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

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Bobcats' Mullens seizes major opportunity

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The Bobcats' Byron Mullens was an afterthought in Oklahoma City. In Charlotte, he's shooting 57 perscent.


CHARLOTTE -- His first two seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Byron Mullens played so little he often wasn't in the same city as his team.

He was cast off for weeks at a time to the Thunder's development-league affiliate in Tulsa. In seven games as a Charlotte Bobcat, Mullens scored more than twice as many points (81) as he did his entire tenure with the Thunder (39).

That doesn't mean the Thunder missed or that the Bobcats hit, in regard to 7-footer Mullens' potential. It means success for rank-and-file NBA players can be greatly influenced by chance - as in timing and opportunity.

"We're trying to find assets - young guys like himself, who might not represent long-term contracts at big money," Rod Higgins, Bobcats president of basketball operations, said Friday morning.

"Remember the team he came from versus where we are in terms of development: They have championship aspirations, and we're figuring this out day-to-day."

In Oklahoma City, Mullens was an afterthought to Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammed at center. He's an oddity - a 7-footer most comfortable 20 feet from the basket offensively.

Rather than fight that, coach Paul Silas encouraged Mullens to keep launching that jump shot, and he's making 57 percent of them.

The Bobcats traded a future second-round pick to the Thunder. They got back Mullens, plus seven figures in cash compensation. Now that looks like a steal, but the Bobcats really pondered whether this was the right move.

When a former first-round pick does nothing his first two seasons, you wonder what you don't know about his flaws. Mullens represented well over $3 million in guaranteed money, including more than $2 million next season, when the Bobcats are looking to maximize their flexibility under the salary cap.

The Thunder needed to open a roster spot and the Bobcats needed another center after Kwame Brown signed with Golden State. So the deal was hatched and timing and opportunity took their course.

The question becomes, is Mullens' quick success a blip or the start of something sustainable? That's all about him addressing his flaws.

Mullens hasn't been tough by NBA standards. Silas doesn't need him to be a great defender or a great rebounder, but Mullens has to be adequate. He has to be engaged in those aspects of the game.

It was telling Wednesday, after Mullens scored a then career-high 16 points against the New York Knicks, that Silas focused on Mullens' five rebounds. The clear message: You'll play so long as you rebound and defend.

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Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/01/08/1761300/mullens-seizes-major-opportunity.html#storylink=cpy

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91Vd5R6J4Ow"]Byron Mullens Post Game vs Atlanta.wmv - YouTube[/ame]
 
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New Bobcat C Mullens makes most of his opportunity
STEVE REED, AP Sports Writer
Thursday, January 12, 2012

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) ? Byron Mullens knew it wouldn't be easy to win over Charlotte Bobcats fans.

Mullens had only scored 39 points in 26 games during his two seasons with the Thunder, so he understood the criticism in Charlotte when the Bobcats sent a 2013 second-round pick to the Thunder to get him.

"When I got traded here a lot of people were kind of upset and saying, 'Why did we trade for this guy?'" Mullens said.

But three weeks into his tenure with the Bobcats, Mullens has quickly developed into a fan favorite because of the instant offense he's provided off the bench.

He's third on the Bobcats in scoring behind D.J. Augustin and Gerald Henderson, averaging 11 points and 4.7 rebounds despite playing less than 20 minutes per game.

The 7-foot center has impressed with his midrange jump shot, shooting better than 49 percent from the field and scoring in double digits in six of his last eight games.

He's been one of the few bright spots on a 2-8 team

"I worked my butt off the last two years and had nothing to show for it," Mullens said. "I sat on the bench and a lot of people didn't know who I was."

Mullens doesn't mind playing 20 minutes a game.

After his time with the Thunder ? some of which was spent with the club's developmental league team in Tulsa ? Mullens will take whatever he can get.

"We'd be up 20 or down 20, and I still wouldn't play," he said.

A few days into training camp, Thunder general manager Sam Presti came to Mullens and told him he was considering dealing him to the Bobcats because there simply weren't many opportunities behind Kendrick Perkins, Nazr Mohammed and Cole Aldrich.

