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

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66ers update
Center Byron Mullens, averaging 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds in six D-League games with the Tulsa 66ers, attended Monday?s game. Mullens is averaging more than 35 minutes a game in Tulsa.
"It?s helped me get my confidence up,? Mullens said. "It?s been a while since I?ve played in game(s), summer time really, with the exception of preseason games. It?s also getting my wind up, just getting me better.?
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Thunder Insider: Christmas looking merrier for Byron Mullens
BREAK FROM THE PAST: For OKC’s Mullens, Christmas hasn’t always been jolly
By Darnell Mayberry The Oklahoman
Published: December 21, 2009

Byron Mullens will spend Christmas Day traveling, jetting from Tulsa to Reno, Nev., his 11 teammates on the D-League’s 66ers the closest he’ll get to family on Friday.

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Thunder rookie Byron Mullens (23) will be on the road with the Tulsa 66ers on Christmas Day, but it will be the best Christmas of his life. PHOTO BY BRYAN TERRY, THE OKLAHOMAN

And it’ll be the best Christmas of the Thunder rookie’s 20-year life.

Mullens’ memories of Christmas mornings aren’t as merry as most. Seasonal snow stuffed the streets of Mullens’ old neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, but his family never awoke to gobs of gifts bundled below a tall, tailored tree. His father, Paul, ducked in and out on the family and decided he’d sit most Christmases out. His mother, Barbara, left alone with six children, couldn’t afford to make Christmas Day dreamy.

"I didn’t really have nothing,” Mullens said of his Christmas gifts.

Mullens tried to offer his favorite memories. He struggled, taking less time than an eight-second count to concede there were few. The best Mullens could cite was seeing his family together, seeing them safe. Those moments weren’t promised and were far from plenty.

"It was kind of hard for my family to be together because all of my brothers were in and out of jail,” Mullens remembered. "One year, I remember my brother just went to jail a few days before Christmas.”
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Read more: http://www.newsok.com/thunder-insid...2?custom_click=lead_story_title#ixzz0aQDJp4RR


Someone appears to have given rookie C B.J. Mullens some really poor advice during the offseason. After his freshman year at Ohio State, he elected to declare for the NBA draft and was taken 24th overall by Dallas and eventually shipped to Oklahoma City in a trade. He is now plying his trade with the Tulsa 66ers of the NBDL. While he is averaging 16.6 ppg and 9.2 rpg through the first nine games, don't players usually leave after their freshman season of college ball because they're ready for the NBA?
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danieledobish User Profile ?€“ OPEN Sports
 
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Re: And it?ll be the best Christmas of the Thunder rookie?s 20-year life.

Mullens? memories of Christmas mornings aren?t as merry as most. Seasonal snow stuffed the streets of Mullens? old neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, but his family never awoke to gobs of gifts bundled below a tall, tailored tree. His father, Paul, ducked in and out on the family and decided he?d sit most Christmases out. His mother, Barbara, left alone with six children, couldn?t afford to make Christmas Day dreamy.

"I didn?t really have nothing,? Mullens said of his Christmas gifts.

Mullens tried to offer his favorite memories. He struggled, taking less time than an eight-second count to concede there were few. The best Mullens could cite was seeing his family together, seeing them safe. Those moments weren?t promised and were far from plenty.

"It was kind of hard for my family to be together because all of my brothers were in and out of jail,? Mullens remembered. "One year, I remember my brother just went to jail a few days before Christmas.?

and

Re: Someone appears to have given rookie C B.J. Mullens some really poor advice during the offseason. After his freshman year at Ohio State, he elected to declare for the NBA draft and was taken 24th overall by Dallas and eventually shipped to Oklahoma City in a trade. He is now plying his trade with the Tulsa 66ers of the NBDL. While he is averaging 16.6 ppg and 9.2 rpg through the first nine games, don't players usually leave after their freshman season of college ball because they're ready for the NBA?

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My guess is that in Mullen's case he left school after his freshman year because he knew what the 1st round draft pick money could do for his family. It had nothing (or very little to do) with being ready to play in the NBA; and who can really blame him?

:)
 
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Oklahoma City called up rookie Byron Mullens from Tulsa earlier in the day.

"He's been down in the D-League recently," said Brooks. "He's gotten better. He's one of our good, young pieces that we're happy about. We're going to work him and improve him and see where he is at the end of the year. But I like what he does. He's long. Hopefully he's going to be able to contribute in an NBA game by rebounding and blocking shots."

Even though Mullens is in uniform, Brooks didn't sound as though he would get much time.

"Etan (Thomas) is home sick with the flu," said Brooks. "We just need extra bodies just in case of foul trouble or an injury will happen."

The good news is that Mullens understands Brooks' playbook even though he hasn't been with the Thunder.

"It's great we have a team in Tulsa," said Brooks. "If you go down there, they run our system. They run our defense; they run our offense. We can bring them up and they're right with us. We don't have to spend man hours, coaching hours keeping them up to speed. They may have to pick up a few wrinkles that we've added, but having D.J. (White) and Byron down there, I think is great."
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http://www.hoopsworld.com/Blogs/CourtsideBlog.asp?GAME_ID=36538&LEAGUE_CODE=NBA
 
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Mullens to see spot minutes

Byron Mullens made his NBA debut inside the final minute of the Thunder?s 105-89 blowout of the Nets on Monday night at New Jersey. Brooks said he wanted to give the rookie center more time than the 40 seconds he played but didn?t want to call a late timeout out of respect to the Nets. Mullens, however, could begin to receive an opportunity in similar late-game situations, Brooks said.
"I?m happy with it,? Mullens said of his debut. "I?ve got to start somewhere. I?m glad I started with 40 seconds. It?s better than none. My teammate, Serge (Ibaka), that?s how he started out, with a few seconds at the end and he?s getting a lot of reps now.?

