Orlando, FL -- The Orlando Magic have signed four free agents: guard Keith Appling, center Nnanna Egwu (NEH-nah EGG-woo), guard Jordan Sibert (SIGH-bert) and center Greg Stiemsma (STEAM-smuh), General Manager Rob Hennigan announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deals are not disclosed. Orlando’s roster stands at 19 players (see below), as training camp opens on Saturday, Sep. 26.
Appling (#15, 6’1”, 185, 2/13/92) appeared in 38 games last season with both the Los Angeles D-Fenders and Erie BayHawks of the NBA Development League, averaging 10.5 ppg., 3.9 apg. and 2.7 rpg. in 24.4 minpg. He recently played with the Orlando Magic “White” team during the 2015 Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League, averaging a team-high 15.6 ppg., 3.0 apg., 1.2 rpg. and 3.00 stlpg. in 26.2 minpg.
Appling, who was not drafted by an NBA franchise in 2014, played in 142 games (123 starts) during four seasons at Michigan State University from 2010-14, averaging 10.6 ppg., 3.3 apg., 3.0 rpg. and 1.06 stlpg. in 29.8 minpg. He finished his collegiate career tied for third on the Spartans’ all-time list in games started, fourth in games played, seventh in free throws made (389), eighth in three-point field goals attempted (413) and steals (151), ninth in assists (465), tenth in free throws attempted (520) and 18th in points scored (1,509). Appling was named Second Team All-Big Ten as a junior (2012-13) by the league’s coaches and named Third Team All-Big Ten as a sophomore (2011-12). He helped Michigan State reach the Sweet Sixteen three times during the NCAA Tournament (2012-14) and the Elite Eight in 2014.
Egwu (#21, 6’11”, 250, 10/22/92) played and started in 36 games last season at The University of Illinois, averaging 6.5 ppg., 5.9 rpg. and 1.79 blkpg. in 29.8 minpg. He recently played with the Orlando Magic “White” team during the 2015 Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League, averaging 3.2 ppg., 4.0 rpg. and 1.40 blkpg. in 20.0 minpg.
Egwu, who was not drafted by an NBA franchise in 2015, played in 136 games (106 starts) during four seasons at The University of Illinois from 2011-15, averaging 5.5 ppg., 4.6 rpg. and 1.48 blkpg. in 23.9 minpg. He finished his career as the Illini’s all-time leader in blocked shots with 201.
Sibert (#18, 6’4”, 187, 8/1/92) played in 36 games (35 starts) last season at The University of Dayton, averaging 16.1 ppg., 3.3 rpg., 2.0 apg. and 1.73 stlpg. in 33.8 minpg. He recently played with the Orlando Magic “Blue” team during the 2015 Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League, averaging 11.3 ppg., 3.0 rpg., 1.7 apg. and 1.00 stlpg. in 20.3 minpg.
Sibert, who was not drafted by an NBA franchise in 2015, played in 73 games (70 starts) during two seasons at The University of Dayton from 2013-15, averaging 14.1 ppg., 2.8 rpg., 1.7 apg. and 1.26 stlpg. in 29.8 minpg., while shooting .384 (163-424) from three-point range. He was named First Team All-Atlantic 10 in 2014-15 and is one of just two transfers to score 1,000 points in a two-year career at Dayton. Sibert also appeared in 49 games during two seasons at Ohio State University from 2010-12, averaging 2.5 ppg. in 9.8 minpg.
Stiemsma (#34, 6’11”, 237, 9/26/85) played in 17 games last season with Toronto, averaging 0.8 ppg. in 3.5 minpg. He also played in one playoff outing with the Raptors, scoring five points in two minutes.
Stiemsma, who was not drafted by an NBA franchise in 2011, has appeared in 203 games (42 starts) career NBA regular season games with Boston, Minnesota, New Orleans and Toronto, averaging 3.2 ppg., 3.3 rpg. and 1.14 blkpg. in 15.0 minpg., while shooting .509 (269-529) from the floor. He played in 95 career games during four seasons at the University of Wisconsin from 2004-08 and left school ranked seventh on the Badgers’ all-time blocked shots list with 96.