On Thursday, the D-League named four replacements for the players needing to bow out of the 2015 (minor league) All-Star Game, due to recent subsequent NBA call-ups, injuries, and/or personal reasons. Those selected to step in and fill the voids are as follows:
On the Western Conference Prospects roster, Vander Blue (Los Angeles) will replace Jordan Hamilton (Reno), Roscoe Smith (Los Angeles) replaces James Michael McAdoo (Golden State/Santa Cruz) and Talib Zanna (Oklahoma City) replaces JaMychal Green (Memphis/Austin). Diante Garrett (Iowa) replaces Lorenzo Brown (Minnesota/Grand Rapids) on the Eastern Conference Futures roster.
Brown, Green and McAdoo are ineligible to play in the game by way of their status with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors, respectively. Hamilton will miss the contest due to personal reasons.
The full rosters now look like this:
WESTERN CONFERENCE PROSPECTS ALL-STAR ROSTER
Pos. Player (Team)
C Jerrelle Benimon (Idaho)
G Vander Blue (Los Angeles) 6-5 200 Marquette 7/17/92
G Jabari Brown (Los Angeles) 6-5 215 Missouri 12/18/92
G Bryce Cotton (Austin)
G Semaj Christon (Oklahoma City) 6-3 190 Xavier 11/1/92
F Eric Griffin (Texas)
F Quincy Miller (Reno)
F Roscoe Smith (Los Angeles) 6-9 202 UNLV 5/1/91
G Elliot Williams (Santa Cruz) 6-5 183 Memphis 6/20/89
F Talib Zanna (Oklahoma City) 6-9 230 Pittsburgh 10/1/90
Head Coach: Nate Bjorkgren (Bakersfield)
Assistant Coaches: Dylan DeBusk (Bakersfield), Tim Lewis (Bakersfield), Tyler Marsh (Bakersfield)
Athletic Trainers: Shaun Mirza (Bakersfield), Jonathan Mak (Bakersfield)
EASTERN CONFERENCE FUTURES ALL-STAR ROSTER
Pos. Player (Team)
F Chris Babb (Maine)
F Khem Birch (Sioux Falls)
G Diante Garrett (Iowa)
G Seth Curry (Erie)
G Andre Emmett (Fort Wayne) 6-5 224 Texas Tech 8/27/82
G Tim Frazier (Maine)
C Arinze Onuaku (Canton)
C Willie Reed (Grand Rapids) 6-9 220 Saint Louis 5/16/90
F Adonis Thomas (Grand Rapids) 6-6 231 Memphis 3/25/93
F Damien Wilkins (Iowa)
Head Coach: Scott Morrison (Maine)
Assistant Coaches: Seth Cooper (Maine), Nate Mitchell (Maine)
Athletic Trainer: Ryan Donovan (Maine)
Were the replacements on point? Were there still any omissions --- did any other talented minor leaguers get left out? Here's what some of our friends had to say:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Hearing all the replacements, who was snubbed from D-League all star game? <a href="https://twitter.com/GinoPilato">@GinoPilato</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert">@Chris_Reichert</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithBSchlosser">@KeithBSchlosser</a></p>— Sea Dubs Central (@SeaDubsCentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeaDubsCentral/status/565949816924930048">February 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/SeaDubsCentral">@SeaDubsCentral</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GinoPilato">@GinoPilato</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithBSchlosser">@KeithBSchlosser</a> mine would be Damion James and DJ Seeley...</p>— Chris Reichert (@Chris_Reichert) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert/status/565950811369254913">February 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/SeaDubsCentral">@SeaDubsCentral</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert">@Chris_Reichert</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithBSchlosser">@KeithBSchlosser</a> case can be made for D.J. Seeley.</p>— Gino Pilato (@GinoPilato) <a href="https://twitter.com/GinoPilato/status/565951000364990464">February 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/SeaDubsCentral">@SeaDubsCentral</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert">@Chris_Reichert</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithBSchlosser">@KeithBSchlosser</a> Kalin Lucas had he not fought a teammate.</p>— Gino Pilato (@GinoPilato) <a href="https://twitter.com/GinoPilato/status/565951546039357441">February 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/GinoPilato">@GinoPilato</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SeaDubsCentral">@SeaDubsCentral</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithBSchlosser">@KeithBSchlosser</a> I agree. Love that Zanna got recognized.</p>— Chris Reichert (@Chris_Reichert) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert/status/565954241663995904">February 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert">@Chris_Reichert</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GinoPilato">@GinoPilato</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SeaDubsCentral">@SeaDubsCentral</a> I think the Mad Ants deserved two all-stars...would've given Talton recognition by default.</p>— Keith Schlosser (@KeithBSchlosser) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithBSchlosser/status/565956129281560576">February 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert">@Chris_Reichert</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GinoPilato">@GinoPilato</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SeaDubsCentral">@SeaDubsCentral</a> Other than that, I'd agree with Gino re: Lucas.</p>— Keith Schlosser (@KeithBSchlosser) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithBSchlosser/status/565956288728027136">February 12, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/KeithBSchlosser">@KeithBSchlosser</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GinoPilato">@GinoPilato</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Reichert">@Chris_Reichert</a> Nope, Vander Blue was the big one for me. Talib Zanna is getting some love too.</p>— Sea Dubs Central (@SeaDubsCentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeaDubsCentral/status/566127284063436801">February 13, 2015</a></blockquote>
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