Deacons in the NBA
12/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
By Scott Wortman, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@TieDyeNation)
Deacons in the NBA Photo Gallery 
Al-Farouq Aminu - Dallas Mavericks
The fifth-year forward Aminu has played in 26 games with two starts in his first season with the Mavericks. Aminu is averaging 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 16.1 minutes per game while shooting 44 percent from the floor. Dallas is 19-8 on the year and sixth in the rugged Western Conference but just 3.5 games back of Golden State for the top playoff spot.
Mavs Moneyball - Aminu's defense essential for offensive-minded Mavericks
Mavs Moneyball - Aminu: the best minimum contract player in the NBA?
Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs
The ageless Duncan is once again thriving in now his 18th season in the NBA. Duncan is averaging 15.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 31.6 minutes per games--averages that are consistent with last year's production out of Duncan. San Antonio is 17-9 on the year and seventh in the tough Western Conference. The Spurs are just five games back of the Warriors for the top spot as they look to defend their 2014 NBA title.
NBA.com - Duncan donates $247,000 to fund ground-breaking Cancer Genome Research Project
James Johnson - Toronto Raptors
Now in his sixth year in the NBA, Johnson has helped Toronto to the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Johnson signed a two-year contract with the Raptors in the offseason, returning to the team he played two seasons for from 2011-12. Johnson has played in 23 games off the bench, averaging 7.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 19.7 minutes per game while shooting 57 percent from the field. Toronto leads the Eastern Conference with a 20-6 record, a game ahead of the Washington Wizards.
Raptors Republic - Johnson Is Making The Most Of His Second Chance With The Toronto Raptors
Chris Paul - Los Angeles Clippers
Paul is putting together another All-Star caliber season for the Clippers. Now in his 10th season in the NBA, Paul is averaging 17.5 points, 9.7 assists and 1.9 steals in 34.5 minutes per game while shooting over 50 percent from the floor. Paul ranks fourth in the NBA in assists and eighth in steals. The Clippers are fifth in the Western Conference at 18-7 on the year, just 3.5 games back of the Warriors for the top spot.
FoxSports.com - Paul, comedian Kevin Hart put the fun in giving back
Ishmael Smith - Oklahoma City Thunder
Smith signed with Oklahoma City on Nov. 7 as the Thunder were dealing with a glut of injuries on their roster. OKC used the NBA's hardship exception to add Smith, as it put them over the roster limit, but the Thunder liked what they saw from the fifth-year point guard and kept him when the exception expired later that month. Smith has played in 13 games off the bench, averaging 1.5 points and 1.1 rebounds in 4.3 minutes per game. Since going undrafted out of Wake Forest in 2010, Smith has carved out a niche in the NBA by playing with eight different teams over five seasons. Oklahoma City is 12-13 on the year, having lost both of its top players--Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook--to injuries for extended periods of time. The Thunder are healthy now and looking to move up in the Western Confernce.
ESPN.com - Thunder release Sebastian Telfair, keep Smith
Jeff Teague - Atlanta Hawks
Teague is enjoying an All-Star caliber season as the sixth-year guard has led Atlanta to one of the top records in the Eastern Conference. Teague is averaging 16.8 points, 7.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 31.3 minutes per game. The former Deacon ranks ninth in the NBA in assists and 16th in steals. Teague is currently battling a hamstring injury and sat out Wednesday's win over the Cavaliers. The Hawks are 18-7 on the year and third in the Eastern Conference, just 1.5 games back of the top spot. Teague has never missed the playoffs in his NBA career and is on pace to make it sixth straight appearances in 2015.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Teague moving up in Hawks' record book
SB Nation - Teague is leading the Hawks' offense to new heights
ESPN.com Video - Teague Takes Flight
L.D. Williams - Grand Rapids Drive (NBDL)
Williams returned to the NBDL for his fourth season in the league since graduating from Wake Forest in 2010. Williams has played in nine games with seven starts for the Grand Rapids Drive, the NBDL affiliate of the Detroit Pistons. Williams is averaging 11.0 points and 2.6 rebounds in 26.6 minutes per game for the Drive. Grand Rapids is 5-5 on the year and a half-game back in the Central Division.
Deacons In Other Professional Leagues
Chris Ellis, Indonesia Warriors (Indonesia)
Justin Gray, Apollon (Cyprus)
C.J. Harris, Ratiopharm (Germany)
Jamaal Levy, Defensor (Uruguay)
Chas McFarland, Olympia (Uruguay)
Travis McKie, Brussels (Belgium)
Nikita Mescheriakov, Tsmoki-Minsk (Belarus)
Darius Songaila, Zalgiris (Lithuania)
Kyle Visser, Braunschweig (Germany)
Ty Walker, Akita NH (Japan)
David Weaver, MKS DG (Poland)
Coron Williams, Treviso (Itay)
Eric Williams, AV Cantu (Italy)
