-
New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.
- Thread starter OilerBuck
- Start date
starBUCKS
BPCFFB League #2 League Champion 2008 & 2010
Free agent forward Byron Mullens could not get an offer from an NBA team, so his agent looked at options overseas and he found work for his client in China for the upcoming season.
According to Sina Sports, Mullens has signed with the Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons, a team that plays in the Chinese Basketball Association. Almost all contracts offered by CBA teams do not include an NBA-out clause, so the earliest Mullens could return to the U.S. is in the spring once the Brave Dragons season is over.
Mullens spent last season with the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers and did not play that much. His free agent market heading into July was very low, which is why he took the offer from the Brave Dragons.
-E$PN
According to Sina Sports, Mullens has signed with the Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons, a team that plays in the Chinese Basketball Association. Almost all contracts offered by CBA teams do not include an NBA-out clause, so the earliest Mullens could return to the U.S. is in the spring once the Brave Dragons season is over.
Mullens spent last season with the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers and did not play that much. His free agent market heading into July was very low, which is why he took the offer from the Brave Dragons.
-E$PN
Upvote
0
Byron Mullens (7’0”-C-89) plays for Levanga Hokkaido Sapporo in Japanese B League
https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/probucks-update-dec-2018/
https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/probucks-update-dec-2018/
Upvote
0
The dude has been on a JOURNEY
en.wikipedia.org
Coming out of Ohio State, Yahoo! Sports' Rivals 150 projected Mullens to be a clear first round pick in the draft, "Size, athleticism and skill are the big three that separate Mullens from the rest of this class."[9]
Mullens was drafted 24th overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2009 NBA draft. His draft rights were traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Rodrigue Beaubois, the 25th overall pick, and a future 2nd-round draft pick. In mid-2009, Mullens requested that all media personnel refer to him as "Byron" rather than by his prior nickname "B. J."[10]
During the 2011 NBA lockout, Mullens signed with Panionios B.C.[11] However, he left the team after a month in Greece, saying that he wanted to join his Oklahoma City teammates for their voluntary practice sessions.[12]
On December 19, 2011, Mullens was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats for a 2013 second-round draft pick.[13] In his first game as a Bobcat, Mullens set a new career high with 10 points against the Milwaukee Bucks on December 26, 2011.
Mullens had what appeared to be a breakthrough game against the Atlanta Hawks on January 6, 2012, when he scored 17 points on 8–13 from the floor (.615 FG%), collected five rebounds and had one blocked shot in 24 minutes off the bench.
He made his first career start on January 12, 2012, against the Atlanta Hawks. He played in a career-high 33 minutes, going 8–16 from the floor scoring 21 points and collecting 4 rebounds. On April 6, 2012, Mullens set new career highs by scoring 31 points (on 14–23 shooting) and grabbing 14 rebounds (9 offensive) in 43 minutes against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Entering the 2012–13 season, Mullens played as Charlotte's starting power forward. The acquisition of center Brendan Haywood was part of the decision to play Mullens primarily at power forward instead of center.
On July 22, 2013, Mullens signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.[14]
On February 20, 2014, Mullens was traded, along with a 2018 second-round draft pick, to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a top-55-protected 2014 second-round draft pick.[15][16]
In July 2014, Mullens joined the Shaanxi Wolves of the Chinese National Basketball League where he played four games for the club. On August 11, 2014, he signed with Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese Basketball Association[17] but later left the club before appearing in a game for them.
On February 14, 2015, Mullens was acquired by the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League,[18] and reacquired as a returning player on November 2.[19]
On March 1, 2016, Mullens signed a deal with Turkish club Torku Konyaspor until the end of the 2016–17 season.[20] At the end of the 2015–16 season he left Konyaspor.
