Jared Reiner, Eddie Basden, Marcus Campbell all freshly conscripted

The D-League has bagged itself some more former NBA talent.

In five of the last six years, Iowa centre Jared Reiner has appeared in an NBA training camp. In 2004 it was the Bulls; in 2005 it was both the Clippers and the Suns; in 2006 it was the Spurs; in 2008 it was the Sixers; this past summer, it was the Timberwolves. In that time, Reiner has only played in 46 NBA games, 27 of which came with the unlisted Bucks down the stretch of the 2006/07 season. But that's no reason to stop trying, and, seemingly unable to get a tasty European deal, Reiner has opted for the NBA exposure offered up by the D-League. If things go well, he could make it 6 of 7.

Eddie Basden is another ex-Bull, who was quickly snapped up by the team after going undrafted in 2005, and about whom much excitement was generated by the Bulls' PR Machine. We didn't have a draft pick that year, so we pretended Basden was it, and took some great solace from predicting his greatness. However, Basden appeared in only shreds of 19 games, and all he showed was an ability to gamble on defense and an inability to shoot. We felt let down somehow.

Apart from the Bulls, Basden has had training camp stints with the Cavaliers in 2006 (being traded for Martynas Andriuskevicius in one of the best pointless trades of all time) and the Miami Heat in 2008, but he didn't make the team either time. He spent last season in Turkey, averaging 7.9ppg and 4.6rpg for Mersin, but on the unhealthy percentages of 37% FG, 23% 3PT FG% and 61% FT. This is a defensive specialist we're talking about, by the way.

Marcus Campbell has never played an NBA game, but he's had training camp stints with the Rockets, Bobcats and Thunder. He is a D-League veteran, with 145 D-League games played in 4 previous season, and career averages of 10.3 points and 7.0 rebounds. He also follows me on Twitter. I have no idea why, but I'll happily take it.


Basden joins the Austin Toros, Reiner joins the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and Campbell goes to the Springfield Armor. On their respective debuts, Basden put up 6 points and 6 rebounds on 2-9 shooting, while Campbell put up 8 points and 6 rebounds on 0-6 shooting to give the Armor their first win of the year. It came against Reiner's Mad Ants, and Reiner's 8 points, 3 rebounds and 5 fouls in 15 minutes didn't seem to help.

Additionally, the L.A. D-Fenders traded Deron Washington to Tulsa in exchange for Keith Clark. Washington had lost his minutes with the D-Fenders to Dar Tucker, Gabe Pruitt and Diamon Simpson, and he had become expendable. Tulsa also waived Thunder draft pick DeVon Hardin due to injury, but they cancelled that out by acquiring Zabian Dowdell, a man who was staring down the barrel of an NBA training camp invite or two this summer before getting injured.

To make room for Campbell, the Armor waived former NBA guard Adam Harrington. And that's a shame.

D-League transactions, from lately until now

Last year was my first year of watching college basketball. It was also the first year it appeared regularly on British TV. Those two things are related.

I watched every game I could get my hands on, everything across the spectrum. From North Carolina and Duke to Morehead State and Cornell (with about seven trillion UConn games along the way), I watched as much of the game as I could, and took copious notes on the back of every bank statement I own. (I really should buy some paper.) It didn't take long for Syracuse to emerge as my favourite NCAA team. The reasons for that:

1) The Orange uniforms are well nice.
2) They had about 786 televised games over here for some reason.
3) They only played seven guys, one of whom was an unskilled Belgian.
4) Jim Boeheim's wife is hot.
5) Eric Devendorf has a potty mouth.

Devendorf declared for the draft after his junior year, apparently believing he had a chance of being drafted when he didn't even remotely have one. After going undrafted, he worked out at length with the Knicks and Lakers, but amazingly they decided that an undersized decent jumpshooter with awful defense and a recklessness problem was not the kind of player that their team needed. So Devendorf wasn't able to get an NBA contract of any kind.

After that, he was reported to be mulling over numerous European offers, the most concrete of which was with an unnamed Israeli team at the start of last month. However, none of them came to pass, and 8 months after leaving Syracuse, Devendorf remains unsigned. It won't be for much longer, though, as he is reported to be headed for the D-League. This, too, hasn't happened yet. But there's no obstacles in the way this time.


