Steadman And Wallace To Compete For NBA D-League Select Team During NBA Summer League
Published on July 1, 2010 under NBA G League (G League)
Rio Grande Valley Vipers News Release
The NBA Development League Champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers announced today that assistant coach Jai Steadman and point guard Jonathan Wallace (6-1, 185, Georgetown) are a part of the NBA D-League Select team that will compete during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas beginning on July 12 against the Phoenix Suns at the Cox Pavilion and Thomas and Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
"I am so blessed to have this opportunity to be a part of [Iowa Energy head] coach Nick Nurse's staff. I look forward to working hard to help the NBADL Select team become successful in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League," Steadman said.
Entering his second season with the Vipers, Steadman is responsible for assisting with video production of game-film edits, scouting, game preparation and on-court coaching. He also runs the Jr. Vipers summer basketball camps and youth clinics.
"I wouldn't be here without the leadership and guidance of [Vipers] head coach Chris Finch and assistant coach Paul Mokeski. Learning the Vipers' offense and defensive strategies has greatly improved my coaching philosophy," Steadman said.
The Lincoln, Nebraska native graduated from the University of Nebraska, where he began his coaching career as an administrative assistant from 1992-through-1997. While he was there, Nebraska won the 1996 National Invitational Tournament. Steadman has had additional coaching stints with the Michigan Mayhem (Continental Basketball Association), Randers Cimbria of Denmark (European Professional League), Tyler Junior College, Texas Christian University, McNeese State, North Texas, the Fort Worth Flyers (NBA D-League) and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Steadman was also a coach at the NBA D-League National Tryouts and Elite Mini-Camp in mid-June.
"I really went into the NBA D-League National Tryouts with the mindset of developing these young men and making a difference on and off the court. [NBA D-League Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel] Chris Alpert said he noticed my hard work and in the end my team went 3-1 and the weekend was a great experience," Steadman said.
Wallace also took part in the Elite Mini-Camp and after averaging 9.7 points per game during the regular season and 13.1 points per game during the playoffs, to go with 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists while starting all eight games for the Vipers.
"I'm so happy for Jon Wallace making the team. I sent him a text message right away to congratulate him. He has worked so hard since coming in to the NBA D-League to get into better shape than he was when he was at Georgetown. I hope he plays well this summer and an NBA team gives him a shot. He truly is a professional on and off the court and would be a great back-up point guard in the NBA," Steadman said.
The Vipers had two players on last year's inaugural NBA D-League Select Team - power forward Marcus Hubbard (6-9, 230, Angelo State University) and center Kurt Looby (6-10, 230, Iowa), who is back on the team this year, representing the Maine Red Claws. Last year's team went 3-2 during the NBA Summer League.
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