Powell Named D-League MVP

KASIB POWELL NAMED NBA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE MVP
Sioux Falls Forward Earns D-League’s Top Honor

NEW YORK, April 6, 2008 – Forward Kasib Powell has been named the NBA Development League’s Most Valuable Player for the 2007-08 season. Powell, who returned to Sioux Falls on April 3, following a 10-day stint with the Miami Heat, was selected by a vote of the D-League’s head coaches.

Before Powell’s GATORADE Call-Up to the Heat on March 22, Powell was leading the Skyforce with 22.3 points per game, shooting 50 percent from the field and 43 percent from three-point territory, to go with 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Sioux Falls was 23 -16 with Powell in the lineup prior to his Call-Up to the Heat. Since returning from Miami, Kasib played in one game for the Skyforce, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

“Kasib has had an outstanding season and is truly deserving of such a prestigious award,” said Skyforce head coach Nate Tibbetts. “In addition to his exceptional skill on the basketball court he is a class act off the court. Our organization was thrilled when he earned his first career NBA call-up a few weeks ago and winning the D-League MVP award will only help him reach his goal of being a full-time NBA player."

A 2008 All-Star, Powell scored in double-figures in 37 of 38 games for the Skyforce, including 24 games with 20 or more points, three 30-point outings, and a 46-point performance on March 6 against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Additionally, Powell has recorded five double-double (points/rebounds) games during the season, including his first-ever game in a Skyforce jersey – a 20-point, 12-rebound night on Dec. 9.

Twice honored during the season for his standout play, Powell earned D-League.com Performer of the Week honors for the week of Feb. 18, when he averaged 27.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists in two games, including 37 points in a win over the Iowa Energy. Later that month, Powell was named D-League Co-Player of the Month for February, as he averaged 22.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists, as Sioux Falls went 8-3 during the month.

Powell has seen training camp and preseason action with the Memphis Grizzlies, Indiana Pacers, and Orlando Magic since finishing his career at Texas Tech. In his final season as a Red Raider in 2003, Powell averaged 14.8 points 6.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 33 games as he led his team to the semi-final round of the NIT tournament. For his efforts, Powell earned All-Big 12 Conference Honorable Mention accolades.

“Kasib has enjoyed a terrific season this year,” said Chris Alpert, the Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel for the D-League. “Not only is he a tremendous scoring threat, but he also draws the assignment of guarding the opposing team's best players. He welcomes those challenges and he has been a big reason for Sioux Falls' success this year. His competitiveness, improved outside shooting, defensive prowess, and knowledge of the game make him one of the top NBA prospects in our League.

Powell joins Ansu Sesay (Greenville, 2002), current Cleveland Cavalier Devin Brown (Fayetteville, 2003), Tierre Brown (Charleston, 2004), current Charlotte Bobcat Matt Carroll (Roanoke, 2005), Marcus Fizer (Austin, 2006) and Randy Livingston (Idaho, 2007) as winners of the NBA Development League Most Valuable Player Award.

The NBA Development League is the NBA's official minor league, and the first-ever basketball league with direct affiliations to NBA teams. Now in its seventh season the D-League's goals are to provide affordable, NBA-caliber entertainment to fans of its 16 teams, as well as continue to develop players, coaches, referees and front-office personnel for the NBA. As the single source for in-season player "call-ups" to the NBA, fans of the D-League enjoy the highest caliber of basketball played outside the NBA. In fact, former D-League players represented 10 percent of NBA players on 2007-08 opening day rosters, numbering 44 in total. In addition, the D-League has produced 25 percent of current NBA referees and 17 current NBA coaches, including head coach Sam Vincent with the Charlotte Bobcats. The D-League is an innovative and rapidly growing sports property that also serves as an experimental testing ground for new initiatives like NBA Futurecast, which is the live web-streaming of all games available free to fans at d-league.com. The League also provides continuing education and professional development resources for its players, and is committed to serving its local communities through D-LEAGUE CARES and grassroots efforts.