Where Are They Now, 2009; Part 25
February 1st, 2009
– Little Jeff Horner – who is kind of like John Stockton, only with better rebounding – averages 8.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals for Antibes. Antibes play in the French second division (Pro B), which undermines that Stockton comparison a bit. But still. Stockton didn’t play much in his rookie year, either. Give Horner time. He’s only 25. By the way, that bulge in my cheek is my tongue.
– Robert Horry is unofficially, but effectively, retired.
– Daniel Horton was released by Pau Orthez in December, after totalling 45 points on 49 shots, with 16 assists, in four games.
– Quinton Hosley is playing for Real Madrid, where he averages 6.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in 16 mpg in the Spanish league, and 9.1 ppg and 3.3 rpg in the same amount of time in the EuroLeague. Other Real Madrid guards include former Michigan starlet and booster recipient Louis Bullock (one of the team’s leading scorers), former NBA journeyman Pepe Sanchez (who is still bad at scoring; on the season he has 48 assists to 20 points, on 6-28 shooting), Marko Tomas (who isn’t playing any more than he was the last time he was at Real), Raul Lopez (we’ll come to him later), and my own personal favourite, Sergio Llull. Nothing says “YES!” more than a 21 year old 5’10 point guard with terrific athletic ability and three-point range. I like this guy.
– Allan Houston is now a part of the Knicks front office, something which hopefully means no more comeback attempts. I know you don’t like how it ended, Allan, but to be honest I can’t see it ending any better even if you did make a mini-comeback. You did fine, really. Plenty of money, an NBA Finals appearance, two All-Star games…..you should totally be contented with that.
– Ron Howard is carrying basically the entire offence of his D-League team, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Howard averages 16.6 points and 4.8 rebounds a game, but hasn’t hit a three all year, which is a valid concern when you’re trying to consider the NBA prospects of a 26-year-old 6’5 swingman.
– Marcus Hubbard is also in the D-League, averaging 9.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in 27 minutes a game for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Hubbard (often) starts at centre for the Vipers, and is a fairly strong and athletic centre, in a league with an emphasis on pace and devoid of much size. And yet, he grabs less than five rebounds in 27 minutes a game.
– Troy Hudson is unsigned, and recently asked Olympiacos if they would sign him. Olympiacos said no.
– DeeAndre Hulett is also unsigned, as he was recently released by his Mexican team, Potros ITSON, who currently rank last in the Mexican league with a 8-34 record. Here’s a quick explanation of who DeeAndre Hulett is: DeeAndre Hulett was a second-round draft pick of the Raptors back in 2000. He played one year of college ball, for the Division III school “College Of The Sequoias”. (A powerhouse.) Hulett left after one season and went to the IBL in a bid to raise his draft stock. (A powerhouse.) After a season of averaging roughly 8/2, he declared for the draft, and was picked 46th, basically on account of his 48-inch vertical leap. Since then, Hulett has done the rounds, playing for at least four Dominican Republic teams, as well as stops in the CBA, USBL, NBDL [as it was], Italy, France, Germany, Finland and Iceland (a powerhouse), performing reasonably well against secondary standards of opposition.
But here’s what I’m thinking: Hulett never signed a contract with the Raptors at any point. He went to their summer league a few times, but that doesn’t count. As a result, the Raptors still own his draft rights. And right now, they need a swingman. And DeeAndre Hulett just left his Mexican team. Can you see where I’m going with this? It’s basically inevitable. Basically.
– Big Comfy Ryan Humphrey is also in the D-League, averaging 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 28 minutes per game for the Tulsa 66ers. He also averages 4.1 turnovers, a simply staggering amount, particularly in so few minutes a game and when playing in the paint. By the way, out of all the stupid nicknames I had to invent for players for this site, Big Comfy Ryan Humphrey is the one I’m most proud of. It has it all – rhyming, a Bryant Reeves reference, an accurate description of the player in question….yes, I’m proud of myself here. Less proud of the fact that this is what I do with my life, but justifiably proud at the sweet stench of unimportant success.
– Brandon Hunter is with Bread Mountain in Italy, averaging 14.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. Montegranaro are right in the middle of the table in Serie A, with an 8-8 record, despite Hunter’s big numbers. It probably doesn’t help that their team leader in assists is former Illinois, Magic and Kings point guard Kiwame Garris, who averages all of 2.4 assists per game.
– Jimmie “Snap” Hunter is the leading scorer (13.4 ppg) on a CB Granada team that hangs a lot nearer to the bottom of the ACB than they would like.
– Finally, since it’s becoming a habit now, here’s some more Kenny Adeleke news – he failed his medical with ALBA Berlin, thus nullifying the contract he had recently signed with them.