Mullens said his stint on the court was too brief to get a feel for how much different the NBA game is but said he was more excited because of the atmosphere.
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Rookie Byron Mullens displays potential
BY MIKE BALDWIN, Staff Writer, [email protected]
The Oklahoman
Published: January 10, 2010

Viewed as a project, probably at least a year away from playing a key role, rookie center Byron Mullens flashed a brief glimpse of his long-term potential Saturday night in the Thunder?s 108-102 win over Indiana.

Told before the game he would get some playing time, the 7-foot center drew a few oohs and aahs from the Ford Center crowd after draining two 15-foot jumpers in the first half.

"Coach (Mark) Bryant told me to make the most of my time, basically go in there and get tired,? Mullens said. "I ran and got back on defense real fast. I made good use of my seven minutes.?

In those seven minutes, Mullens scored four points and grabbed three rebounds. The only other time he?s appeared in an NBA game was the final 40 seconds in a road win at New Jersey.

"My time in Tulsa got me ready for this,? Mullens said. "I was down there basically for a month. If it wasn?t for that those shots I knocked down I might have been nervous, had butterflies in my stomach. But I wasn?t nervous because in D-League I have the green light to get shots up.?

In 11 D-League games, Mullens averaged 15.5 points and 8.3 rebounds, averaging 32.7 minutes. In Oklahoma City, he?s primarily sat the bench with 34 Did Not Plays.

"Byron did a good job,? said coach Scott Brooks. "Byron works just as hard as all the other guys. He got an opportunity tonight and played well... It was a feel thing. I thought Byron would give us a spark and he did.?
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Mullens starting to see time for Thunder
ASSOCIATED PRESS ? January 15, 2010

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Game after game, Byron (B.J.) Mullens took his seat on the Oklahoma City Thunder's bench, knowing it was unlikely he'd play that night.

Since the Thunder got Mullens last June in a draft-night trade, he's had the "project" label attached to his name with few expecting the 7-footer out of Ohio State to contribute. His first NBA appearance was a brief one, for less than a minute in the final stages of a blowout win at New Jersey on Dec. 28.

But twice in the last week, coach Scott Brooks has put the 20-year-old Mullens in the lineup for extended stretches, including a seven-minute stint in the second quarter of a win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. Mullens scored his first NBA points on two 15-foot jumpers.

It's been a long journey in recent months for Mullens. Big Ten coaches last season picked him as the conference's top sixth man before he left Ohio State after one season to enter the NBA. The Dallas Mavericks selected Mullens No. 24 overall, then quickly traded him to the Thunder for No. 25 pick Rodrigue Beaubois and a second-round pick.

With the Buckeyes, Mullens averaged 8.8 points and 4.6 rebounds while setting a record for Ohio State freshmen by shooting 63.8 percent from the field. But in Oklahoma City, he found himself at the bottom of the depth chart for big men, which meant no game action -- until the Thunder sent him to the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League.

The Thunder own the 66ers and the Tulsa team uses the same sets and terminology as the Thunder does. Mullens played 11 games with the 66ers, averaging 15.5 points and 8.3 rebounds in 33 minutes per game.
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Mullens starting to see time for Thunder | zanesvilletimesrecorder.com | Zanesville Times Recorder
 
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NBA D-League Daily Developments
March 3, 2010 - NBA Development League (D-League)

OKLAHOMA CITY RE-ASSIGNS MULLENS AND WEAVER TO NBA D-LEAGUE's TULSA 66ERS

The Oklahoma City Thunder re-assigned rookie center Byron Mullens and second-year guard Kyle Weaver to the Tulsa 66ers, the team's NBA Development League affiliate. The assignments are the 25th and 26th of the 2009-10 NBA D-League season, respectively. Mullens, a 7-0 rookie from Ohio State University, re-joins the 66ers following an 11-game assignment earlier this season, when he averaged 15.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.
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NBA D-League Daily Developments - OurSports Central - Independent and Minor League Sports News
 
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Down in the D-League
Brooks said he keeps track of what D.J. White, Byron Mullens and Kyle Weaver are doing with the Tulsa 66ers while the three of them are in the NBA D-League. In three games since his most recent assignment, Weaver has averaged 9.6 points, 7.6 assists and four rebounds. White has averaged 22 points and 11 rebounds in three games, and Mullens has averaged 13.7 points, seven rebounds and one blocked shot in four games.

"They?re doing well,? Brooks said. "It?s important that they go down there and work on winning habits. And what (66ers coach) Nate (Tibbets) does with the guys down in the D-League is very helpful for us. It?s important that those guys go down there and get better.?
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If "Byron" would have come back to tOSU for his sophomore year, we would be a solid final 4 team this year. as it stands, I think we have a shot but a starting 5 of C Mullins PF Lauderdale SF Lighty SG Buford PG Turner would be amazing, with diebler 6th man playing some 2 and 3
 
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ShakerBuck;1670459; said:
If "Byron" would have come back to tOSU for his sophomore year, we would be a solid final 4 team this year. as it stands, I think we have a shot but a starting 5 of C Mullins PF Lauderdale SF Lighty SG Buford PG Turner would be amazing, with diebler 6th man playing some 2 and 3
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I doubt we would have seen very much of BJ and Dallas on the floor at the same time.

that would take up too much space for the slashers Buford, Lighty and Turner.
 
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