In other D-League transactions, some players from recent NBA training camps have joined the league. The Springfield Armor have acquired Morris Almond - a first round draft pick only two years ago and a huge scorer in D-League years past - as well as T.J. Cummings, a former Bucks camp invite with an awesome name who was taken in the fourth round of the past D-League draft by the Idaho Stampede before being silently released. The Tulsa 66ers brought back Steven Hill, who they had earlier released due to injury, and after three shocking years in the NBA and an unsuccessful preseason tour of Greece, Cedric Simmons now arrives in the D-League to join the Idaho Stampede. In only his first game there, he got hit in the face by Maurice Baker, who got suspended for his actions. Good times.

Robert Swift and Luke Nevill waived

The following real quote is a real quote:

As soon as I heard that Bakersfield had a team, I was hoping I could play for them."

- Robert Swift

Swift played high school basketball in Bakersfield, hence this desire, and he got his wish when he was allocated to the Jam last month, becoming their starting centre by default. (He also got a haircut.) However, in keeping with the recent theme of Swift's career, it didn't go very well. Swift played in only two games for the team - totalling 4 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, 6 fouls and 6 turnovers - and was today waived due to "personal reasons." The reason cited was due to a family matter back in Seattle.

Now, I have no reason to dispute the validity of that reason, and don't wish to make it sound like I do. There's no incentive to lie or reason to disbelieve it. But it does reinforce a worrying fact; Robert Swift's career isn't going too well. At all. Swift has essentially missed all of the last three seasons, and played only 1,500 minutes and 97 games in a five year NBA career. He's still only 24, but he has almost nothing to show for five years. Even his sophomore season, in which he played 987 of those minutes, was not really that good.

Here's what gets me; a cynic would say that Robert Swift should quit playing basketball. I know this to be true because one such cynic said it to me. It's not true, of course, because even though Swift's last five years have been incredibly unsuccessful (and even though he was never as good as Danny Ainge thought he was in the first place), Swift isn't a bad player when he's healthy. And even if he was, you can make a living as a professional basketball player just by being 7'1. You don't have to be skilled as well.

But, worse case scenario, what if Robert Swift did have to quit? What if his oft-repaired knee was put out of whack once and for all, and he could no longer get up and down the court at all? What if he had to retire in his mid-20's and find a new calling in life? Swift has not got a college education, is really tall, and covered in tattoos. Regardless of whether they should do or not - and they shouldn't - those things will be prejudiced against him in many a workplace. And if he's quitting due to a wrecked knee, it's not like construction should be in his future. So if Robert Swift had to quit, what could he do?

Answer: he shouldn't quit even if his leg falls off. He can scratch out contracts just by being that size for a good few years yet. See, Meg? These. These are the questions.


Also, in other news, Australian centre Luke Nevill was released by the Utah Flash due to visa problems. Nevill had played in the season's opener, totalling 11 points and 9 rebounds, and was pencilled in to be the Flash's starting centre for the year. (Particularly true after James Lang was released and Garret Siler signed in China.) However, that's now been put on hiatus due to the visa issue. It's presumably only a temporary blip, and being released by a D-League team isn't nearly as big of a deal as it sounds, yet it's still a pageturner.

Speaking of which, go and read something else.

Byron Eaton's Arse Update

Yesterday, the Tulsa 66ers acquired DeVon Hardin, a former Oklahoma City Thunder draft pick. It's very rare that players whose draft rights are owned by an NBA team end up playing in the D-League; in fact, off the top of my head, the only other time I can remember it happening was with Ejike Ugboaja back in 2007. Nevertheless, after playing in China for some summer money, Hardin seems to value the exposure right now more than a bigger paycheck. Ambitious for a man currently fighting an impossible battle against B.J. Mullens and Serge Ibaka for an NBA roster spot, but noble nonetheless.

Hardin takes a spot on the 66ers roster that previously belonged to former Oklahoma State point guard Byron Eaton. Eaton was assigned to the 66ers due to his local ties after he went undrafted in the past NBA draft, despite his senior season being his best ever season by quite a long way. His small size counted against him, as did his lack of three point jumpshot, and the fact that he just doesn't really have NBA talent.

