NBA D-League announces full roster for Elite Mini Camp

Sep 28, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard David Stockton (32) during media day at the Sacramento Kings practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard David Stockton (32) during media day at the Sacramento Kings practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 28, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard David Stockton (32) during media day at the Sacramento Kings practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard David Stockton (32) during media day at the Sacramento Kings practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

Every year the NBA D-League holds an Elite Mini Camp in Chicago, IL. This year it will be held May 9th and 10th. The event is paramount to offseason opportunities for some of the top players the league has to offer. A multitude of NBA executives and scouts will already be in Chicago as the NBA draft combine later next week and this is their chance to be up close and personal with players who they could potentially sign this summer.

Here are the invitees for the Seventh Annual Elite Mini Camp:

Brandon Fields – Austin Spurs
Youssou Ndoye – Austin Spurs
Keifer Sykes – Austin Spurs
Demetri McCamey – Austin Spurs
Joel Wright – Bakersfield Jam
Xavier Silas – Bakersfield Jam
Askia Booker – Bakersfield Jam
Juvonte Reddic – Canton Charge
Charles Jackson – Delaware 87ers
David Laury – Delaware 87ers
Alex Davis – Erie BayHawks
Nnanna Egwu – Erie BayHawks
C.J. Fair – Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Walter Lemon Jr. – Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Kammeon Holsey – Grand Rapids Drive
Treveon Graham – Idaho Stampede
Corey Hawkins – Idaho Stampede
Phil Pressey – Idaho Stampede
Patrick Christopher – Iowa Energy
Josh Magette – Los Angeles D-Fenders
Coty Clarke – Maine Red Claws
Levi Randolph – Maine Red Claws
Coty Clarke – Maine Red Claws
Talib Zanna – Oklahoma City Blue
Shannon Scott  – Raptors 905
Scott Suggs – Raptors 905
Reggie Hearn – Reno Bighorns
David Stockton – Reno Bighorns
Kadeem Jack – Reno Bighorns
Raphiael Putney – Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Chris Walker – Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Aaron Craft – Santa Cruz Warriors
Verdell Jones – Santa Cruz Warriors
Mychel Thompson – Santa Cruz Warriors
Jabril Trawick – Sioux Falls Skyforce
DeAndre Liggins – Sioux Falls Skyforce
Patrick Miller – Texas Legends
Darion Atkins – Westchester Knicks
Jordan Bachynski – Westchester Knicks
Ra’Shad James – Westchester Knicks

Some of the more notable players are Defensive Player of the Year DeAndre Liggins, Coty Clarke (All D-League 2nd Team), Jordan Bachynski (All D-League 3rd Team) and Aaron Craft (All Defense). Also, all 19 teams have at least one player attending the camp.

Here is some data from last year’s Elite Mini Camp to show just how vital this event is for players to get noticed by The Association.

  • 35 of the 44 attendees last season earned a NBA summer league invite
  • 9 of those 44 earned multiple summer league invites
  • 9 of those 44 attendees earned NBA training camp invites
  • 4 of the 44 played in the NBA in 2015/16 (J. Simmons, J. Eddie, K. Appling and Xavier Munford)
  • 25 of the 44 earned international contracts for the 2015/16 season

The D-League lives off providing as much as exposure for the players as they can. This is just another reason why players will stay here and play for less money than if they went overseas to earn more bucks — if the goal is to be in the NBA, then the D-League provides numerous routes to The Association.