The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting former VCU star and last year’s 15th overall pick in the NBA Draft, Larry Sanders, is being sent to the NBA D-League.
“This is an opportunity for Larry to receive regular minutes and continue his skill development,” Bucks general manager John Hammond said.
“We’ve not been at all disappointed with Larry when he’s been on the floor,” Hammond said. “He’s shown that he has an upside.”
Sanders was averaging 4.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in his rookie season with the Bucks.
Larry became the highest ever drafted Ram when he fell to just a spot out of the NBA lottery in last year’s draft.
Several other high draft picks have spent time in the NBA D-League.
The list is long, but is perhaps highlighted by the likes of 2009 2nd overall pick Hasheem Thabeet, 6th pick Jonny Flynn, as well as that year’s 11th overall and fellow lottery pick Terrence Williams.
Larry isn’t even the first big man of this past season’s first round to see D-League action. Former Benedictine and North Carolina star, Ed Davis, went from 13th overall pick to D-Leaguer, as well as ex-Kansas star and 11th overall pick Cole Aldrich.
“It’s…good for young players, I think, in the league who are not getting playing time and they may not be a whole lot of practice time with their respective teams, too,” said Kurt Rambis, coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“So if there’s not a whole lot of practice time, when they’re there just running drills and this gives them an opportunity to play and keep their game-type conditioning up, and also keep their confidence up and their rhythm in playing.”
“There’s a lot of good ways to use it, assuming they go down there and get the playing time and play in a way that hopefully is similar to the way that they play when they’re back on their respective NBA ballclubs.”
