NBDL Team Becomes "Syracuse West"
1/10/2009 11:55:11 AM | Men's Basketball
The Reno Bighorns of the National Basketball Development League have taken on a definite Syracuse flavor. The Bighorns opened the 2008-09 campaign with former Orange standout Damone Brown on its roster. On Friday, the Bighorns announced the acquisition of Syracuse great Gerry McNamara and the Sacrmento Kings assigned Donte Greene, a member of last year's SU squad, to Reno. Both newcomers are expected to be available for tonight's game against the Bakersfield Jam.
Brown has started 15 games for Reno this winter. He has averaged 16.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game for the Bighorns. He scored 1,230 points in a collegiate career that spanned from 1997-2001 at Syracuse. He was drafted in the second round of the 2001 NBA draft by Philadelphia. Brown has NBA experience with the 76ers, Toronto Raptors, New Jersey Nets, and most recently with the 2004-05 Washington Wizards. In the past two years he had stints with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBDL.
McNamara, who accumulated 2,099 points at Syracuse and is the program's career leader in three-point baskets, went to training camp in the fall with the Utah Jazz. He was the last player cut by the Jazz. McNamara spent last year playing overseas and two years ago averaged 11.0 points and 5.2 assists for the Bakersfield Jazz. McNamara was a member of Syracuse's 2002-03 NCAA championship squad.
Greene was a first-round draft pick of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2008. Prior to training camp, he was traded twice -- first to Houston and then to the Sacramento Kings. He logged 24 games with the Kings, including four as a starter, and averaged 4.5 points and 1.8 rebounds before his assignment to the NBDL.
