Utah Jazz general manager Kevin O’Connor announced today that the team has assigned rookie center Kosta Koufos to the Utah Flash of the NBA Development League (D-League) and recalled second-year center Kyrylo Fesenko. Guard Morris Almond is also currently on assignment with the Flash. Per league rules, NBA teams are only permitted to have two players on D-League assignment at any given time. Koufos is expected to be in uniform when the Flash host Anaheim on Friday, March 27 at 7 p.m.
In 48 games this season (seven starts) the 7-1, 265 pound Koufos has averages of 4.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.4 assists. Koufos has been inactive 13 times this season and DNP-CD 10 times. Koufos last appeared in a game on February 17 against Memphis, scoring two points and grabbing one rebound in a 117-99 home win. The center notched his career-high when he scored 18 points and 10 rebounds in a 97-88 win over Dallas on December 2 in Salt Lake City.
Selected by the Jazz out of Ohio State in the first round (23rd overall selection) of the 2008 NBA Draft, Koufos averaged 14.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists in his only season with the Buckeyes. The Canton, Ohio native was also named the postseason NIT MVP after leading Ohio State to the 2008 title. Koufos, who holds dual American and Greek citizenship helped lead Greece to a silver medal in the 2007 UMCOR U18 European Championships after averaging 26.5 points, 13 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots.
In 18 games with the Jazz this season (one start) the 7-1, 278 pound Fesenko has averages of 2.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.2 assists. Fesenko has been inactive 30 times and DNP-CD 14 games. In 14 games with the Flash, Fesenko has averages of 12.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 25.6 minutes per contest.
Originally selected by Philadelphia in the second round (38th overall selection) of the 2007 NBA Draft, the Jazz acquired Fesenko’s rights in a draft night deal that sent the draft rights to Herbert Hill (55th overall pick) and trade considerations to the 76ers.