Byron Eaton is best known as a basketball player for being fat. Measuring between 5-9 and 5-11, depending on whose measurements you believe, Eaton weighed over 240lbs in his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons, and if you're wondering what that looks like on a professional 5'10 athlete, then here's your answer:




Perhaps recognising the irony of his surname, Eaton lost a lot of weight for his senior season, and it's no coincidence that that was his best season ever. He was still a touch fat at about 210 or so, but he was a lot slimmer and faster, which greatly helped a man whose offensive game is based around his driving game.




Unfortunately, now that he's graduated and started to get paychecks as a professional basketball player, Eaton has let himself go again. In fact, he's let himself go more than before. Looking fatter than he has ever done - an observation backed up by Jonathan Givony of Draftexpress, who says that he was told that Eaton currently weighs 260lbs - Eaton's media day picture for the 66ers reveals the damage:





If Byron Eaton lost weight and played the way he can do, he'd be on the cusp of the NBA. He'd probably never be in it, but he'd be a good D-League player, and no doubt able to plunder 6 figure contracts from overseas teams. Unfortunately, he hasn't done so, and instead of being on the cusp of the NBA, Eaton is now on the cusp of the D-League. The waiving isn't the worst news in the world for Eaton, as he'll get paid either way. But the hope now is that it serves as a reminder to him to lose those 50lbs of unnecessary fat that so affect his basketball career. Because if he doesn't, it might be a short one.


Also in the D-League this week, Trey Gilder joined up, and Mario West did too, fresh from multiple unsuccessful tryouts in China. Both joined the Maine Red Claws, which gives them a pretty freaking stacked roster right now. Especially after the assignment of Alexis Ajinca.

2009 D-League Draft Results

The 2009 D-League draft was held last night. It's a highly enjoyable event for judging the players that you've heard of and laughing at the names of those that you haven't. I only wish that it didn't clash with a Bulls game.

The full draft board can be found here, but since only the first four rounds are really important, here are the results for the first four rounds:


Round One

1. Albuquerque Thunderbirds - Carlos Powell
2. Erie BayHawks - Donell Taylor
3. Los Angeles D-Fenders - Deron Washington
4. Bakersfield Jam - Amara Sy
5. Utah Flash - Garrett Siler
6. Austin Toros - Alonzo Gee
7. Reno Bighorns - Desmon Farmer
8. Maine Red Claws - Paul Harris
9. Iowa Energy - Rashad Anderson
10. Fort Wayne Mad Ants - Alade Aminu
11. Dakota Wizards - Curtis Withers
12. Rio Grande Valley Vipers - Antonio Anderson
13. Sioux Falls Skyforce - Raymond Sykes
14. Springfield Armor - JamesOn Curry
15. Idaho Stampede - Sundiata Gaines
16. Tulsa 66ers - Latavious Williams


Round Two

1. Tulsa 66ers - Mustafa Shakur
2. Idaho Stampede - Dar Tucker
3. Springfield Armor - Major Wingate
4. Sioux Falls Skyforce - Pete Campbell
5. Rio Grande Valley Vipers - Jonathan Wallace
6. Dakota Wizards - Doug Thomas
7. Fort Wayne Mad Ants - Frank Tolbert
8. Iowa Energy - Pat Carroll
9. Maine Red Claws - Darnell Lazare
10. Reno Bighorns - Haminn Quaintance
11. Austin Toros - Russell Carter
12. Utah Flash - Orien Greene
13. Bakersfield Jam - Reece Gaines
14. Los Angeles D-Fenders - Alan Wiggins
15. Erie BayHawks - John Bryant
16. Albuquerque Thunderbirds - Chad Toppert


