Patriots Cleaves Earns GATORADE Callup to Sonics
Published on January 28, 2006 under NBA G League (G League)
Fayetteville Patriots News Release
GREENVILLE, S.C., January 28 - The Seattle Sonics signed Fayetteville Patriots guard Mateen Cleaves to a 10-day contract today, making him the sixth GATORADE Call-Up of the 2005-06 NBA Development League season and the 56th overall since the league began play in November 2001.
Cleaves, the third Fayetteville player to earn a call-up this season and the second in six days, is making a return trip to the Sonics, who waived him on January 4 after he played in 19 games and averaged 9.3 minutes, 3.4 points and 1.7 assists. In 159 NBA games with Detroit, Sacramento, Cleveland and Seattle he is averaging 11.4 minutes, 3.8 points, 1.9 assists and 1.1 rebounds.
A veteran of the NBA and the D-League, Cleaves averaged 18.5 minutes, 7.0 points, 4.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds in two games with Fayetteville. This was his second stint in the NBA D-League. He played 42 games for Huntsville (now Albuquerque) in 2003-04, averaging 29.4 minutes, 13.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists.
The Pistons made Cleaves the 14th overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft after he led Michigan State to NCAA national title and was named Most Outstanding Player in the 2000 NCAA Tournament. Twice named the Big 10 Conference Player of the Year, Cleaves is the all-time leading assist man in Michigan State history with 816.
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