Big men are admittedly difficult to come by in the NBA D-League, which means anytime a team can potentially pluck one or two skillful ones out from the annual draft player pool, such options are worth exploring.
Perhaps with the odds in his favor, Jacob Holmen has signed a contract with the minor league and is eligible for selection, a source tells RidiculousUpside.com.
The 6'8" and 225 pounder was a four year player at North Texas before heading overseas to play in Australia last season. Whereas he served as more of a role player in college, Holmen used his opportunity abroad to prove he had really begun to flourish as a professional. Appearing in 29 contests for the Goldfields Giants, the young gun helped lead his group to the equivalent of the final four in the league, all the while averaging an impressive 24.3 points and a team-leading 10.7 rebounds. His 51% from the field ranked second on his team, as did Holmen's point average.
As he looks to potentially begin a stateside career closer to home where he can strut his stuff for NBA level executives on a nightly basis, Holmen is hopeful of kickstarting things in the D-League. Most recently, he participated in a tryout for the Rockets' affiliated Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
Holmen would probably be suited filling in at both forward positions, generally speaking, but in the smaller D-League, there's no question he'd be regarded as a stretch four --- perhaps even a backup five in certain situations.
This should make a player worth drafting and, at the very least, bringing to camp to put the pressure on a team's already present big men. It'd be interesting to see how his experience overseas would translate in the NBADL.