Ron Howard

Ron Howard

Howard was profiled in the Pacers summer league round-up - however, he was cut before the tournament began.

Ron Howard

Now 30 years old, Howard is still trying. He just completed his sixth season with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants - six years of D-League paychecks and bus rides is some level of commitment to the cause. This was also arguably Howard's career best season, averaging 19.3 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. He's a combo guard who isn't clearly either, a perimeter player without a three point shot or a niche, but he's also just good.

Ron Howard

Howard was with the Knicks for training camp last year. The D-League veteran is a defensive specialist who also scored a decent amount of points without the benefit of a three point jumpshot. But last year, Howard added one, shooting 42-109 in 29 D-League games. (He had gone 1-17 from three in his previous 95 games.) For the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Howard averaged 20.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists, and that's from a player best on defense.

- Ron Howard

Valparaiso graduate Howard is again in the D-League, and again he's with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. This is his third consecutive season there, and he has improved every time. His first year, he averaged 11.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, rising to 18.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists last year. He has had training camp contracts after the conclusion of both seasons, first with the Bucks and then last year with the Knicks.

This year, Howard - best on the defensive end - has improved his numbers even further. He is averaging 20.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, shooting 46% from the field and 80% from the free throw line. Better still, he's now shooting threes. In his first two seasons with the team, Howard went 0-16 from three in 95 games and 3,073 minutes, but this year he's shooting 42-109 from out there, a 39% clip. Howard can't improve his age (27) or his height (6'5 small forward), and he hasn't improved his rebounding, but he has improved his jumpshot range. So now he's a 21ppg defensive specialist. Can't be bad.

Worse players than him have been called up before. Stick with it, Ron.

[EDIT; Howard left the Mad Ants two weeks ago to go and play in China.]