With the start of the D-Fenders season less than two weeks away, the team has made a couple of moves in working towards getting down to the roster maximum of 13. The team waived forward Dami Sapara and center Maurice McNeil, trimming the roster down to 14.
Sapara, the D-Fenders’ seventh round pick in the 2013 draft averaged 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds last season as a senior at the College of the Ozarks. A 6’6 swingman, Sapara was an athletic, but raw wing player who definitely will need some time to refine his game. With the D-Fenders having numerous wings such as Kareem Rush, Jamario Moon, and Matt Bouldin, there just wasn’t enough room for Sapara.
McNeil was the D-Fenders’ sixth round pick and averaged 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in two years at the University of Houston before spending the last two years in Spain and Israel.
With only one cut remaining it will be interesting to see who the D-Fenders get rid of before the season begins. The D-Fenders will be looking to improve on last season when they finished 21-29 and failed to qualify for the playoffs.
You can read the full press release below:
EL SEGUNDO – The Los Angeles D-Fenders have waived forward Dami Sapara and center Maurice McNeil, it was announced today by General Manager Nick Mazzella.
Sapara was selected in the seventh round of the 2013 NBA D-League Draft by the D-Fenders. In his senior season at College of the Ozarks, Sapara averaged 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds over 36 games.
McNeil, a sixth round selection by the D-Fenders, has played internationally in Spain and Israel and posted averages of 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in his two seasons at the University of Houston.
The D-Fenders training camp roster stands at 14 players.
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The NBA Development League’s Los Angeles D-Fenders, the first franchise in D-League history to be owned by an NBA team (Los Angeles Lakers), will return for its seventh season of competition in 2013-14. The D-Fenders franchise has quickly established itself as a top producer of NBA-ready talent, totaling 14 NBA Call-Ups and developing 11 Lakers assignment players since the inaugural 2006-07 season. In addition, the D-Fenders became the first team in league history to win the Development Champion award (2011-12), which is an honor given to the team that best embodies the NBA D-League’s goals of developing NBA basketball talent via call-ups and assignments.
For the third consecutive season, the D-Fenders will play all home games at Toyota Sports Center, the Lakers practice facility in El Segundo, CA. Information on D-Fenders 2013-14 season ticket packages and single-game tickets can be found by logging onto the team’s website (www.d-fenders.com) or by contacting Benny Garcia at (310) 426-6043 / bgarcia@d-fenders.com.
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