In October 2016, Mullens signed with Al Wasl Dubai of the UAE National Basketball League.[21]
In October 2017, Mullens signed with Sanat Naft Abadan of the Iranian Basketball Super League.[22]
On February 22, 2018, the Sioux Falls Skyforce acquired a 2018 second round draft pick from Lakeland Magic for Mullens and Sioux Falls' 2018 fourth round draft pick.[23]
On December 23, 2018, Levanga Hokkaido announced that they had signed Mullens.[24]
He signed with KT Sonicboom of the Korean Basketball League for the 2019–20 season.[25]
On March 2, 2020, he signed with Movistar Estudiantes of the Spanish Liga ACB.[26]
On August 20, 2020, Mullens signed with the London Lions in Great Britain for the 2020–21 BBL season.[27]
On April 1, 2022, Mullens signed with the New Taipei Kings of the P. LEAGUE+.[28]
On May 8, 2024, Mullens signed with the Winnipeg Sea Bears of the Canadian Elite Basketball League.[29] Mullens would be granted his release from the team to "pursue opportunities in the Asian market" on June 28.[30]
On August 30, 2024, Mullens signed with the Taipei Taishin Mars of the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL).[31] On November 5, his contract was terminated.[32]
In November 2024, Mullens joined the BCH Knights of The League.[33][34]
Byron Mullens - Wikipedia
Coming out of Ohio State, Yahoo! Sports' Rivals 150 projected Mullens to be a clear first round pick in the draft, "Size, athleticism and skill are the big three that separate Mullens from the rest of this class."[9]
Mullens was drafted 24th overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2009 NBA draft. His draft rights were traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Rodrigue Beaubois, the 25th overall pick, and a future 2nd-round draft pick. In mid-2009, Mullens requested that all media personnel refer to him as "Byron" rather than by his prior nickname "B. J."[10]
During the 2011 NBA lockout, Mullens signed with Panionios B.C.[11] However, he left the team after a month in Greece, saying that he wanted to join his Oklahoma City teammates for their voluntary practice sessions.[12]
On December 19, 2011, Mullens was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats for a 2013 second-round draft pick.[13] In his first game as a Bobcat, Mullens set a new career high with 10 points against the Milwaukee Bucks on December 26, 2011.
Mullens had what appeared to be a breakthrough game against the Atlanta Hawks on January 6, 2012, when he scored 17 points on 8–13 from the floor (.615 FG%), collected five rebounds and had one blocked shot in 24 minutes off the bench.
He made his first career start on January 12, 2012, against the Atlanta Hawks. He played in a career-high 33 minutes, going 8–16 from the floor scoring 21 points and collecting 4 rebounds. On April 6, 2012, Mullens set new career highs by scoring 31 points (on 14–23 shooting) and grabbing 14 rebounds (9 offensive) in 43 minutes against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Entering the 2012–13 season, Mullens played as Charlotte's starting power forward. The acquisition of center Brendan Haywood was part of the decision to play Mullens primarily at power forward instead of center.
On July 22, 2013, Mullens signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.[14]
On February 20, 2014, Mullens was traded, along with a 2018 second-round draft pick, to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a top-55-protected 2014 second-round draft pick.[15][16]
In July 2014, Mullens joined the Shaanxi Wolves of the Chinese National Basketball League where he played four games for the club. On August 11, 2014, he signed with Shanxi Zhongyu of the Chinese Basketball Association[17] but later left the club before appearing in a game for them.
On February 14, 2015, Mullens was acquired by the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League,[18] and reacquired as a returning player on November 2.[19]
On March 1, 2016, Mullens signed a deal with Turkish club Torku Konyaspor until the end of the 2016–17 season.[20] At the end of the 2015–16 season he left Konyaspor.
In October 2016, Mullens signed with Al Wasl Dubai of the UAE National Basketball League.[21]
In October 2017, Mullens signed with Sanat Naft Abadan of the Iranian Basketball Super League.[22]
On February 22, 2018, the Sioux Falls Skyforce acquired a 2018 second round draft pick from Lakeland Magic for Mullens and Sioux Falls' 2018 fourth round draft pick.[23]
On December 23, 2018, Levanga Hokkaido announced that they had signed Mullens.[24]
He signed with KT Sonicboom of the Korean Basketball League for the 2019–20 season.[25]
On March 2, 2020, he signed with Movistar Estudiantes of the Spanish Liga ACB.[26]
On August 20, 2020, Mullens signed with the London Lions in Great Britain for the 2020–21 BBL season.[27]
On April 1, 2022, Mullens signed with the New Taipei Kings of the P. LEAGUE+.[28]
On May 8, 2024, Mullens signed with the Winnipeg Sea Bears of the Canadian Elite Basketball League.[29] Mullens would be granted his release from the team to "pursue opportunities in the Asian market" on June 28.[30]
On August 30, 2024, Mullens signed with the Taipei Taishin Mars of the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL).[31] On November 5, his contract was terminated.[32]
In November 2024, Mullens joined the BCH Knights of The League.[33][34]
Upvote
0
I remember they offered this guy in, what, the 8th grade or something. Waited 5-6 years for him to get on campus where he proceeded to average 8.8 pts/game and left after 1 year. Truly anti-climatic.
Upvote
0
I've always appreciated the guy like this that still played (low level) pro sports for 10-15 years. Saw the world, made some money. There are worse fates.
Upvote
0
Looks like made $6.5 million in his 5 years in the NBA. Not sure what he made in the next decade traveling the world.
Upvote
0
Absolutely. Make a few million playing a child's game and retiring somewhere on the meddy with a yacht and the ability to travel? Absolute dream.
Upvote
0
ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Just sayin': I found an old Columbus Dispatch article (i.e. 7 Mar 2009) on him. If you don't know how he had it growing up, it's worth reading.
