The 2003-04 NBDL season tips off on Friday, Nov. 21 with the Huntsville Flight hosting the Columbus Riverdragons, and many of the league's most talented stars are spending their offseason with NBA summer league squads. In fact, with 63 players and two former head coaches, the NBDL is well represented among the rookies and free agents vying for pro roster spots. Here's a look at five NBDL alumni drawing attention for their solid performances this summer.
The 2002-03 NBDL MVP and Rookie of the Year, 6-5 swingman Devin Brown led San Antonio to a perfect 6-0 record in the Reebok Pro Summer League, averaging a team-high 15.2 points per game and shooting .493 from the field. The Spurs have four free agent guards this summer -- including 34-year-old Steve Smith and 37-year-old Steve Kerr -- and may need Brown to provide some backcourt depth.
Playing for the L.A. Lakers at the Southern California Summer Pro League, 7-1 center Eric Chenowith, a native of the Los Angeles area, appeared in seven games, averaging 8.1 points on .475 shooting and 4.7 boards. Chenowith could fill a reserve hole for the Lakers, who currently have only one center on their roster -- Shaquille O'Neal.
Derek Hood • Dallas Mavericks
2002-03 NBDL Team: Mobile Revelers
Forward Derek Hood made an impact with Dallas in the Reebok Pro Summer League, topping the team with 6.3 boards per game and shooting effectively from the field (.500) and the free-throw stripe (.923). He also tied for the team lead with five blocked shots. Unfortunately, the Mavs' frontcourt is stacked -- particularly with rookie Josh Howard playing well -- hurting Hood's chances of making the team.
The NBDL scoring leader in 2002-03 (19.5 ppg), 6-6 Nate Johnson also starred for San Antonio in the Reebok Pro Summer League, ranking second only to Brown in scoring with 13.3 points per game and topping the Spurs with a .596 field-goal percentage (28-for-47 overall). Like Brown, Johnson could find his way onto the Spurs' roster depending upon how many free agents the team is able to re-sign.
Shooting guard Norm Richardson cracked the Milwaukee starting lineup in Boston, getting big minutes alongside Bucks regulars like Marcus Haislip and Dan Gadzuric. Richardson responded with solid contributions of 8.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game and active defense, tying for the team lead with nine steals. With the Bucks in rebuilding mode in 2003-04, Richardson could land a reserve role.
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