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The AmeriLeague, a potential competitor for the NBA Developmental League, has named former Hawks center and longtime assistant coach Tree Rollins as a coach of one of its six franchises. The league also has added former NBA players Terrence Williams, Antoine Wright, and David Harrison to its rosters. The league will begin play on Nov. 9 at the Cashman Center in Las Vega
Alex Kennedy: Recap: AmeriLeague says they signed Terrence Williams, Dajuan Wagner, Antoine Wright, recruit Ted Kapita. Tree Rollins hired as first coach. Oh, and I left one former NBA player off of the list of players the AmeriLeague announced: former Indiana Pacers big man David Harrison.
Former first-round pick David Harrison has verbally agreed to a deal with the semipro Las Vegas Dealers, who are also in significant discussions with ex-NBA player Royce White. The Dealers are part of the startup Amerileague, which intends to target top high school talent and well-known former NBA players.
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Harrison has a contract offer for $200,000, according to his agent Zach Charles. White also has a deal on the table worth a guaranteed $200,000, league commissioner Ethan Norof confirmed to ESPN on Thursday night. "We're excited to have David join the Amerileague and look forward to adding additional NBA talent in the near future," Norof said. "We also plan to stay aggressive in our pursuit of the top high school prospects."
Charles made it clear that Harrison’s return is not about money stating, “[Harrison] would play for free. He’s back in love with he game and just wants an opportunity to play.” “At the end of the day, he’s a 7 foot center with a nice jump shot and dominating post moves. He’s a great guy who deserves a shot and his first shot unfairly taken from him. He’s looking at the NBA Summer League, D-League, and overseas,” continued Charles.
Marc J. Spears: Harrison signed with agent Zachary Charles, who reps ex-Miss State C Renardo Sidney. Sidney is working out for NBA teams in Chicago on Tues.
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Former Indiana Pacers center David Harrison, a little more than a decade removed from being a first-round pick in the NBA draft, has struggled to make a consistent living since his basketball career ended – to the point he said he took a job working at McDonald's two years ago. "I was embarrassed because of where I could be in life," Harrison told Yahoo Sports. "Everybody has to work and make a living somehow. I have two children. They don't care where I work. They just need to eat. "People were showing up trying to take my car. My house was in foreclosure. I didn't have any income. I just had everything going out. I have child support to one son. I have a really big family and I have to take care of them, even through I'm not playing in the NBA. I needed money."
Harrison made $4.4 million before taxes during four seasons with Indiana and also played in China professionally for three seasons. He said almost all of that money is gone. Now 32 and without a college degree, Harrison said he's having a hard time finding a job. "An NBA career is a fragile thing," said Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, who coached Harrison with the Pacers. "It tips on the slimmest of margins one way or the other. There are a lot of guys who get a taste of it. David had some pretty good years for us when I was there."
Harrison said he smoked marijuana in the offseason during his first three seasons, but not during the season. Frustrated with his role under O'Brien and his lack of playing time, Harrison said he smoked weed daily – including before and after practices – during the 2007-08 season. He was suspended five games that season for violating the league's anti-drug policy because of his marijuana use. "It wasn't healthy," Harrison said. "I literally had to smoke pot every day so I would not hurt him. I would avoid him. I'd come in early and stay late. It wasn't like he hit me; he verbally abused me. But what coach doesn't?"
O'Brien strongly disagreed with Harrison's characterization that he was abusive. "Let's just say he had a lot bottled up inside of him before we ever crossed paths," O'Brien said. "He was as good of an athlete as you were going to find at center, but he just could not get the job done. There was no way of beating around the bush. "I sat with him a lot. [Pacers president] Larry Bird sat with him a lot to see if there was anything to get him to utilize his talents. He just was not a very functional NBA player."
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