Yeah, I didn't post last week. Blame it on the combination of a hectic personal life, a busy work schedule and the fact that no one, outside Othyus Jeffers, was particularly impressive. Let's just have this penultimate RUpdate retroactively count games from March 28 through yesterday, shall we?
For the first half of this RUpdate, I want to look at how the former D-Leaguers are distributed, team wise.
Jeff Adrien (F, Golden State Warriors. Erie BayHawks/RGV Vipers)
Solomon Alabi (C, Toronto Raptors. Erie BayHawks)
Cole Aldrich (C, Oklahoma City Thunder. Tulsa 66ers)
Lou Amundson (F, Golden State Warriors. Colorado 14ers) - D-League Rookie of the Year/First Team
Chris Andersen (C, Denver Nuggets. Fayettville Patriots)
James Anderson (G/F, San Antonio Spurs. Austin Toros)
Joel Anthony (F/C, Miami Heat. Iowa Energy)
Luke Babbitt (F, Portland Trail Blazers. Idaho Stampede)
Jose Barea (G, Dallas Mavericks. Fort Worth Flyers)
Earl Barron (F/C, Milwaukee Bucks. Huntsville Flight/Florida Flame/LA D-Fenders/Iowa Energy)- NBA Champ
Rodrigue Beaubois (G, Dallas Mavericks. Texas Legends)
Avery Bradley (G, Boston Celtics. Maine Red Claws)
Craig Brackins (F, Philadelphia 76ers. Springfield Armor)
Will Bynum (G, Detroit Pistons. Roanoke Dazzle)
Derrick Caracter (F, Los Angeles Lakers. Bakersfield Jam)
Matt Carroll (G/F, Charlotte Bobcats. Roanoke Dazzle)- D-League MVP
Earl Clark (F, Orlando Magic. Iowa Energy)
Antonio Daniels (G, Philadelphia 76ers. Texas Legends)
Zabian Dowdell (G, Phoenix Suns. Tulsa 66ers)
Devin Ebanks (F, Los Angeles Lakers. Bakersfield Jam)
Christian Eyenga (G/F, Cleveland Cavaliers. Erie BayHawks)
Jeremy Evans (F, Utah Jazz. Utah Flash)
Patrick Ewing Jr. (F, New Orleans Hornets. Reno Bighorns/Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Jonny Flynn (G, Minnesota Timberwolves. Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Gary Forbes (G/F, Denver Nuggets. Sioux Falls Skyforce/Tulsa 66ers)
Sundiata Gaines (G, New Jersey Nets. Idaho Stampede)
Alonzo Gee (G/F, Cleveland Cavaliers. Austin Toros) D-League Rookie of the Year
Stephen Graham (G/F, New Jersey Nets. Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Hamed Haddadi (C, Memphis Grizzlies. Dakota Wizards)
Chuck Hayes (F/C, Houston Rockets. Albuquerque Thunderbirds)
Othyus Jeffers (G/F, Washington Wizards. Iowa Energy)
Pooh Jeter (G, Sacramento Kings. Colorado 14ers)
Chris Johnson (C, Portland Trail Blazers. Dakota Wizards)
James Johnson (F, Toronto Raptors. Iowa Energy)
Gani Lawal (F, Phoenix Suns. Iowa Energy)
Jeremy Lin (G, Golden State Warriors. Reno Bighorns)
Jamario Moon (F, Los Angeles Clippers. Mobile Revelers/Huntsville Flight/Fort Worth Flyers)- NBA Rookie 2nd
Byron Mullens (C, Oklahoma City Thunder. Tulsa 66ers)
Hamady N'Diaye (C, Washington Wizards. Dakota Wizards)
Steve Novak (F, San Antonio Spurs. Austin Toros)
Larry Owens (G/F, Washington Wizards. Tulsa 66ers)
Patrick Patterson (F, Houston Rockets. Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
Josh Powell (F, Atlanta Hawks. Fort Worth Flyers)- 2 time NBA Champion
Samardo Samuels (F/C, Cleveland Cavaliers. Erie BayHawks)
Mustafa Shakur (G, Washington Wizards. Tulsa 66ers/RGV Vipers)
Garret Siler (C, Phoenix Suns. Iowa Energy)
Ishmael Smith (G, Memphis Grizzlies. Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
Pape Sy (G, Atlanta Hawks. Utah Flash)
Jermaine Taylor (G, Sacramento Kings. Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
Hasheem Thabeet (C, Houston Rockets. RGV Vipers/Dakota Wizards)
Garrett Temple (G, Charlotte Bobcats. RGV Vipers/Erie BayHawks)
Anthony Tolliver (F, Minnesota Timberwolves. Iowa Energy/Austin Toros/Idaho Stampede)
Ben Uzoh (G, New Jersey Nets. Springfield Armor)
Robert Vaden (G, Oklahoma City Thunder. Tulsa 66ers)
Willie Warren (G, Los Angeles Clippers. Bakersfield Jam)
C.J. Watson (G, Chicago Bulls. Rio Grande Valley Vipers)
Hassan Whiteside (C, Sacramento Kings. Reno Bighorns)
Kyle Weaver (G, Utah Jazz. Iowa Energy/Austin Toros)
Mario West (G, New Jersey Nets. Maine Red Claws)
Reggie Williams (G/F, Golden State Warriors. Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Terrence Williams (G/F, Houston Rockets. Springfield Armor)
This list is every player currently on an NBA roster who was undrafted or has had D-League experience in the past two seasons. To save you the effort of counting them yourselves, here's the breakdown.
