GALLERY: Damien Wilkins
October 16, 2015 – Charlotte Hornets General Manager Rich Cho announced today that the team has signed free agent guard/forward Damien Wilkins. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
A nine-year NBA veteran, the University of Georgia product has played in 563 games (149 starts) for the SuperSonics/Thunder, Timberwolves, Hawks, Pistons and 76ers, owning career averages of 6.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 19.3 minutes per game. For his career, Wilkins has shot .427 from the field (1331-3118) and .783 from the free throw line (708-904). Wilkins went undrafted in the 2004 Draft following two seasons at Georgia (2002-04), after transferring from North Carolina State (1999-01).
The Orlando native joins the Hornets most recently from Indios de Mayaguez of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional League in Puerto Rico where he averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 31.8 minutes per contest. Wilkins also spent part of the 2014-15 season with the NBA D-League’s Iowa Energy, logging a league-high 1,891 minutes, averaging 20.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.4 steals in 37.8 minutes per game, earning 2015 NBA D-League All-Star and 2015 All-NBA D-League Third Team honors.
In addition, the 6-6 Wilkins competed at the 2015 Pan American games in Toronto for the United States representative squad, averaging 13.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 25.2 minutes per game, garnering a bronze medal for the USA National Team.
Wilkins is the nephew of NBA legend Dominique Wilkins and the son of Gerald Wilkins, who enjoyed a 14-year NBA career with the Knicks, Cavaliers, Grizzlies and Magic. Damien Wilkins will wear number 21 as a member of the Hornets.
Hornets Sports & Entertainment owns the Charlotte Hornets and operates Charlotte’s Time Warner Cable Arena. The Charlotte Hornets are a member of the NBA’s Southeast Division. Owned by NBA Legend Michael Jordan, the Hornets organization strives to deliver a relentless attack on the court, an unmatched experience in the stands and a positive impact throughout the community. The name of the city’s original NBA team from 1988-2002, the Hornets moniker returned to Charlotte in May 2014, uniting the rich history of NBA basketball in the Carolinas. Time Warner Cable Arena is the premier destination for sports and entertainment in the Carolinas, hosting over 150 sporting events, concerts and family shows annually. For more information, please visit hornets.com or timewarnercablearena.com.
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For More Information Contact:Mike Cristaldi, 704-688-8866, mcristaldi@hornets.comBrian Travis, 704-688-8862, btravis@hornets.comDanny Franks, 704-688-8865, dfarnks@hornets.comJosh Rosen, 704-688-8863, jrosen@hornets.comDanny Franks, 704-688-8865, dfranks@hornets.com