West, Harris Highlight Red Claws' Training Camp Invitees
October 30, 2010 - NBA G League (G League)
Maine Celtics News Release
PORTLAND, ME -- The Maine Red Claws, presented by Quirk Chevrolet, today announced that they have extended invitations to six players, including two returning players, three via the league's new allocation process and one from open tryouts held in September.
Among the six players is guard Mario West who rejoins the team after spending much of last season with the Atlanta Hawks. Also returning to the team is the Red Claws 2009 first round draft pick Paul Harris. Harris was sidelined all of the 2009-10 season following an ankle injury suffered prior to last season's training camp.
Joining West and Harris at next week's training camp will be three players who join the Red Claws via a new league rule which allows an NBA D-League team to claim up to three players who have been cut from their parent teams' training camp. Keith "Tiny" Gallon, Stephane Lasme and Jamar Smith come to Maine after attending camp with the Boston Celtics. Mario West also participated in the Celtics' camp.
Rounding out the pre-draft invitees is forward Lamonte Ulmer who gained his invite after attending the Red Claws' open tryout in Boston in September. Ulmer is a first-year pro out of the University of Rhode Island.
The Red Claws will invite up to seventeen players selected from the NBA D-League Draft, local tryouts, returning players, and allocation picks. The 2010 NBA Development League Draft will be held Monday, November 1 beginning at 7 PM. The Red Claws will host a Draft Party for fans at Binga's Stadium Monday beginning at 6:30 PM.
"We are very excited to have these six players coming to training camp next week," said Maine Red Claws President and General Manager Jon Jennings. "We have the makings of a very good team to start the season."
COMPLETE LIST OF PLAYERS:
MARIO WEST: 6-5, 210 lb. guard from Georgia State. Became the first Red Claws player in history to earn call-up to NBA when he signed a 10-day contract with the Atlanta Hawks on January 12, 2010. After being signed to a second 10-day contract, he was signed by the Hawks for the remainder of the season, dressing for 39 games. Prior to the call-up, he appeared in 11 games with the Red Claws, averaging 13.7 ppg.
PAUL HARRIS: 6-5, 220 lb. forward from Syracuse University. The Red Claws 2009 first round draft pick returns to action after missing all of 2009-10 following an ankle injury suffered in the Utah Jazz's 2009 training camp.
STEPHANE LASME: 6-8, 220 lb. forward from the University of Massachusetts. Joins the Red Claws after attending the Boston Celtics 2010 training camp. 2007 2nd round draft selection of the Golden State Warriors. Spent the 2009-10 season with Maccabi Electra Tel-Aviv (Israel) where he averaged 8.8 ppg in 24 games.
KEITH "TINY" GALLON: 6-9, 239 lb. forward from the University of Oklahoma. Drafted by Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft. Attended training camp with Milwaukee and the Boston Celtics.
JAMAR SMITH: 6-3, 185 lb. guard out of University of Southern Indiana. 2010 Division II Player of the Year. Participated in the 2010 NBA summer league in Las Vegas with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Attended Boston Celtics training camp.
LAMONTE ULMER: 6-6 forward out of the University of Rhode Island. A first-year pro, he earned an invite to the Red Claws 2010 training camp after attending the team's open tryouts at UMass-Boston in September.
MAINE RED CLAWS: 2009-10 marked the inaugural season for the Maine Red Claws, the minor league affiliate of the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Bobcats. The NBA D-League team plays its home games at the Portland Expo Building. The franchise is owned and operated by Maine Basketball, LLC, which is principally owned by Bill Ryan Sr., the retired chairman of TD Bank, and Bill Ryan Jr., owner and operator of Oxford Plains Speedway. Jon Jennings, a partner in Maine Basketball, LLC and former Boston Celtics assistant coach, serves as the team's president and general manager.
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