January 4, 2012
The Toronto Raptors announced Wednesday they have assigned centre Solomon Alabi to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League. Alabi will continue to be included on the Raptors’ roster and will be placed on the team’s inactive list.
He appeared in 22 games during three stints with the NBA D-League’s Erie BayHawks last season, averaging 7.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 18.5 minutes.
Alabi’s lone appearance with the Raptors this season came January 1 at Orlando. He played in 12 games with Toronto last season, totaling six points and 14 rebounds in 59 minutes. The club acquired the draft rights to Alabi from the Dallas Mavericks on June 24, 2010. He was the 50th overall selection in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Alabi, a native of Nigeria, is the fifth Raptor to be assigned to the NBA D-League. Ed Davis was assigned to the Erie BayHawks for two games in December 2010. Nathan Jawai was designated on two occasions in the 2008-09 season to the Idaho Stampede. P.J. Tucker was assigned twice to the Colorado 14ers during the 2006-07 season and Pape Sow was assigned to the Arkansas Rimrockers in the 2005-06 campaign.
Bakersfield, led by head coach Will Voigt, has been appointed as Toronto’s NBA D-League affiliate for the 2011-12 season.