• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

C Byron 'B.J.' Mullens (Levanga Hokkaido Sapporo - Japan)

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
Byron Mullens is as big of a project as we thought. But the 7-foot-1 center has a nice skill set that had the league buzzing throughout the week. Mullens has a nice shooting touch from out to 17 feet and is always a threat to throw down a lob pass. Westbrook and Mullens would be wise to study Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler. Mullens is clearly a few years away, but if he continues to work on his rebounding and post defensive while adding a few low post moves he could prove to be one of the steals of the 2009 draft.
Click to expand...

http://www.newsok.com/time-to-asses...le/3386450?custom_click=pod_headline_nba-news
 
Upvote 0
The good and bad from this year?s Vegas summer league
Sean Deveney
Archive|Email Sean Deveney
Monday, Jul. 20, 2009

The project. It was well-known before the draft that any team selecting B.J. Mullens would have to be patient. After seeing him in summer league, though, that might have to be upgraded to very patient. Mullens averaged just 5.8 points and 2.6 rebounds, shooting 39.4 percent.
Click to expand...

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/article/2009-07-20/good-and-bad-from-year-s-vegas-summer-league
 
Upvote 0
(Video of Byron Mullens with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Vegas Summer League)

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnHbqlaLx1o"]YouTube - Byron Mullens (OKC Thunder Summer League)[/ame]


I guess he wasn't kidding when he mentioned names like KG & Dirk as far as players who he wanted to model his game after. He definitely put it some work with the midrange jumper. As expected though, Mullens had an up and down Summer League. Oklahoma City participated in the Orlando Pro Summer League, and the Vegas League, so OKC coaches got a good look at the big fella. What they saw was a young big man who displayed a nice shooting touch, as well as the capability to run well on an NBA floor. However, aside from the suprising shooting ability, they did not see much consistency in the form of rebounding and overall defensive presence. I think these two areas will determine if the thunder can depend on Byron as a solid rotation guy, or something less. (imo scoring will come easier to him as he has shown more flashes of ability on offense than on the other end of play)

Looking at Oklahoma City's current roster, their top big men are Nenad Krstic, Nick Collison, and veteran Etan Thomas. Barring a real bad showing at the veterans camp, I think OKC will give Mullens plenty of minutes to see what he can do., especially if they go into the season with that roster. Playing time wise, Byron is in a better situation than Koufos who is currently behind Boozer and Memet Okur.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Byron Mullens' long road to the NBA was filled with hardships
THUNDER
Mullens? long road to the NBA was filled with hardships
BY DARNELL MAYBERRY
Published: September 27, 2009

The 24 little smiling faces didn?t know Byron Mullens when he walked into their lives Thursday. They didn?t know the 7-foot Thunder center?s story and, frankly, didn?t care.

medium

Thunder player Byron Mullens signs the shirt of Will, 10, during a birthday party at Positive Tomorrows on Thursday. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

All that mattered to these youngsters was that they had a giant of a friend for a day. A friend who gladly helped them celebrate four recent birthdays and graciously did whatever he could to spread some much-needed cheer.

Mullens handed out birthday cake, sang Happy Birthday and played Pin the Basketball on Rumble. He did it with the biggest smile in the room because he knows all too well how far so little could go ? even if the kids at Positive Tomorrows, a private, non-tuition school in Oklahoma City helping homeless and at-risk kids, didn?t know he?s been in their shoes.

"For some of our children this may very well be the first birthday party they?ve ever had,? said Susan Agel, Positive Tomorrows? executive director. "One of the things that we try to impart to the children is a sense of hope.?

Mullens is a walking example.

As the Thunder gears up for its second season in Oklahoma City with the start of training camp Tuesday, much of the attention will be on budding superstar forward Kevin Durant, supporting young stars Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook and No. 3 overall pick James Harden.

Meanwhile, Mullens, the 20-year-old rookie, will be somewhere in the background making his own way much like he?s been forced to do much of his life.

It wasn?t long ago that Mullens, the 24th overall pick in the 2009 draft, shared a similar plight as the elementary-aged children he brought joy to last week. Like them, Mullens bounced around from home to home, shelter to shelter and school to school.

"I think it was like 13 houses,? Mullens figured. "Probably eight schools.?

Mullens grew up in a rough part of Columbus, Ohio?s West side, the youngest of a high-numbered, low-income family. There were six children in all, five boys. Mullens? father, Paul, was in and out of his life, leaving his mother, Barbara, to try to keep the family afloat.

Money was tight. Necessities like food and decent clothing were often elusive. Meals routinely came from churches. Clothes would often come from thrift stores.

When rent money ran out the family had to pack up and find relief in local shelters.

"I was in foster homes,? Mullens remembered. "I was in shelters and just in and out of different houses all through my life.?
Click to expand...

NewsOK

Read more: NewsOK
 
Upvote 0
Thunder training camp underway

Byronagain.jpg


(Mullens & IU's DJ White from Monday's Media Day)

ByronMullens.jpg


(Mullens during his first official NBA practice.)

Today marked the first day of Thunder training camp. Oklahoma City has some decent big men who can teach Byron a thing or two about being a center in the NBA. The starting center will most likely be Serbian Nenad Kristic. They also have 9 year veteran Etan Thomas, and 5 year vet Nick Collision from Kansas. These guys in front of Byron are solid, but by no means overwhelming. The next month of practices and preseason games will determine if Mullens can break into the rotation. OKC plays their first preseason game on October 7th vs Conley Jr. & Memphis.


