D-League Select Team
InsideHoops.com | June 30, 2010
The NBA Development League today announced the roster for the NBA D-League Select team, which will compete in the 2010 NBA Summer League. The team, comprised of 11 NBA D-League players, will play a five-game schedule beginning on Monday, July 12, at the Cox Pavilion and Thomas and Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada - Las Vegas.
“Following last year’s successes, we’re excited to bring another talented group of NBA D-League players to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas,” said Chris Alpert, Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel for the NBA D-League. “NBA Summer League represents a fantastic opportunity for our young players to showcase their skills against top NBA prospects and on basketball’s biggest summer stage.”
The 2010 team includes players from eight different NBA D-League teams and features nine players who saw 2010 NBA D-League postseason action, including Larry Owens (Tulsa 66ers). Owens, who played in 50 regular season games with the 66ers during the 2009-10 campaign, led the team to the 2010 NBA D-League Finals. During the regular season, Owens averaged 15.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 36.5 minutes. In eight postseason (and two Finals) games, Owens contributed 18.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 40.6 minutes.
Kurt Looby (Maine Red Claws) returns to the Select Team. During the 2009-10 NBA D-League season, Looby’s 3.3 blocks per game was second in the league, while his 58 percent from the field (117-of-196) was good for third best. Russell Robinson, Looby’s Red Claws teammate, was fifth in the NBA D-League in steals, averaging 2.0 steals per game during the season.
Yaroslav Korolev and Cezary Trybanski, teammates with the Reno Bighorns during the 2009-10 season and the two Select Team players with NBA experience, join the roster following successful seasons in the NBA D-League. Korolev, a native of Russia and the 12th overall selection in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, averaged 10.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 22.6 minutes in 47 regular seasons games. Trybanski, a native of Poland, averaged 7.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 47 regular season games.
A member of the 2010 NBA D-League Champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Jonathan Wallace joins the Select Team having shot 89 percent from the free throw line, fourth-best in the league during the 2009-10 season.
Bennett Davis, who averaged 12.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 28.2 minutes in 50 games for the Utah Flash; Mike Gansey, who averaged 18.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 43.2 minutes in 27 games for the Erie BayHawks after being traded from the Idaho Stampede; Jared Newson, who played 46 games with the Bakersfield Jam and Sioux Falls Skyforce, averaged 9.2 points, 3.9 assists and 23.0 minutes between the teams; Mark Tyndale, who averaged 12.3 points, shooting 53 percent, to go with 3.6 rebounds and 23.3 minutes in 50 regular season games for the Iowa Energy; and Curtis Withers, who averaged 11.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 24.5 minutes in 50 games for the Dakota Wizards round out the roster.
Nick Nurse, the three-year head coach of the Iowa Energy who led the team to an NBA D-League record 37-13 record during the 2009-10 season, was named head coach of the Select Team. Joining him on the bench in Las Vegas are his Energy assistant Nate Bjorkgren, Rio Grande Valley first-year assistant coach Jai Stedman, and second-year Austin Toros assistant coach Taylor Jenkins. Kevin Taylor of the Idaho Stampede will serve as the team’s athletic trainer.
The NBA D-League Select team begins their summer schedule on July 12 when they face-off against the Phoenix Suns at 8:30 p.m. ET at the Thomas & Mack Center. The 2010 NBA Summer League is comprised of 21 NBA teams and the NBA D-League Select squad, and features rookies, second-year players and select free agents.
The 2010 NBA D-League Select roster and game schedule are listed below:
PLAYER POS HT WT BORN COLLEGE NBA D-LEAGUE TEAM NBA EXP.
Bennet Davis F 6-8 220 3/14/1984 Northeastern Utah Flash R
Mike Gansey G 6-4 190 12/21/1982 West Virginia Erie BayHawks R
Yaroslav Korolev G/F 6-8 225 5/7/1987 Russia Reno Bighorns 2
Kurt Looby C 6-10 230 2/17/1984 Iowa Maine Red Claws R
Jared Newson G/F 6-4 210 9/26/1984 Tennessee-Martin Sioux Falls Skyforce R
Larry Owens G/F 6-7 205 1/8/1983 Oral Roberts Tulsa 66ers R
Russell Robinson G 6-1 190 1/24/1986 Kansas Maine Red Claws R
Cezary Trybanski C 7-1 240 9/22/1979 Poland Reno Bighorns 3
Mark Tyndale G 6-5 210 1/4/1986 Temple Iowa Energy R
Jonathan Wallace G 6-1 185 5/16/1986 Georgetown Rio Grande Valley Vipers R
Curtis Withers F 6-8 230 8/2/1984 Charlotte Dakota Wizards R
Head Coach: Nike Nurse (Iowa Energy)
Assistant Coaches: Nate Bjorkgren (Iowa Energy); Taylor Jenkins (Austin Toros); Jai Stedman (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
Athletic Trainer: Kevin Taylor (Idaho Stampede)
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