfield's Elijah Millsap, Idaho's Kevin Murphy, Maine's Tim Frazier, Reno's Brady Heslip, and Texas' Eric Griffin.

Prospect Watch: Old Faces, New Places

Erie's Seth Curry got better as his rookie year went along and shined during NBA Summer League. He has the complete offensive arsenal but defense and athleticism remain question marks ... Santa Cruz's Elliot Williams is an elite-level athlete with supreme leaping ability. He deeds to refine his outside shot to open up rest of his offense. Potential defensive-minded combo guard off the bench.

AROUND THE D-LEAGUE

The Oklahoma City Thunder has recalled forwards Grant Jerrett and Mitch McGary from the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA D-League. During his most recent assignment, Jerrett appeared in two games (two starts) for the Blue, averaging 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 24.2 minutes per game. In his lone assignment this season, McGary played in two games (two starts) with the Blue and recorded one double-double, while averaging 15.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in 20.4 minutes per game ... The Utah Jazz has recalled guard Toure' Murry from the Idaho Stampede, the Jazz's exclusive NBA D-League affiliate. Murry was assigned to the Stampede on Nov. 13, and appeared in six games (five starts), averaging 14.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.3 steals in 31.5 minutes per game ... The Houston Rockets have recalled center Clint Capela from Houston's single-affiliation NBA D-League partner Rio Grande Valley. Capela (6-10, 245, France) appeared in six games with the Vipers averaging 9.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in 14.1 minutes per game. Prior to his D-League assignment, Capela appeared in one game with the Rockets on Nov. 6 against San Antonio, recording three rebounds and one assist. The former Elan Chalon player out of France was selected by the Rockets 25th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft.

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