PistonsNationBlog.com - Detroit Pistons News & Views

Teeth back in skull….check, clear up passport issues…check. Back down to the D for Mr. Samb…check.

Via: InsideHoops.com

The Detroit Pistons announced today that they have re-assigned rookie center Cheikh Samb to their NBA Development League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.The assignment will be Samb’s second this season. He was originally assigned to Fort Wayne on Monday, December 10. In two games (both starts) during his first stint, Samb averaged 13.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.0 blocks in 31.5 minutes with the Mad Ants.

Samb was acquired by the Pistons on draft day from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Maurice Evans on June 28, 2006. Drafted by the Lakers with the 51st pick in the second round of the 2006 NBA Draft, Samb spent the 2006-07 season playing overseas with WTC Cornella in the Spanish LEB2 League.

The 7-foot-1, 215-pound center made his NBA debut with the Pistons at the L.A. Lakers on November 16, scoring two points with four rebounds and two blocks in 15 minutes. In two NBA games this season, Samb is averaging 1.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 10.5 minutes per game.

No timetable has been set for his return.

ALSO…

Sammy Mejia, who was Ft. Waynes leading scorer (19.5 ppg) is leaving the Mad Ants to go play in Europe with an Italian ball club.

“Fort Wayne wasn’t the problem,” said Mejia, who missed the first 10 games of the NBA D-League season with a leg injury. “It’s hard to be in one spot, and everybody’s goal is not to be there. It’s a different kind of comfort being over there. Nobody who is part of the Mad Ants wants to be in the Mad Ant uniform. I got comfortable in a different kind of way.” (Via: Ft Wayne Journal Gazette)

Mejia was named D-League performer of the week for the week of December 24th

Looks like our buddy Sammy Mejia has landed on his feet after being waived by the Pistons last week. He’s not all that far away either. Sammy will join Cheik Samb down in Ft. Wayne, IN on the Pistons D-Leahue affiliate. Smooth move by Sammy’s agent Andy Miller working out that agreement with the Ants.

Via A. Sherrod Blakely at mLive:

Mejia still a Piston? Although the Detroit Pistons waived Sammy Mejia earlier this week, he is still a Piston — sort of.

Mejia will play for the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Mad Ants, the NBA’s Development League affiliate to the Pistons.

“He’s so close to being in the NBA, we felt this was the best situation for him,” said his agent, Andy Miller, who added that they also considered some offers to play overseas.

Miller said an agreement between Mejia and the Mad Ants was agreed upon before the Pistons drafting Mejia with the No. 57 pick of last June’s NBA draft.

“So as far as Fort Wayne is concerned, their coaches had been preparing to go into the season with Sammy, regardless of what happened with Detroit,” Miller said. “They had a role already carved out for him.”

Via Detroit News:

Forward Sammy Mejia, drafted 57th overall in 2007, was waived by the Detroit Pistons on Monday.

In six preseason games, Mejia averaged 1.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 9.0 minutes per game.Mejia (6-foot-6) left DePaul as the ninth-leading scorer in school history.

Well, there goes Chris McCosky’s theory. Good luck Sammy, we’ll keep an eye on where Mr. Mejia lands.

Meet the Pistons’ 2007 draft class.

Rodney Stuckey – Named Honorable Mention All-America by The Associated Press his freshman and sophomore seasons and earned All-Big Sky Conference honors both years. Named Big Sky Most Valuable Player as a freshman. Currently ranks fourth in Eastern Washington history in scoring with 1,438 career points. Also holds the highest career scoring average in school history (24.3 ppg), while ranking fourth in assist average (4.8 apg), fourth in steals (137) and fifth in free throw percentage (.806). Has scored 20 or more points 41 times and has surpassed the 30-point mark 15 times. Sat out the 2004-05 season at Eastern Washington while establishing academic eligibility.

Arron Afflalo - Earned Consensus First Team All-America honors and was a member of the Wooden All-American Team as a junior. Also named Pac-10 Player of the Year. Earned First Team All-Conference honors his sophomore and junior years. Finished collegiate career as the 17th all-time leading scorer in UCLA history with 1,540 points. Also ranks 2nd all-time in three-point field goals made (209) and attempted (560).

Sammy Mejia - Earned Second Team All-Big East Conference honors as a senior. Finished collegiate career as DePaul’s ninth all-time leading scorer with 1,494 points. Also ranks second in minutes played (3,839), fourth in games played (123), sixth in assists (396), sixth in three-point field goals attempted (351) and ninth in three-point field goals made (115). Is the second player in school history, joining Tom Kleinschmidt (1991-95), to record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists, 100 steals and 100 three-point field goals in a career.