"He said to me, 'You're a good player and you're not going to play here. I'm going to send you to a place you'll play,'" Mullens said.

Mullens was thrilled.

He figured all he needed was an opportunity. He'd take care of the rest.

"It feels good, I'm not going to lie," Mullens said of his increased playing time in Charlotte.

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http://www.chron.com/sports/article...-of-his-opportunity-2471242.php#photo-2053377
 
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Perhaps the only good from this game was center Byron Mullens? successful debut as the starting center. Mullens had another career-high in scoring with 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting.

Mullens is expanding his offensive game quickly. Almost exclusively a jump shooter when he was acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder in the preseason, he?s now rolling to the rim for layups or dunking alley-oop passes.

Mullens didn?t know he?d replace Gana Diop as the starter until shootaround Thursday morning.

?I?d gotten used to watching (from the bench) to see how the game is flowing. Now I have to start that flow,?? said Mullens. ?It was exciting; the first time I?ve started a game since the (development league) and the D-League doesn?t really count.??
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Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/01/12/2922692/hawks-overwhelm-charlotte-111.html#storylink=cpy
 
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18 points and 7 boards tonight.

The guy was hardly here, wish he would have stuck around and developed his game, but I understand going pro was a decision for his family as much as anything. Got his shot in the league now though.
 
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B.J. Mullens - C - CHA - Jan. 14

Byron Mullens once again reached double-digit scoring on Saturday, finishing a win over the Warriors with 20 points (1-of-1 from downtown), seven rebounds and two assists.
Mullens is starting to make this look routine, and he's been an absolute steal for the Bobcats (who got him for a 2nd-round pick). He's been making long jumpers all season but this was his first hit from downtown
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http://www.rotoworld.com/content/pl...news.asp?sport=NBA&id=1619&line=168059&spln=1
 
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SP:
Do you think that 1 year at Ohio State got you more prepared for the NBA, or do you wish you would have stayed for a 2nd year? Do you plan to finish your degree down the road?

Byron Mullens:
To tell you the truth, if I could go back, I would've transferred out of Ohio state and went to Ohio U. The coach that I committed to left OSU and became the head coach at OU. I truly believe if I had done that, I would've stayed in school for another year or so, but that's not what happened. I don't regret my decision. I'm a strong believer in every thing happens for a reason. God has put me where I am today because this is where he wants me.
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http://www.tradestreetpost.com/2012-articles/january/trade-street-presents-byron-mullens.html
 
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Bobcats center Byron Mullens had made only 15 of 40 shots from the field entering the Knicks game. Coach Paul Silas said pregame that reflects how opponents' scouting reports have caught up to Mullens' jump-shooting ability.

Those open looks 20 feet from the basket are closing, and Silas says Mullens has to figure how to do other things, like rolling to the basket, to keep up his offensive productivity.
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Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/20...rvations-knicks-vs-bobcats.html#storylink=cpy
 
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MULLENS TO JOIN GB?S OLYMPIC TILT

Posted in: NBA, Team GB by Mark Woods. February 29, 2012

NBA star Byron Mullens is set to join Great Britain?s challenge at this summer?s Olympic Games, MVP has learnt.

The seven-foot Charlotte Bobcats centre, who was born in Ohio, is currently averaging almost ten points per game in his third year in the league.

With his mother hailing from Middlesex, the 23-year-old is understood to have completed the formalities of acquiring his British passport.

And he looks a certainty to be included in GB coach Chris Finch?s initial squad that will begin its preparations with training camp in Houston in June.

His impending arrival has been endorsed by prospective GB team-mate Luol Deng, who revealed he has already spoken to Mullens about joining him on national duty.

?When we played against Charlotte, I spoke to him a little bit and he seemed really excited,? the NBA All Star told MVP247.com.

However Indiana Pacers guard Darren Collison and Memphis Grizzlies forward Dante Cunningham have both been ruled ineligible to compete for Britain after an investigation by British Basketball officials into their ancestral ties failed to prove their case to receive UK citizenship.
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http://www.mvp247.com/2012/02/mullens-for-gb/
 
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