| ARIZONA LEADING SCORERS IN NBA Per season since 1993-94 [table “” not found /] |
 Gilbert Arenas was the UA’s most prolific scorer in the NBA in six different seasons before playing in China this season Where have you gone Arizona scorers in the NBA? Gilbert Arenas played in China this season. Richard Jefferson is at the end of Golden State’s bench, nearing the end of his career. Jason Terry is 35. The leading scorer among former Wildcats in the NBA this season was Denver’s Andre Iguodala, whose 13.0 average is the lowest mark since Sean Elliott averaged 12.1 points a game in his turbulent season with Detroit in 1993-94. Scoring among former Wildcats in the NBA has declined over the last four years since Arenas averaged 22.6 points for Washington in 2009-10. Terry averaged 15.9 points for Dallas in 2010-11 and 15.1 for the Mavericks last season before signing with Boston this season. Terry’s 10.1 points a game this season is his lowest average since his rookie season with Atlanta in 1999-2000, when he averaged 8.1 points a game. Will a former UA player rank as high as third again in the NBA in scoring, such as Arenas accomplished in 2006-07 when he averaged 28.4 points for Washington? |
Minnesota’s Derrick Williams has the greatest potential to be a highly productive scorer in the NBA among former Wildcats
Perhaps not that high, but second-year pro Derrick Williams of Minnesota has potential to increase his scoring average over the next few years. He averaged 11.9 points this season after scoring 8.8 points a game as a rookie.
Jerryd Bayless shows flashes of being a productive scorer, but his average of 8.7 points a game this season with Memphis was less than his 11.4 average last season with Toronto.
Iguodala, in his first season with Denver after eight years in Philadelphia, averaged a career-best 19.9 points a game for the 76ers in 2007-08. His averages since: 18.9 in 2008-09, 17.1 in 2009-10, 14.1 in 2010-11, 12.4 in 2011-12 and 13.0 this season.
To his credit, Iguodala is more than only a scorer. He is an NBA all-defensive player and was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. In six of his nine seasons in the NBA, Iguodala has averaged at least five rebounds and five assists per game.
Chase Budinger of Minnesota and Jordan Hill of the L.A. Lakers were featured players in Arizona’s lineup, but they likely will not become go-to scorers in the NBA. Their short careers have been riddled by injuries. They can become solid contributors and enjoy long NBA careers, but they will be hard-pressed to become a team’s leading scorer.
A positive way to look at the decreased scoring trend: At least Arizona players continue to be drafted. The Wildcats had only one player (Pete Williams) drafted by the NBA between 1980 and 1987 before Lute Olson’s program took shape. Thirty-one players have been selected from 1988 to 2012, almost one per season. With the way Sean Miller is recruiting that number is bound hold steady.
Some quick notes:
Kyle Fogg will begin play in the NBA Developmental League Finals tonight
— Former UA guard Kyle Fogg will play in the NBA Developmental League Finals with the Rio Grande (Texas) Valley Vipers starting tonight against the Santa Cruz (Calif.) Warriors. CBS Sports Network resumes coverage of the 2013 NBA D-League postseason when it broadcasts the first game live from Santa Cruz. CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable and satellite providers. It’s on DirecTV Channel 613 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, and to access the CBS Sports Network channel finder, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.
Fogg had 11 points, three assists and two steals in Rio Grande’s 113-106 victory over Tulsa on Sunday as the Valley Vipers clinched a spot in the finals.
— Former UA guard Daniel Dillon is also in a playoff series in Romania. He is with CSM Oradea, which begins play today against Ploiesti in the semifinals of the Romanian National League. Dillon is averaging 11 points and five rebounds.
— Two former Wildcats — Ivan Radenovic and Kyryl Natyazhko — recently competed against each other in the Ukrainian playoffs. Natyazhko’s Azovmash team defeated Radenovic’s BC Donetsk team 3-2 in the best-of-five quarterfinal series in the Ukrainian Super League. Azovmash begins play in the semifinals against Ferro-ZNTU on Saturday.
Natyazhko, who started in Game 5 against BC Donetsk, averages 4.8 points and 2.8 rebounds a game. Radenovic averaged 8.6 points and 4.3 rebounds for BC Donetsk in the Super League.
Radenovic resumes play with BC Donetsk in the VTB United League playoffs on May 2. The VTB United League features 20 teams from Russia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Belarus and Kazakhstan.
ARIZONA PLAYERS IN THE NBA PLAYOFFS
Stats through April 24 games
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ARIZONA PLAYERS IN THE NBA
Final regular season stats
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a–Hill was cleared to play in the playoffs after missing most of the regular season with a hip injury
b–Frye is out this season because of an enlarged heart treatable with rest.
ARIZONA PLAYERS INTERNATIONALLY & D-LEAGUE
Stats provided by EuroBasket.com. Those who are finished this season shown in italics.
If more than one team is listed, second listed team is current
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a–Williams has been suspended six months by the Chinese Basketball League for failing a drug test
b–Wright goes by Ali Karadeniz, his Turkish name
c–Rodgers now goes by Mahmoud Abdul-Awwel
Note–Mohamed Tangara (at UA from 2005-08) plays professionally in Angola but that league is out of season.
Site publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner
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