.
.
His father, Paul, wasn't around much. His mother, Barbara, struggled to keep the family functioning, not always successfully.
Mullens has four half-brothers and a half-sister. The family was constantly on the move, looking for stability that always seemed to elude it.
"There were a few years we were living in a shelter, a few years where we were just struggling to make it," Mullens said. "We had to move to different houses because we couldn't pay the payments on the rent."
Mullens has lost count of the number of houses he tried to call home in the Bottoms and Hilltop neighborhoods. "I'd say 12 or 13, probably more," he said.
He runs out of fingers trying to calculate the number of schools, as well.
"I think it was 10 or 11," he said.
The family had to survive by whatever means necessary. For some, that meant dealing drugs. Mullens' oldest brother, Gabe Jabbour, is candid about his past.
.
.
.
For Mullens' family, clothes often came from the Salvation Army.
"They gave us a bag with a Kmart coat and two pairs of jeans that were so tight around your legs you couldn't breathe," Jabbour said. "That's what our shopping was."
Food was not a given, either. Jabbour said his mom once went to a local store with a sign that read, "Will work for food or clothes."
"People stopped and gave us clothes and money and helped us out," he said.
Sometimes, the family would go to a Downtown charity for bags of sandwiches. Thanksgiving dinners were spent at a homeless shelter or church.
In such an environment, it should not be surprising that school was an afterthought. Mullens missed chunks and was seldom in the same school long enough to settle in. No one in his family had graduated from high school, and he hardly seemed destined to be the first.
"I was like, there's no shot for me out in the real world," Mullens said. "School wasn't my first priority."
.
.
.
As much as Mullens might have liked to use basketball to distance himself from his rough surroundings, he couldn't entirely. Just as he was warming up to the sport, Mullens received a sweater with an AAU patch. It was one of the rare items of clothing that fit him, and it became a prized possession.
One night, Gabe borrowed the sweater, unbeknownst to Mullens. In the middle of a drug deal, Gabe got shot in the arm, putting a hole in the sweater.
"I wish I still had that sweater," Mullens said.
Around the same time, Mullens was on the porch one night when a drive-by shooting took place four houses away.
"I didn't know what it was," he said. "I just got on the ground. It was scary. But that's the lifestyle."
.
.
.
continued
Off the streets
B.J. Mullens grew up a huge Ohio State fan just a few miles from campus. But for most of his childhood, he didn't dream of playing of playing basketball for the Buckeyes, let alone in the NBA. Dream…
www.dispatch.com
Off the streets
..
.
His father, Paul, wasn't around much. His mother, Barbara, struggled to keep the family functioning, not always successfully.
Mullens has four half-brothers and a half-sister. The family was constantly on the move, looking for stability that always seemed to elude it.
"There were a few years we were living in a shelter, a few years where we were just struggling to make it," Mullens said. "We had to move to different houses because we couldn't pay the payments on the rent."
Mullens has lost count of the number of houses he tried to call home in the Bottoms and Hilltop neighborhoods. "I'd say 12 or 13, probably more," he said.
He runs out of fingers trying to calculate the number of schools, as well.
"I think it was 10 or 11," he said.
The family had to survive by whatever means necessary. For some, that meant dealing drugs. Mullens' oldest brother, Gabe Jabbour, is candid about his past.
.
.
.
For Mullens' family, clothes often came from the Salvation Army.
"They gave us a bag with a Kmart coat and two pairs of jeans that were so tight around your legs you couldn't breathe," Jabbour said. "That's what our shopping was."
Food was not a given, either. Jabbour said his mom once went to a local store with a sign that read, "Will work for food or clothes."
"People stopped and gave us clothes and money and helped us out," he said.
Sometimes, the family would go to a Downtown charity for bags of sandwiches. Thanksgiving dinners were spent at a homeless shelter or church.
In such an environment, it should not be surprising that school was an afterthought. Mullens missed chunks and was seldom in the same school long enough to settle in. No one in his family had graduated from high school, and he hardly seemed destined to be the first.
"I was like, there's no shot for me out in the real world," Mullens said. "School wasn't my first priority."
.
.
.
As much as Mullens might have liked to use basketball to distance himself from his rough surroundings, he couldn't entirely. Just as he was warming up to the sport, Mullens received a sweater with an AAU patch. It was one of the rare items of clothing that fit him, and it became a prized possession.
One night, Gabe borrowed the sweater, unbeknownst to Mullens. In the middle of a drug deal, Gabe got shot in the arm, putting a hole in the sweater.
"I wish I still had that sweater," Mullens said.
Around the same time, Mullens was on the porch one night when a drive-by shooting took place four houses away.
"I didn't know what it was," he said. "I just got on the ground. It was scary. But that's the lifestyle."
.
.
.
continued
Upvote
0