Deacons in the NBA
12/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 17, 2010
By Currie McFayden, WakeForestSports.com
Here is a player-by-player look at how the former Demon Deacons have performed in the first quarter of the NBA season.
SF Al-Farouq Aminu, Los Angeles Clippers
Aminu continues to be one of the best young talents in the NBA. He currently leads all rookies in 3-point shooting (47.2 percent), and he ranks sixth among all league players in the category. He has made 14 starts in 26 games but has seen his minutes dip during the month of December. Despite the limited time on the court, the rookie has made the best of his opportunities. On Dec. 8 against the Lakers, he notched just three points, but also had seven rebounds and five assists. While his scoring has been limited as of late, Aminu is developing into an even stronger all-around player as his game becomes more physical. The Clippers (5-21) have had a rough start to the season, but with young talent like Aminu and Blake Griffin the team has great potential for the remainder of the season and years to come.
PF/C Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio's fantastic start (21-3) has been in large part due to Duncan's terrific play so far this season. His stats may not be as good as they were earlier in his career, but the center is playing just as hard now as he did at his statistical peak in the early 2000s. He is averaging just under a double-double, with 13.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. The big man is also in the top 15 in the league in both blocks (2.0, 8th) and rebounds (9.3, 13th) per game. He has nine double-doubles and one triple-double in 25 games, with three of those double-doubles during the Spurs' current seven-game winning streak. San Antonio continues to hold the league's best record at 22-3.
SF/SG Josh Howard, Washington Wizards
Howard's recovery from reconstructive knee surgery has taken a bit longer than expected, but the seven-year pro went through his first full practice since the surgery on Dec. 14. He is rumored to be targeting Dec. 20 (vs. Charlotte) or Dec. 22 (vs. Chicago) as his first game back on the court. Washington is currently 6-17, but Howard's return should give the team a much-needed boost.
F James Johnson, Chicago Bulls
Johnson has played in just three games since the beginning of December, sitting as a "coach's decision." His most extensive action of the month came on Dec. 1 against Orlando when the second-year forward had six points, two assists and two blocks in 15 minutes off the bench. The Bulls (16-8) have broken out since the delayed debut of free-agent acquisition Carlos Boozer and are riding a seven-game winning streak.
PG Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
"CP3" continues to impress with his high-level play this season. He has played 30 or more minutes in 23 of New Orleans's 25 games and has scored in double figures in 22 of them. He has slipped to third in the league in assists per game (9.9) behind Rajon Rondo and Steve Nash, but has maintained his lead in the steals per game (2.96) and total steals (74) categories. Renowned for his free-throw shooting all the way back to his college days, Paul ranks second in the league (91.1 percent) in that category, trailing only Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant. Most important, the point guard leads the league in assists-to-turnover ratio, averaging 4.05 assists for every one turnover that he commits. There is no doubt that Paul continues to be one of the best true point guards in the entire NBA, and he has led New Orleans to a 15-10 record to begin the season.
PG Ishmael Smith, Houston Rockets
The undrafted Smith has been one of the biggest surprise rookies in the NBA this season. After a brief spell as the team's starting point guard, "Ish" has moved back to a bench role with the return of Kyle Lowry. Despite Lowry's return, Smith has still saw consistent action as a reserve. He is averaging over two assists in just under 14 minutes per game. In the Dec. 14 matchup against Sacramento, Smith had his most playing time in a game (20 minutes) since Nov. 17, and he finished with six points, six assists and three rebounds. The Rockets, winners of five of their last eight games, have a 10-15 record on the year.
PF/C Darius Songaila, Philadelphia 76ers
The Lithuanian still has not seen any action since Nov. 17 and has been a healthy scratch for each game since then. Philadelphia has won five of their last six games and holds a 10-15 record overall. Songaila has played in four games total this season, his first with the 76ers.
PG Jeff Teague, Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks' backup point guard came close to his first double-double of the season on Dec. 11 against Indiana, scoring seven points and adding eight rebounds in 19 minutes of action. Because of starter Mike Bibby's lights-out play so far this year, Teague has seen more than 20 minutes of playing time in a game just once but has shown that he would be ready to take over the starting spot if necessary. Teague starred for the Hawks in their Dec. 16 loss at Boston. He scored 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting in 25 minutes off the bench.
C Chas McFarland, Springfield Armor (NBDL)
After beginning his pro career in Brazil this fall, McFarland was signed by the Armor on Dec. 8, joining former teammate L.D. Williams. He had limited playing time (four minutes) in his first game on Dec. 10, but on Dec. 11 he tallied four points and four rebounds in 12 minutes of action.
G L.D. Williams, Springfield Armor (NBDL)
Williams has played in all nine of Springfield's games this season, with seven starts. He is averaging 9.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game in just over 34 minutes of playing time. The Armor are 3-6 and have lost their last four games, a surprising start for the team considering the wealth of talent that they possess with players like Scottie Reynolds and JamesOn Curry alongside Williams.
Deacons Playing in Other Professional Leagues
Randolph Childress - San Severo (Italy)
Taron Downey - Nantes (France)
Justin Gray - PAOK (Greece)
Jamaal Levy - Lanus (Argentina)
Tony Rutland - Morrow Disciples (UBA)
Cameron Stanley - Halifax Rainmen (Canada)
Trent Strickland - Antwerp (Belgium)
Kyle Visser - NY Phantoms (Germany)
David Weaver - Ilysiakos Athens (Greece)
Eric Williams - Pepsi Caserta (Italy)
