January 5, 2010

- Omar Barlett

Barlett is signed in Cyprus with a team called Achilleas Kaimakliou. This means there are no statistics for him, because there aren't any from Cyprus that I can find. I also don't really know anything about Omar Barlett, which kind of craps on any possible trivia ideas. So here's his back story instead.

Barlett went to college at Jacksonville State, making him the only Jacksonville State player that you've ever heard of. He transferred there from junior college, and averaged 15/7 in his senior season. After graduating, he spent two years in Portugal, and three years in Poland, before inexplicably winding up on the Heat's 2008 training camp roster. Inevitably, Barlett did not make the team, and he went back to Poland, where last year he averaged only 5 points and 4 rebounds. So an NBA redux does not look likely.

How did a 28 year old 6'8 forward with no history of success of strength in his CV go from averaging 12/7 in the Polish league to being briefly on an NBA roster? I don't know. But, as both Barlett and Barber have shown, these things can happen. (It's particularly weird in Barlett's case, as he wasn't on any summer league roster, for the Heat nor anyone. Barber was, however, which explains his presence somewhat. Therein lies the advantage of summer league; even if no money is involved, a good performance can get a client to a training camp. And when you've got "NBA training camp" on your resumé, you're going to do better in your non-NBA career. Or, in the case of Omar Barlett, you're going to go to Cyprus.)

Here is Omar Barlett in a Polish three point shootout in an arena that didn't have any available ball racks.

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