News release from the Mad Ants:
Howard, Smith Among Prospects Invited to NBA D-League Elite Camp
(May 13, 2013) – Ron Howard and Tommy Smith will be among the top NBA Development League prospects at the fourth-annual NBA Development League Elite Mini Camp today and tomorrow at Chicago’s Quest Multisports gym. The camp features top 2012-13 NBA D-League prospects, giving players the opportunity to display their skills and be evaluated by NBA team personnel. Mad Ants assistant coach Steve Gansey will assist at the camp.
The two-day event features both drill work and full-court games for players to most accurately showcase their talents. NBA front office executives and scouts are expected to be on hand to evaluate the talent, as NBA teams look to fill Summer League and training camp rosters.
Ron Howard, a 6-5, 190 lb. veteran guard out of Valparaiso, averaged 19.1 points, 4.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 34.4 minutes per game in his sixth season with the Mad Ants, despite being hampered by an injured wrist throughout most of the year. In two playoff appearances for the Ants this year, Howard averaged 23.5 points per game. Howard is a two-time NBA Development League All-Star and was named the recipient of the 2013 NBA Development League Jason Collier Sportsmanship Award.
Tommy Smith, a 6-10, 215 lb. center out of Arizona State, joined the Mad Ants in January 2013 and averaged 6.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 29 games with Fort Wayne this season. The Mad Ants traded their 3rd round draft pick in the 2013 NBA D-League draft to the Santa Cruz Warriors in exchange for Smith, who was drafted in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. Smith averaged 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 32 games for the Bulls. He then spent time playing in the Philippines, Germany, Syria and China before being acquired by the Dakota Wizards in December of 2011.
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