MIAMI, December 10 The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed forward Derrick Byars. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Byars appeared in one regular season game this season with Cholet Basket of the France ProA League tallying nine points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal in 17 minutes of action while shooting 4-of-9 from the field, including 1-of-3 from three-point range. Additionally, he appeared in one EuroCup game with Cholet Basket posting two points, a rebound and steal in 18 minutes while shooting 2-of-3 from the foul line.
A first round (5th overall) selection of the Bakersfield Jam in the 2008 NBA Development League Draft, Byars has appeared in 79 NBA D-League games (65 starts) and averaged 17.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.02 steals and 36.3 minutes while shooting 46.7 percent from the field, 39.1 percent from three-point range and 73.3 percent from the foul line. He was selected to the 2009 NBA D-League All-Star Game and named to the 2009 All D-League Second Team.
The original second round (42nd overall) draft pick by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2007 NBA Draft has spent time with Chorale Roanne Basket and Cholet Basket of the France ProA League, the Koln 99ers and ALBA Berlin of the German Bundesliga Basketball League and Panellinios Athens of the Greece A1 League. The former Vanderbilt Commodore appeared in 126 collegiate games (98 starts) and averaged 11.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 26.3 minutes while shooting 46.3 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from three-point range and 69.7 percent from the foul line. As a senior, he was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and was a unanimous All-SEC First Team selection by the leagues coaches.
The Miami HEAT is proud to have ASSIST-CARD as the Presenting Sponsor for the 2011-12 season.