The Toronto Raptors announced Friday they have signed centre Pops Mensah-Bonsu to a contract for the remainder of the season. He is the 13th Call-Up of the 2008-09 NBA Development League season and the 131th overall since the league began play in 2001.
Mensah-Bonsu, 6-foot-10, 240 pounds, averaged 26.6 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in eight games with the D-League’s Austin Toros this season. He recorded six double-doubles, with a high of 39 points at Colorado and three games of 18 rebounds (at Anaheim, Colorado and Rio Grande Valley).
Mensah-Bonsu, 25, was released Wednesday from his 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs. He saw action in three contests with the Spurs, averaging 5.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 6.7 minutes. He appeared in 12 games with the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006-07 season where he totaled 29 points and 22 rebounds in 72 minutes. He also spent part of that season in the D-League with Fort Worth, averaging 15.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 30.7 minutes in 26 games. He earned 2007 D-League All-Star Game MVP honours with 30 points and seven rebounds.
The native of London, England spent two seasons overseas, playing with Benetton Treviso in 2007-08 and DKV Joventut in 2008-09. He averaged 9.2 points and 8.3 rebounds in 31 regular season games with Benetton. He saw action in just two games with Jovenut before returning to North America to play in the D-League.
A four-year athlete at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Mensah-Bonsu averaged 12.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in his senior season leading the Colonials to a 26-1 regular season mark and a Top 10 ranking.
Mensah-Bonsu will be available to the team tonight when the Raptors play host to the Miami Heat at Air Canada Centre. Game time is 7 p.m. (TSN/FAN 590)