Oklahoma City Thunder 2009/2010 Preseason/regular season schedule.
THUNDER: 2009-10 THUNDER SCHEDULE
 
Upvote 0
Byron Mullens
"Since Draft Day, we had the summer leagues in Orlando and Vegas. After that, I took a week off for myself to vacation. Then I was back and forth between Oklahoma City and Ohio State working out. I moved down here for good on Aug. 20, so I?ve been here for more than month. Me and coach Mark Bryant worked on some post moves and shooting a lot.?
Click to expand...

Read more: NewsOK
 
Upvote 0
Byron Mullens may match up with Hasheem Thabeet in opener
By Darnell Mayberry, Staff Writer
Published: October 7, 2009

Veteran forward Nick Collison pulled rookie center Byron Mullens aside over the weekend and gave the 24th overall pick a crash course in defending the paint.

medium

Thunder draft picks from left to right Robert Vaden, Byron Mullens and James Harden. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

The lesson wasn?t complicated. In fact it was one of the most fundamental rules of post defense.

Collison schooled Mullens about the NBA?s hand-checking rules in the post, teaching the rookie that a forearm to the back of an offensive player is allowed but an extended arm with an open palm is a foul.

"That?s something I didn?t know until he told me,? Mullens said.
Click to expand...
Mullens said he?s made strides over the past week of training camp, improving his conditioning through two-a-days while spending time learning the NBA game from coaches and veterans.

"You?ve just got to be patient with it,? Mullens said of the mental aspect of adjusting to a new league. "These coaches are really good with patience and they just told everybody that if you forget something, speak up. We?re not going to yell at you. But they are throwing in a lot of information and a lot of plays.?

Mullens said he hasn?t had an issue keeping up with the speed of the game or the pace at which Brooks is installing offensive and defensive sets. And Brooks said Mullens has impressed the coaching staff.

"I like what he?s been doing in practice,? Brooks said. "He?s showing why he belongs in this league because he runs well, he can block shots and he?s picking up the offensive system that we?re putting in place. It?s going to take time. Guys have to learn the league, they have to learn the system. And I think all that?s going to come together the more days we?re around him.?
Click to expand...



Read more: NewsOK
 
Upvote 0
Former Ohio State big man Byron (B.J.) Mullens is inactive and sitting on the Oklahoma City Thunder bench in street clothes. NBA teams can have 12 players in uniform for each game, and he hasn't been one of them.

Mullens last appeared in an exhibition game on Oct. 19, when he scored three points in 13 minutes. He could be headed to the Thunder's Development League team in Tulsa, Okla., which opens the season Nov. 27.
Click to expand...

Bob Hunter commentary: Rumblings | The Columbus Dispatch
 
Upvote 0
Life As A Rookie: Byron Mullens
By: Steve Kyler
Last Updated: 11/21/09

When the Dallas Mavericks selected Byron Mullens with the 24th overall selection in June's 2009 NBA Draft, they had a deal already in place with Oklahoma City to acquire him. The Thunder saw a lot of promise in the 7'1 Mullens enough to add him to a team where he may not see more action than he saw last season at Ohio State.

Mullens was ranked as the #1 high school prospect in the country by Rivals.com, and signed a letter of intent in 9th grade to stay in his hometown and play for the Buckeyes, which would lead you to believe he'd have gotten more than 20 minute per game for a team like Ohio State.

The Buckeyes thought they had a back-to-the-basketball player; something Mullens is clearly not, when that became clear Mullens did not play.

What the Thunder found out early in the draft process is while Mullens could be a NBA center, his athletic game and shooting ability are rare for a player his size. Mullens was simply a raw talent, and they took the gamble on Byron's upside.

Mullens has yet to play in a regular season game for the Thunder after averaging 16 minutes per game in four pre-season games.

The Thunder have a longer term view for Mullens this season, something Thunder Head Coach Scott Brooks says will take patience on both his part and Byron's.

"He has a bright future," explained Brooks. "He's a great kid that works hard. He's long and athletic. He has a nice touch around the basket. He's a shot blocker. We just have to keep working on him and developing him in practice. He's going to get opportunities."

Mullens' understands where he fits in the long-term and says he's comfortable with where he landed in the draft and believes in the plan the Thunder have for him.

"Last year I didn't play a lot," admits Mullens of his tenure at Ohio State." I didn't get a lot of minutes. I didn't get a lot of experience basically, so this year is kind of like a learning year because of last year. My time will come; when it comes I am going to be ready for it."
Click to expand...

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=14425

Thunder send Mullens, Weaver to D-League
Published: November 21, 2009

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma City Thunder have assigned rookie center Byron Mullens and guard Kyle Weaver to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.

Mullens was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the 24th pick in this year's draft before Oklahoma City acquired him that night in a trade. He has yet to play in a game this season.
Click to expand...

Read more: http://newsok.com/thunder-send-mull...9?custom_click=headlines_widget#ixzz0XY064CK5
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Not surprised whatsoever that he's in D-league. His game wasn't ready for the next level when he decided to leave OSU, and NBA teams knew that going in to the draft. He's all potential.

I know he would never admit it pubically, but I wonder if BJ privately regrets leaving early for the NBA at the end of the season this year.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top