2008-09 News and Features

Sixers at 2009 Orlando Pro Summer League

More photos on Flickr

The Philadelphia 76ers tip-off their participation in the 2009 Orlando Pro Summer League today as part of a combined roster with the New Jersey Nets.

The team will be represented on the bench by Associate Head Coach Mike O’Koren and Assistant Coach Aaron McKie, both of whom will keep a watchful eye on the Sixers represented on the joint roster. Additionally, Head Coach Eddie Jordan will be in Orlando to monitor the progress of the players representing the Sixers.

Want to keep an eye on the Sixers over the next week? Every day starting at 3PM, the Orlando Summer League games will be broadcast online.

Check back at Sixers.com for recaps, interviews and updates from Orlando throughout the week.

Sixers in Orlando

Marreese Speights (6-10/245)

Speights appeared in 79 games with two starts for the Sixers last season, averaging 7.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in 16.0 minutes per game. Last year, he was one of just three players to average a double-double at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

ESPN.COM SAYS: Speights is very effective offensively against regular season competition, and could do a ton of damage here.

Jrue Holiday (6-3/180)

Holiday was an early entry candidate for the 2009 NBA Draft following his freshman season at UCLA. The 19-year-old was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team after averaging 8.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.6 steals in 35 games played. Holiday was the 2008 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year as a senior at Campbell Hall High School in California.

ESPN.COM SAYS: Widely seen as one of the best point guards in the draft, Holiday fell out of the lottery on word of a shoulder injury. He also played out of position in college -- so he probably feels ready to surprise some people with his skils.

Dionte Christmas (6-5/205)

Christmas was born and raised in Philadelphia. He was named to the Atlantic 10’s First Team as both as junior and senior and earned Second Team honors as a sophomore. Christmas led the A-10 in scoring in each of the past three seasons, becoming the first player in conference history to accomplish that feat. He leaves Temple as the school’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made.

ESPN.COM SAYS: One of those players you have to root for, Christmas did not get drafted and is trying to make an NBA team.

Blake Ahearn (6-2/190)
Ahearn has played a total of 15 games in the NBA for San Antonio and Miami, averaging 5.2 points, 1.4 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 13.1 minutes per game. He was named First Team All D-League this past season and took home D-League Rookie of the Year honors in 2007-08. Ahearn led the D-League in 3-pointers made last season on 43.1% shooting.

Gary Forbes (6-6/221)
Forbes played his final two seasons at Massachusetts after starting his collegiate career at Virginia. He joined Julius Erving as the only players in UMass history to score 1,000 points in two seasons. After going undrafted last year, Forbes spent time playing overseas and in the D-League this past season.

Rob Kurz (6-9/232)
Kurz signed as a rookie free agent with Golden State last summer and went on to appear in 40 games with five starts for the Warriors, averaging 3.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 11.1 minutes per game. He attended Germantown Academy and William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia.

From the Nets

AJ Abrams, Jeff Adrian, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Jason Ellis, Chris Johnson, Terrence Williams