The Halifax Rainmen have finally landed a big man.
The Rainmen announced the signing of 6-foot-11 former Minnesota Timberwolves draft choice Gordon Malone yesterday and moved a step closer to finalizing their starting lineup for the 2010 Premier Basketball League season.
The 35-year-old was an NCAA Division I standout in 1996-97 at West Virginia and was picked 44th overall by the Timberwolves in 1997 but never played in the NBA.
The Rainmen have been searching for a legitimate starting centre for the better part of their two seasons.
“He runs the floor extremely well, he’s athletic, he can score with his back to the basket, he rebounds well and he’s a good defender,” said Rainmen owner Andre Levingston. “He’s going to cause a lot of problems for a lot of teams.
“He’s going to make his presence felt immediately.”
Malone is expected to start along with the big three of Tony Bennett, Jason McLeish and Desmond Ferguson. Projected returnee Eric Crookshank could also start.
Levingston called Malone an “NBA talent.”
Malone’s last pro stop was in 2007-08 with the American Basketball Association’s Strong Island Sound. He has also played for the Harlem Globetrotters and had stops in the Continental Basketball Association, Argentina and China.
