2015 NBA D-League Draft: No. 1 Selection Jeff Ayres Among Four Former NBA Veterans Selected In Top Five Of Draft
The NBA D-League held its 15th annual draft on Saturday and several NBA veterans were among the 106 players selected in the eight round events, according to Brian Kotloff of NBA.com.
Jeff Ayres, Jimmer Fredette, Perry Jones III, Cartier Martin, Ronnie Brewer, and Rodney Carney are all former NBA players selected in the draft.
That's a wrap for the 2015 NBA #DLeagueDraft!
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— NBA G League (@nbagleague) October 31, 2015
The Idaho Stampede got the ball rolling by using the No. 1 overall pick on Ayres, a five-year NBA vet. The 6-foot-9, 28-year old power forward/center has appeared in 220 NBA games, including 51 games during the 2014-15 season for the San Antonio Spurs. He has posted career numbers 3.0 points and 2.8 rebounds while playing for the Spurs, Indiana Pacers, and Portland Trail Blazers.
Ayres is the ninth player selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the D-League draft that was also an NBA draft choice. Sportando reported that the former Sacramento Kings second round pick, along with former Boston Celtics forward Perry Jones III, signed with D-League on Friday, thus becoming eligible for the draft. Ayres, who had his early Bird rights renounced by the Spurs earlier this offseason, inked a one-year deal with the Shanxi of the Chinese Basketball Association back in early September, but was waived by the team on October 2, according to international journalist David Pick.
The Stampede, who are an affiliate of the Utah Jazz, earned the No. 1 overall pick by finishing with the worst record last year at 9-41.
The Westchester Knicks, who finished just one game better than the Stampede at 10-40, used the second overall pick on Jimmer Fredette. Fredette, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 draft, was released by the Spurs prior to the regular season. The 26-year old scored just four points in 26 minutes of action during the preseason.
Fredette, who is known for his shooting, has played for three franchises during his four-year career. He averaged 6.1 points while shooting 41.2 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from beyond the arc in 229 career games.
The Stampede, who are an affiliate of the Utah Jazz, earned the No. 1 overall pick by finishing with the worst record last year at 9-41.
Jones immediately followed Fredette as the Iowa Energy selected the 24-year old athletic small forward. Jones, who was selected by the Oklahoma City in the first round of the 2012 draft, was waived by the Boston Celtics after averaging 2.0 points and 1.6 rebounds in five preseason games.
Jones has appeared in 143 career NBA games in three seasons – all with the Thunder — averaging 3.4 points and 1.8 rebounds.
The Energy also had the No.4 overall pick and used it on seven-year vet Cartier Martin. Martin was waived by the Detroit Pistons during the preseason. The 30-year old averaged 1.6 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 23 games for the Pistons last year. He has appeared in 243 career games with Charlotte, Golden State, Washington, Atlanta, Chicago, and Detroit, producing career averages of 5.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 13.8 minutes.
The Oklahoma City Blue used the No. 13 overall pick on Rodney Carney, who has five years of NBA experience. The 2006 first round choice of the Chicago Bulls last played in the NBA with Memphis in 2010-2011. He also spent time with Philadelphia, Minnesota, and Golden State.
Other interesting selections include No. 5 overall pick Rysheed Jordan, No. 7 selection Sam Thompson, Cameroonian big man Jean Victor Nguidjol, and Philippine Basketball Association D-League standout Bobby Ray Parks Jr.
Jordan, who was drafted by the Delaware 87ers, and Nguidjol, who was the No. 14 overall pick by the Austin Spurs, will both be NBA draft eligible in 2016.
Jordan averaged 12 points, 3.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds a game as a sophomore at St. John’s last season while the 20-year old Nguidjol played for Lyceum of the Philippines University.
[Image via Christian Petersen/Getty Images]