Round Three

1. Albuquerque Thunderbirds - Erek Hansen
2. Erie BayHawks - Martin Zeno
3. Los Angeles D-Fenders - Jeremy Wise
4. Bakersfield Jam - Anthony Goods
5. Utah Flash - Kevin Goffney
6. Austin Toros - Lewis Clinch
7. Reno Bighorns - Chris Lowe
8. Maine Red Claws - Frank Young
9. Iowa Energy - Sean Barnette
10. Fort Wayne Mad Ants - Jamelle Cornley
11. Dakota Wizards - Marcus Dove
12. Rio Grande Valley Vipers - Jamarcus Ellis
13. Sioux Falls Skyforce - Reggie Williams
14. Springfield Armor - James Cripe
15. Idaho Stampede - Delonte Holland
16. Tulsa 66ers - Cecil Brown


Round Four

1. Tulsa 66ers - Jeral Davis
2. Idaho Stampede - T.J. Cummings
3. Springfield Armor - Craig Austrie
4. Sioux Falls Skyforce - Leemire Goldwire
5. Rio Grande Valley Vipers - Mickell Gladness
6. Dakota Wizards - D'lancy Carter
7. Fort Wayne Mad Ants - Booker Woodfox
8. Iowa Energy - Carl Mitchell
9. Maine Red Claws - Gary Ervin
10. Reno Bighorns - Louis Graham
11. Austin Toros - Ira Brown
12. Utah Flash - Jason Richards
13. Bakersfield Jam - Jared Newson
14. Los Angeles D-Fenders - Christopher Hayes
15. Erie BayHawks - Derrick Mercer
16. Albuquerque Thunderbirds - Yaroslav Korolev


The former NBA players on that list includes JamesOn Curry (a former Bulls draft pick, who spent a year in the NBA without playing in it), Reece Gaines (former bust with a few years of NBA experience), Yaroslav Korolev (picked by the Clippers in 2005 ahead of Danny Granger, don't you know?), Desmon Farmer (veteran shooter in the NBA as recently as last year), Orien Greene (a few teams, not many points) and Donell Taylor (spent a couple of years with the Wizards). Previous training camp invites include Aminu, Cummings, Powell, Washington, Newson, Richards, Thomas, Carroll, Sykes, Siler, Gee, Harris and Anderson, most of whom were in camp somewhere this year. That's not a coincidence.

From further down the draft, other former NBA training camp players include Mike Gansey, Shagari Alleyne, Roderick Wilmont and Scooter McFadgon. There are also returns for Tony Bobbitt and Antoine Hood, who have both been out of basketall since 2007. So that's good news.

Other names you may have heard of include Jamelle Cornley (formerly of Penn State), Latavious Williams (who makes some history for being the first D-League player drafted directly out of high school), Craig Austrie (UConn guard) Sundiata Gaines and Lewis Clinch (who have attended NBA team's free agent mini camps in the past), as well as multiple summer league veterans like Martin Zeno, Leemire Goldwire, Marcus Dove and Reggie Williams. Amara Sy is almost in there, and he would have been a Bobcat this summer were it not for a visa issue that prevented him fromg etting into America. I know that feeling.

It was also a truly great draft for awesome names. Between Mickell Gladness, Booker Woodfox, Anthony Goods, Cornelius Scooter McFadgon and 50's English gangster Lenny Stokes, this daft has offered up an almost unrivalled bevvy of high quality names, names sadly wasted by being attached to non-NBA players. It's a shame. These names need that exposure.

Whether that All-Great Name Starting Five can top last year's effort of Xavier Whipple, Cliff Clinkscales, Torrington Cox, Elgrace Wilborn and Sung Yung-Bang remains to be seen. But I'll happily debate that with anyone for over an hour.

(Also, why Rashad Anderson was in this draft when he was second in Italy's SerieA in scoring last year is a mystery to me. It may have only been on the relegated Snaidero Udine, but it's still a feat and a half to almost lead that league in scoring. And now he's going to Iowa. Not sure why this is.)

Notable undrafted players include Rashid Byrd, Geno Carlisle, Adam Harrington, Cheyne Gadson and Jitim Young, veterans with NBA resumés (however fleeting) whse ages appear to have counted against them. Or maybe they just didn't have brilliant enough names.

All these players now go to training camp alongside the allocated/returning/local tryout players. From that assortment, teams have to select their 10 man rosters for the regular season. And yes, you can see Kevin Pittsnogle in that allocations list.

Good times.