New Jersey Nets:4 (Sundiata Gaines, Stephen Graham, Ben Uzoh, Mario West.)
Houston Rockets:4 (Chuck Hayes, Patrick Patterson, Hasheem Thabeet, Terrence Williams)
Golden State Warriors:4 (Jeff Adrien, Lou Amundson, Jeremy Lin, Reggie Williams.)
Washington Wizards: 4 (Othyus Jeffers, Hamady N'Diaye, Larry Owens, Mustafa Shakur)
Cleveland Cavaliers:3 (Christian Eyenga, Alonzo Gee, Samardo Samuels)
Sacramento Kings:3 (Pooh Jeter, Jermaine Taylor, Hassan Whiteside)
Toronto Raptors: 3 (Solomon Alabi, Ed Davis, James Johnson)
Phoenix Suns:3 (Zabian Dowdell, Gani Lawal, Garret Siler)
Oklahoma City Thunder: 3 (Cole Aldrich, Byron Mullens, Robert Vaden)
Philadelphia 76ers: 2 (Craig Brackins, Antonio Daniels)
Portland Trail Blazers: 2 (Luke Babbitt, Chris Johnson)
Charlotte Bobcats: 2 (Matt Carroll, Garrett Temple)
Los Angeles Clippers: 2 (Jamario Moon, Willie Warren)
Memphis Grizzlies: 2 (Hamed Haddadi, Ish Smith)
Atlanta Hawks:2 (Josh Powell, Pape Sy)
Utah Jazz: 2 (Jeremy Evans, Kyle Weaver)
Los Angeles Lakers: 2 (Derrick Caracter, Devin Ebanks)
Dallas Mavericks: 2 (Jose Barea, Rodrigue Beaubois)
Denver Nuggets: 1 (Chris Andersen, Gary Forbes)
San Antonio Spurs: 2 (Danny Green, Steve Novak)
Minnesota Timberwolves: 2 (Jonny Flynn, Anthony Tolliver)
Milwaukee Bucks: 1 (Earl Barron)
Chicago Bulls: 1 (C.J. Watson)
Boston Celtics: 1 (Avery Bradley)
Miami Heat: 1 (Joel Anthony)
New Orleans Hornets: 1 (Patrick Ewing Jr)
Orlando Magic: 1 (Earl Clark)
Detroit Pistons: 1 (Will Bynum)
Looking at this, one thing becomes readily apparent. A lot of bad teams have a lot a D-League players. This is not unforeseen, nor is it surprisingly. Bad teams will go to the minors with much more frequency. Of interest if the amount of D-Leaguers the Rockets and Thunder have. These two teams, un-coincidentally, are direct affiliates to their D-League teams. Once again, I maintain that the best way to improve the D-League is for every team to have one affiliate.
Former D-League Player of the Week(s): Alonzo Gee, Cleveland Cavaliers
Since March 27, Gee has played in eight games, averaging 10.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and hitting 33 of his 55 shots from the field at a crisp 60%. In the last seven of these games, he's scored in double figures. Alonzo Gee can score the basketball.
Runner-Up: Othyus Jeffers, Washington Wizards
Since his call-up, King Othyus has shown why he is considered one of the strongest and best defensive players in the D-League. 8 games, 8.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 25 minutes per game. Keep Othyus indeed.
Honorable Mention: Anthony Tolliver, Minnesota Timberwolves.
Last time, I had to make a difficult decision, eventually picking Gary Forbes over Tolliver. This time, I've decided to add a third candidate to avoid future complications. Tolliver has played his best ball of the season in the past month. Six games, 10.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 7-14 3 (50%).