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

[Buckskin86]

Byron Mullens grew up an Ohio State fan, and as a ninth-grader he committed to play for OSU. But if it had been his choice, he wouldn?t have played basketball for the Buckeyes.

Mullens said he wanted to enter the NBA draft as soon as he graduated from Canal Winchester High School, in 2008. Yet the 7-footer wasn?t allowed.

Two years earlier, the NBA had instituted a rule that required draft applicants to be at least 19 years old and one year removed from high school.

Mullens played a freshman season at OSU (when he was known as B.J.) before being selected No. 24 overall in the 2009 draft by the Dallas Mavericks, who then immediately traded him to Oklahoma City.

?I probably would have been a higher pick (in 2008) because of the hype I had coming out of high school,? Mullens said. ?But college helped me a lot. I?m kind of glad the rule was in because I got to be on campus and experience college life and make great friends.

?It?s a good rule. It gives kids another year to grow and mature.?

http://www.buckeyextra.com/content/stories/2011/11/02/academic-fallout.html

 

[Buckeye86]

Does anyone else think this encapsulates what is wrong with the NBA?

"I probably would have been a higher pick (in 2008) because of the hype I had coming out of high school," Mullens said. "But college helped me a lot."

He would have been a higher pick out of high school because of the hype, but because he got better for a year in college he dropped?

 

[Buckskin86]

B.J. Mullens, Ohio State (C, Thunder) "The rule, it's taking kids' years away from playing in the NBA. If a kid is good enough to play in the NBA at age 17, let him play. You know, the ball isn't going to bounce forever. Guys think they have 15, maybe 10 years of being a superstar player, but the average NBA career is about 4.5 years. You're not getting any younger. Myself, growing up in homeless shelters and 15 different houses, 15 elementary/middle schools, if I see a kid that has a talent like that, I'll tell him to go. If I see a rich, suburb kid, why does he have to go straight to the NBA if he already has money? Get your education, enjoy life."

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...other-players-nba-one-year-rule-espn-magazine

 

[Buckskin86]

Originally Published: November 24, 2011
Basketball within prison borders
Byron Mullens has spent part of his offseason playing pickup -- at an Ohio prison
By Anna Katherine Clemmons

With two armed guards by his side, Byron Mullens walks with several friends toward the inner perimeter fence, the two feet of barbed wire curls running along the top glistening in the sunlight.

They have already handed over their cell phones and keys, gone through a metal detector, signed in the log book and walked through a series of locked doors that won't open until the previous one is shut. Now Mullens and crew must go through another round of security, pausing as they get to the gate and holding up a badge.

"Mullens, zero-one-zero," he says, as another guard behind a thick-plate glass window takes a photo and notes his entry.

The 22-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder center walks a long, paved footpath toward the gym. That's when the comments begin.

"Hey, hey Byron!" one man calls out.

"Byron, what's up, man?" someone else yells.

"What's up, boy? You doing all right? You gonna come over here?" Mullens asks, motioning toward the gym.

Courtesy of Ross Correctional InstitutionMullens spends most of his court time at Ross on the perimeter to work on his outside game.

"He's so tall, I bet he could dunk just by standing," says an elderly man, wearing his all-blues and walking with a cane. He grins; two of his front teeth are missing.

"Da-na-na! Da-na-na!" yells another, calling out the "SportsCenter" theme song. Mullens laughs and shakes his head.

The group walks through two more sets of fences and past several guardhouses before Mullens stands at the entrance to the gym.

His pickup game is about to begin. In prison.

Mullens was born in Canal Winchester, Ohio, and grew up playing basketball around Columbus. He lived off and on with his mother and five siblings until high school before moving into his own apartment, paying his expenses by working after school and on weekends as a plumber. During his junior and senior years of high school, Mullens lived with the family of one of his best friends. In his first year there, he and the friend visited a juvenile detention center to teach basketball clinics and talk to troubled teens about making better choices -- and also to play pickup games.

cont...

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7...under-byron-mullens-plays-pickup-ohio-inmates

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13JLsx9lhxA"]Prison Ball - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

Oklahoma City Thunder to trade Byron Mullens
The Thunder has traded center Byron Mullens to Charlotte for a 2013 second-round draft pick.
DARNELL MAYBERRY [email protected]
Published: December 19, 2011

The Thunder has traded center Byron Mullens to Charlotte for a 2013 second-round draft pick.

Mullens, the 24th pick in the 2009 draft by Dallas who was immediately acquired by the Thunder, averaged 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in 5.3 minutes in only 26 games over two seasons.

The 7-footer out of Ohio State faced long odds to crack the rotation this season playing behind starter Kendrick Perkins, veteran Nazr Mohammed and second-year center Cole Aldrich, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2010 draft.

The deal frees up a roster spot for the Thunder, which now has 15 players under contract, including guard Nate Robinson who has agreed to not join the team this season and is expected to officially part ways with the team in the near future.

Because the Thunder is not taking back a player, league rules allow Oklahoma City to also receive a trade exception of approximately $1.38 million, which is Mullens? $1.28 million contract plus an additional $100,000.

Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-thunder-to-trade-byron-mullens/article/3633304#ixzz1h0XBF7lS

 

[Buckskin86]

Silas has worked with new center Mullens By Rick Bonnell - [email protected] By Rick Bonnell

It's been several years, but Charlotte Bobcats coach Paul Silas has experience with his new center, Byron Mullens.Silas worked for adidas, overseeing a program for elite high school players. Mullens, then a 7-footer in Ohio, was among Silas' pupils."He can really shoot the basketball," Silas said of Mullens, who the Bobcats acquired Monday from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Charlotte will give up a 2013 second-round pick for Mullens, and will receive some cash considerations from the Thunder. Mullens was the 24th pick of the 2009 draft, after one season at Ohio State. Over two NBA seasons, he played mostly for the Thunder's development league affiliate in Tulsa.The Bobcats needed another big man after Kwame Brown chose to sign with Golden State last week. Power forward Boris Diaw is scheduled to start at center but his backup, Gana Diop, is trying to drop 25 pounds to get in playing shape.

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2011/12/20/3611263/silas-has-worked-with-new-center.html#storylink=cpy

 

[MaxBuck]

Paul Silas is such a terrific teacher. I think this is a great move from Mullens's perspective.

 

[Buckskin86]

nice opener....

The Bobcats got a huge lift off the bench from Walker and center Byron Mullens, who was acquired in a trade last week with the Thunder. Walker scored nine points in the second half, creating shots off the dribble, and chipped in with seven rebounds. Mullens was 5 of 7 from the field for 10 points.

http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111227/SPORTS/112270349

 

[Buckskin86]

Mullens' 10 points against the Bucks matched a career high. He said Monday's 20-minute performance was the most he's contributed in an NBA game. The Thunder seldom used him, frequently assigning him to the development league.The Bobcats traded a future second-round pick for Mullens last week. Silas said Monday he was "surprised and elated" how quickly Mullens has contributed. The key is that shooting range, which Mullens had all through his teens growing up in Ohio."It was going to the park, back in middle school, with those double-rims," Mullens said of durable but unforgiving hoops. "If you don't swish it, it's not going in."He said the beauty of playing for Silas is no one's trying to change him into something he's not."Coach Silas has confidence in me," Mullens said. "He's giving me the shot to be the big that I am."

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/12/28/1737470/different-angle-for-center.html#storylink=cpy

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWswVMipr7E"]Charlotte Bobcats Center Byron Mullens Postgame 12/26/11 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[y0yoyoin]

watching the bobcats game right now...mullens actually is having a decent game...has 6 points but 4 of those points are coming from around the 3 point line...he is getting decent PT which is all he can ask for at this point

 

[Jake]

Getting dealt to the Bobcats was great for BJ. They're thin at center so he should get a good shot to play and develop his game.

 

[Buckskin86]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gveAw5vU9lw"]Tristan Thompson and Byron Mullens Exchange Blocks - YouTube[/ame]

 

[BuckeyeTillIDie]

Scored 16 points and had 5 rebounds off the bench tonight.

 

[Buckskin86]

Byron Mullens is hitting 62 percent of long twos this season. (David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)

? Byron Mullens, C, Charlotte Bobcats

The Bobcats have happily served as the dumping ground for first-round picks the Thunder no longer need or want, and while D.J. White is shooting 60 percent as a tweener forward, Mullens might be the more surprising Thunder ex-pat. Mullens doesn?t have the quickest feet, meaning he?ll struggle defending the pick-and-roll and against quick post scorers, but he knows how to use his size around the rim, and he has a jump shot. He?s shooting 62 percent on long twos so far this season, according to Hoopdata, and there will always be a place in the league for 7-footers who can space the floor.

Bad news: That might be all Mullens can do. He has struggled to finish at the rim or from the post, and he?s so far earned just 2.8 foul shots per 36 minutes despite attempting a whopping 17.3 field-goals per 36 minutes ? the sort of shot frequency normally reserved for stars and chuckers. He has the rebounding numbers of a wing player, though the Bobcats actually lead the league in defensive rebounding, with solid rebounding from every position so far.

The league is littered with big guys who made a brief splash thanks to a semi-reliable jumper only to see their minutes cut back when it became clear they contributed little else. Will that happen to Mullens, too?

http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2012/01/06/some-players-showing-early-progress/

Bobcats ready to shake up lineup
Charlotte coach ready to try something new after overtime loss to Atlanta.
By Rick Bonnell
[email protected]
Posted: Friday, Jan. 06, 2012

Change is coming to the Charlotte Bobcats, following a 102-96 overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Start Byron Mullens at center? Probably, and that could come as soon as Saturday night against the Indiana Pacers.

But Silas saw enough that he's ready to try something new. Adding 7-footer Mullens to the lineup is definitely under strong consideration.

"If feels good. I'm not gonna lie," said Mullens, when told Silas was considering starting him. Mullens (a career-high 17 points, plus five rebounds) couldn't even crack the rotation in two seasons in Oklahoma City but he's averaging 11.6 points as a Bobcat.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/01/06/2904809/bobcats-rally-but-fall-in-ot.html#storylink=cpy

 

[osufan1021]

First double double of his career tonight - 10points 11rebounds.