Malik Hairston Chris Covatta/NBAE/Getty Images

NEW YORK, Dec. 26, 2008 – San Antonio Spurs forward Malik Hairston was today assigned to the Austin Toros, the Spurs NBA D-League affiliate, it was announced today. Hairston is the 13th player to be assigned from an NBA team to the NBA D-League this season.

Originally selected in the second round (48th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, Hairston was traded to San Antonio where he spent 2008 training camp. In six preseason games with the Spurs, Hairston averaged 5.3 points and 4.5 assists. Hairston was waived by the Spurs on Oct. 26 before spending 11 games with the Toros and earning a GATORADE Call-Up to San Antonio on Dec. 22, and has not seen regular season action with Spurs this season.

Hairston started in 11 Toros games this season and where he averaged 19.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals. He twice scored a career-high 33 points, originally on Nov. 29 and again on Dec. 18 and was named NBA D-League Performer of the Week for games played during the week of Dec. 15.

A four year starter at Oregon, Hairston finished his NCAA career averaging 14.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists, while earning Honorable Mention All-Pac-10 during his sophomore and senior seasons.

Hairston is expected to join the Toros tonight when the team hosts the Tulsa 66ers at the Austin Convention Center. Tip off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET.

The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA’s official minor league and features 16 teams with direct affiliations to NBA teams. The league has produced 15 percent of the players on 2007-08 end-of-season NBA rosters and continues to develop current NBA coaches and referees. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote youth basketball, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. The NBA D-League also advances the game of basketball as the research and development arm of the NBA. Throughout this season fans can watch all NBA D-League games on NBA Futurecast, the free live Web-streaming initiative found at nba.com/futurecast.