After Tasting NBA Success, Morris Almond is Back In D-League Fighting For More

On Friday night Morris Almond, made his 2012-13 D-League debut with the Iowa Energy. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard scored 17 points (5-12 FG, 1-4 3PT, 6-6 FT), and pulled down 4 rebounds in 28 minutes.

The former first round draft pick spend some time with the Washington Wizards last year and put in a short stint overseas before returning to the Red Claws.

Almond was immediately traded to the Iowa Energy for the Red Claws' second round pick in the 2013 NBADL draft.

First and foremost, Almond is a scorer. He lit up the scoreboards last year, averaging 23.6 points. The guard's three-point shooting improved to 46 percent -- well above his previous efforts.

His rebounding production also increased, adding a second dimension to his game.

The 27-year-old Almond utilizes his pull up jumper to do the bulk of his scoring, but can shoot off the dribble as well. He has a decent first step and usually finishes well at the basket. That said, Almond does struggle to score off screens at times, which can limit his long range shooting.

Moving off the ball, he often slashes to the basket well and creates opportunities for himself and his teammates. When attacking the rim, he's not shy about drawing contact. He frequently makes trips to the charity stripe, where he shot near 80% last season.

Almond is intense on defense and has become active on the boards. However, his scoring ability has not translated well to the NBA during his previous adventures in The Association.

Adding some distribution to his arsenal would round out his impressive skill set and, as well as grant him an opportunity to contribute more offensively.

Almond is an exceptionally talented player who will make his presence known in the D-League. The big question will be whether or not he's added a non-scoring talent to his tool kit that will earn him another call-up to the NBA.

In any case, it will be fun to watch the answer to that question unfold.