The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have signed center Ian Mahinmi (pronounced Yan mah-HEEN-me). Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Mahinmi (6-11, 230) joins the Mavericks as a free agent from the San Antonio Spurs where he spent two NBA seasons. He holds career averages of 3.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 5.8 minutes in 32 career games.
Originally a first round draft pick (28th overall) of San Antonio in 2005, Mahinmi played in 26 games for the Spurs last season averaging 3.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 6.3 minutes per game and shooting .636 from the field. He also saw the first postseason action of his career in the series against the Mavericks when he played in two games averaging 4.5 points and 1.0 rebounds per contest.
The Rouen, France native played in only six games during his rookie season (2007-08) and spent the majority of the year with the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League. While in Austin, he averaged 16.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks en route to being named All-NBA Development First Team in 2008. He missed the entire 2008-09 season with an ankle injury.
Mahinmi was born and raised in France by his mother who is from Jamaica and his father who hails from Benin. He spent four seasons in the French A League before making his debut with the Spurs and was a named a French League All-Star in 2006. Mahinmi was also a member of the French National Team that captured bronze at the 2004 European Junior Championship.
