The New Mexico Thunderbirds have announced today they have signed former Lobo guard J.R. Giddens (6-5, 215, New Mexico) and he will be active for their game tonight against the Erie Bayhawks at 5:30 MT.
Giddens played for the University of New Mexico during his junior and senior years of college. During the 2007-08 season, he averaged 16.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. He was named the Mountain West Conference Co-Player of the Year and was also an Honorable Mention All-American.
The Boston Celtics selected J.R. Giddens with the 30th pick in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft. Giddens averaged 1.9 points and 1.4 rebounds per game while shooting 47.6% in 38 career NBA games for the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks over two seasons.
Giddens has also seen time in the NBA Development League during the past two seasons. Last year, he played in four games for the Maine Red Claws and averaged 18.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 64.4% from the field. During the 2008-09 season, he played in 28 games for the Utah Flash and averaged 17.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.1 steals while shooting 57.8% from the floor.
Giddens began this season with Asseco Prokom Gdynia in Poland and averaged 9.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
