Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has signed first-round draft pick Gerald Henderson. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
This is standard, as all first round picks are guaranteed to receive a contract should they decide to actually play in the NBA.
The 12th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Henderson earned First Team All-ACC, Wooden Award All-America and Third Team AP All-America honors last season as a junior at Duke. The 6-4 guard led the team in scoring (16.5 ppg), while ranking second in rebounding (4.9 rpg), assists (2.5 apg) and field goal percentage (.450). He scored in double figures 31 times in 37 games played, including a career-high 35 points on 11-15 shooting from the field and 12-14 from the free-throw line on Feb. 22 against Wake Forest.
“I’m excited to get my NBA career underway,” said Henderson, who will participate in the 2009 NBA Summer League with the Minnesota Timberwolves entry. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play in the NBA and I’m looking forward to getting started.”
In 103 career games at Duke, Henderson averaged 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Despite playing just three seasons, Henderson ranks 20th in school history with 69 blocks and 39th all-time with 1,262 points.
