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Riverdragons\' Rob Werdann Earns NBA Call-up With New Orleans Hornets

August 19, 2004 - NBA G League (G League)
Columbus Riverdragons News Release


The New Orleans Hornets named former Columbus Riverdragons assistant coach Rob Werdann to their scouting staff for the upcoming 2004-05 NBA season, it was announced today by Hornets General Manager Allan Bristow. Werdann will work with both Bristow and new Hornets Head Coach Byron Scott.

Werdann is the seventh former NBDL coach to advance under the NBA umbrella. Other NBDL coaching promotions include Bob Thornton (Huntsville to Chicago assistant), Alex English (Charleston to Atlanta assistant, now Toronto assistant), Dell Demps (Mobile to New York scout), Harold Ellis (Roanoke to Atlanta scout), Stephanie Ready (Greenville to Washington Mystics assistant), and Jeff Capel (Fayetteville to Charlotte assistant). Werdann is also the fourth former member of the Columbus Riverdragons organization to earn a major league sports call-up, joining Tremaine Fowlkes (player, Los Angeles Clippers, NBA), Monique Thompson (front office, WNBA), Drew Ohlmeyer (producer, NFL Network), and Jessica Halperin (front office, Nashville Predators, NHL).

"Rob will be an outstanding addition to our scouting staff," said Bristow. "He comes with great credentials from his days as an NBA player, as a coach in the NBDL and his work off the court, so we're looking forward to what he will bring to the Hornets organization."

Among Werdann's duties as a scout will be analyzing future Hornets opponents and assisting the Hornets coaching staff in gameplan assessment.

"I'm thrilled about the opportunity with the Hornets organization," said Werdann. "It has been a terrific experience over the past three years in Columbus that has helped me develop as a coach and talent evaluator. I will look back with great fondness on my time as a part of the NBDL family, the Riverdragons staff, and a member of the Columbus community."

Werdann joins the Hornets after serving three seasons in the NBDL as Riverdragons assistant coach, helping lead the Dragons to a 72-80 (.474) record and a berth in the 2002 NBDL playoffs. A skilled tactician and teacher of basketball fundamentals, the former NBA center was a key component to the Dragons success over the first three years of their existence not only on the court, but also as an ambassador for the NBDL's Read To Achieve program with local Chattahoochee Valley schools.

"I'm really excited for Rob," said Riverdragons Head Coach Jeff Malone. "It's a great situation for him, but we're certainly going to miss him. He was definitely one of the top assistants in the NBDL and I learned a lot from him. Not only is he an outstanding coach, but he's an outstanding person as well. He truly deserves this opportunity in the NBA."

As a player, the 6-foot-11 center logged eight years of pro basketball experience including three seasons in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets (1992-93) and the New Jersey Nets (1995-96 - 1996-97). The Nuggets selected Werdann in the second round (46th pick overall) of the 1992 NBA Draft. Werdann played five seasons in the Continental Basketball Association (1993-94 – 1994-95, 1996-96 – 1998-99) splitting time with Yakima, Oklahoma City, and Harrisburg. Werdann also made stops in the United States Basketball League (USBL), International Basketball League (IBL) and overseas in Venezuela.

In college, Werdann played four seasons (1988-92) at St. John's University under legendary coach Lou Carnesecca. The Sunnyside, Queens native ranks as the school's all-time leader in blocked shots with 181. While at St. John's, Werdann made three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, helping the school to a Big East championship and the NCAA Regional Finals his junior year (1990-91). As a freshman, Werdann played a pivotal role in St. John's capturing the 1989 NIT Championship.

The NBDL, the NBA's minor league, includes the Fayetteville Patriots (N.C.), Florida Flame (Ft. Myers), Huntsville Flight (Ala.), Roanoke Dazzle (Va.), Columbus Riverdragons (Ga.), and the Asheville Altitude (N.C.). For more information, log on to columbusriverdragons.com or contact Riverdragons Media Relations Manager Tim Becwar at (706) 225-1104, or at tbecwar@nba.com .

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