Arkansas RimRockers Forward Roger Powell Receives Sportsmanship Award - NBA D-League

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MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - GREENVILLE, S.C., April 7, 2007 – Arkansas Rim Rockers forward Roger Powell has been named by NBA Development League head coaches as the recipient of the 2006-07 Jason Collier Sportsmanship Award, which honors a player who best represents the ideals of character and conduct on the court. Powell will be honored by the league at the RimRockers final home game on Saturday, April 7.

“Everyone that meets Roger remembers him, because he is such a nice person. He respects and talks to everyone, it doesn’t matter who it is. Whether it’s on the court or walking down the street, he will see someone and stop to shake their hand,” Arkansas head coach Andy Stoglin said. “Roger is like the guys I grew up with; he’s old school. He reminds me of Magic (Johnson) and Isiah (Thomas), always has a smile on his face.”
 
Selected as an honorable mention All-D-League selection by league coaches this season, Powell currently leads the D-League in scoring at 22.0 points per game, and a 46-point night against Fort Worth on February 2 is the third-highest individual scoring night this season.

“Roger Powell is a very worthy recipient of the Jason Collier Sportsmanship Award,” D-League Vice President of Basketball Operations and Player Personnel Chris Alpert said. “Not only is he a tremendous basketball player with a bright future, but he is great ambassador of the sport and he plays with a tremendous amount of respect for the game, his teammates, and opponents.”

The name of the Sportsmanship Award was changed in 2006 to honor former D-League, Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks center Jason Collier, who passed away suddenly on October 15, 2005. Collier was a first team 2003-04 All-D-League selection as a member of the Fayetteville Patriots, but more importantly, a player and person who exemplified the qualities of a faithful teammate, husband, father, son, brother and friend. He was ready to begin his sixth NBA season at the time of his unexpected death. Current Portland Trail Blazers forward Ime Udoka was the initial winner of the award in 2006.