Will Brian Addison Break Into the NBA D-League This Season?

As reported here previously, nearly 100 basketball hopefuls took to Baruch College in New York City last month to strut their stuff during a tryout with the Erie BayHawks.

In addition to Erie head coach Gene Cross and his coaching staff, Knicks General Manager and the team's Director of Scouting, Kristian Petesic, were also present in hopes of plucking a potential diamond in the rough (or two or three) from the bunch.

As the day continued, the large group was narrowed down to twenty participants. Among those left still standing was Brian Addison, a local product out of Buffalo University.

Listed at 6'10" and 235 pounds, Addison impressed by displaying a skill set that one won't normally find in a big man. The 26 year old can handle the ball, run the floor well, and perhaps most importantly, is able to knock down jumpers from mid-range. The finesse Addison has for a player his size is pretty impressive. A vocal player on the court, Addison is also quick enough to keep up with his opponents defensively, pestering them with ball pressure up the court.

Addison looked as though he had a leg up on the rest of the competition at the BayHawks' recent workout, and his selection into the top twenty players from the day only support that assertion. He was a top performer from the group present. There's no denying it. Having said that, it'd be all the more interesting to see how the big man would compete and stand up against some tougher and/or more worthy competition as well.

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That's not to say he lacks experience against such opponents, however. A veteran of international play, Addison's career has already taken him to places like Portugal, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. What's more, the 26 year old is very active around the New York City competition circuit. A frequent participant in the Nike Pro City league during his summers back home, Addison has continued to muscle up against NBA level players through recent years.

With all this experience and an intriguing skill set, it's anyone's guess as to why Addison hasn't broken into the NBA D-League. Whereas players with time overseas under their belts like Addison may not be ready for The Association just yet, hitting the NBADL hardwood is undoubtedly the first step in getting in front of big league executives and beginning to prove he belongs.

At the very least, perhaps Addison deserves the chance to do just that. It'll be interesting to see if his name turns up later this fall in the D-League Draft pool.