Marcus Williams Ron Hoskins/Getty Images/NBAE

NEW YORK, April 8, 2009 – The San Antonio Spurs signed forward Marcus Williams of the Austin Toros today making him the 20th GATORADE Call-Up of the 2008-09 NBA Development League season. Williams joins 75 other NBA players with NBA D-League experience.

Williams, a 6-7 forward, has played in 45 games, all starts, for the Toros this season, averaging 23.0 points, good for second-best in the NBA D-League, to go with 7.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.7 steals. He has scored in double figures 44 times, including a 29-point, 14-rebound, 13-assist triple-double in Austin’s 129-112 win over the Iowa Energy on April 4, 2009.

Recently named to the All-NBA D-League First Team, Williams earned NBA D-League Performer of the Week honors for the week of March 30 after averaging a triple-double with 27.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 11.5 assists in three games.

A 2009 NBA D-League All-Star, Williams was originally selected by the Spurs in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft and appeared in seven preseason games before being waived on Oct. 27, 2007. Williams earned two GATORADE Call-Ups from the Toros last season, first to the Spurs on Dec. 26, 2007 and then to the L.A. Clippers on March 23, 2008. In 11 career NBA games, Williams has scored 10 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Before making himself available for the 2007 Draft, Williams played two years at the University of Arizona. During his freshman year, Williams was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman team after averaging 13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 33 games. As a sophomore, he earned First Team All-Pac-10 honors after averaging 16.6 points and 6.7 rebounds.

Williams will join the Spurs today and is expected to be available tonight when the team hosts the Portland Trail Blazers.