C's sign Jarvis Varnado

C's sign Jarvis Varnado

By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

Thin on frontcourt depth, the Boston Celtics will sign D-League forward Jarvis Varnado, according to a tweet from his representatives at Impact Sports.

Varnado, a 6-foot-9 forward, averaged 14 points, 10 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game in 10 appearances for the Sioux Falls Skyforce this season. The 24-year-old was drafted in the second round (41st overall) of the 2010 draft by the Miami Heat. He spent time in Israel and Italy before landing in the D-League this winter.

The Celtics had an open roster spot after Darko Milicic left the team last month. Boston's need for a big man was heightened when Doc Rivers disclosed today that center/forward Chris Wilcox will miss about a month due to a right thumb issue.

Varnado is an athletic big man who can rebound and block shots. The Celtics, who struck gold when they signed Greg Stiemsma last season after his time in Sioux Falls, are hoping to find another serviceable young big via the Skyforce.

Rivers said Sunday that he wasn't sure the team would ink a big man before the team's upcoming four-game road trip, but the Celtics appear to have moved quick to add depth. The addition will put Boston at the 15-man roster limit, but the Celtics could still be players at the trade deadline if they desire to seek further frontcourt upgrades.

The Celtics also have rookie center Fab Melo with Maine of the D-League, but Rivers hinted Sunday that Melo simply isn't ready for the NBA level at the moment.
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CSNE

Celtics to sign Jarvis Varnado of D-League

The Boston Celtics have been looking for help on the glass, and they hope to have found it in the D-League.

No, it's not Fab Melo -- not yet anyways.

The Celtics will sign forward Jarvis Varnado of the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Varnado's agency, Impact Sports, confirmed the news via Twitter, first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Y! Sports.

Varnado, a former second-round pick by the Miami Heat in 2010, never played a game in the NBA, instead playing overseas while the Heat held his rights. He was released in training camp before the NBA season.

In 10 games for Sioux Falls, the 6-9, 210-pound forward out of Mississippi State averaged 14.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and a league-high 3.9 blocks in 30.5 minutes per game.

Varnado earned D-League Player of the Week honors for games played Nov. 23 - Dec. 2. after leading his team to a 3-0 record averaging 15.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.7 blocks per game.

Varnado was recently in New England as the Skyforce played the Red Claws in Maine. The Skyforce won that one, and here are the highlights -- including a couple blocks by Varnado.

http://www.nba.com/dleague/video/2012/12/02/vmsarchivehighlightsSXFMNE120212-2312666

Varnado is a three-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2008-2010).

According to his Wikipedia, Varnado is one of just two college players in history to achieve the 1,000/1,000/500 milestone (points/rebounds/blocks), the other being David Robinson.
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SB NATION

Scout's Eye: Jarvis Varnado and Andrew Goudelock Making Strong Cases for NBA Call-Ups

By David Scrivines on Dec 5, 10:00a

With the Sioux Falls Skyforce off to a very strong start, many of the team's players are sure to be considered for NBA call-ups this season. With that in mind, Jarvis Varnado and Andrew Goudelock are two players making strong early cases for a shot in The Association.

Jarvis Varnado and Andrew Goudelock, both of the Sioux Falls Skyforce, are making strong cases for early-season NBA call-ups. RidiculousUpside.com's new resident scout, David Scrivines, provides an evaluation after watching the pair play an away game in Springfield.

Jarvis Varnado

A Mississippi State product, Varnado was named D-League Player of the Week for November 23-December 2. The 6-foot, 10-inch forward averaged 15.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.7 blocked shots per game through the first three games of the season.

Varnado is an athletic, shot blocking post player who physically resembles the body type of Walter McCarty. He was a second-round pick (41st overall) by Miami in 2010, but was waived by the Heat in training camp this fall.

The forward spent the past two years playing in Israel and Italy, while the Heat maintained his rights. This followed a very successful four-year career at Mississippi State, where Varnado averaged 10 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4 blocks over the course of 141 career games. He finished his career as the only player in NCAA history to record at least 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 blocks.

Varnado holds the NCAA record for most career blocks with 564, while becoming the first player to be named as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in three consecutive seasons (2008, 2009, and 2010).

The big man is still raw on the offensive end. He doesn't have a "go to" move and needs to develop a better idea of what to do with the ball in the post. Varnado did show some ability with his back to the basket, feeling the defense and spinning accordingly. He put up 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and blocked eight shots against the Springfield Armor last week.

Varnado needs to work harder to defend the post, fight for position and bump the receiver out of his comfort zone. Despite this, he is a solid offensive rebounder and plays the game with energy and enthusiasm. With refinement of his offensive skills, Varnado could eventually get some NBA minutes down the road.

Andrew Goudelock

Goudelock, on the other hand, currently ranks fifth in the D-League in scoring at 23.7 points per game, while pulling in 5.3 rebounds per game. He is currently shooting 39.7% from the field and 84.6% from the free throw line.

The shooting guard physically resembles a taller version of Dana Barros. He was a second-round pick (46th overall) with the Lakers in the 2011 NBA Draft. Goudelock averaged 4.4 points in 10.5 minutes in 40 games with the team last season.

In his lone game on assignment last season with the L.A. D-Fenders, Goudelock scored 24 points, grabbed four rebounds, and had seven assists and two steals. A volume scorer, Goudelock average 18.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in four seasons at the College of Charleston.

He averaged 23.7 points his senior season, ranking him fourth nationally among NCAA Division I scoring leaders. Goudelock also ranks first in school history in career points (2,571) and three-point field goals made (396).

Goudelock showed tremendous confidence on the court, while displaying a fundamentally sound skill set against the Armor last week. The 6-foot, 3-inch product showed some explosiveness in the open floor, comparable to Kerry Kittles.

The guard also uses a floater in the paint successfully, similar to Sherman Douglas. He anticipates well on defense and works hard. Goudelock is a scorer who has a place in the NBA.

He is more deserving than simply a ten-day contract, and is also someone that could see an early-season call-up to the NBA.

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Color me 'confused'. The Celts are in need of BIG men (height AND beef), one of their BIG men, F/C Chris Wilcox is down for a month, and they replace him with a 6'9"/6'10", 210# toothpick?

For those that thought Melo might be ready for NBA minutes after his monster triple-double the other day, this pretty much squashes that. If Danny and Doc would rather sign this guy instead of bringing up a guy who is already signed and has been playing within the Celtics system, it says scads about Melo's readiness.

Small-ball is one thing, now we're moving towards micro-ball.


bob


.

Bob,

How much do they have to pay him?

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In an effort to "get with the program", here are some teasers of newly-minted Celtic, Jarvis Varnado.

I like that the highlights show both man-to-man as well as weak-side blocked shots. If all they showed was one, that might be a problem. He looks ridiculously long. DraftExpress says he's 6'8 1/4" w/o shoes, 6'10" with shoes (sounds about right, and this is how the NBA measures players now, with shoes) and a 7'3 1/2" wingspan. Well, we know Danny loves players with wingspans like 747s.


Something that I don't see mentioned is that at Mississippi State, Varnado broke Shaq's NCAA record for career blocks.













bob



.

And Doc says he wants to stay BIG after Avery returns. Confusing sign to me.
I love a big center playing along side Garnett, helps to not wear him out as much, although the other night I think was the worst game I have seen KG in in a Celtic uniform.

Confusling??

Rosalie,

I read the same article......it is very confusing. When Doc begins to talk gibberish something bigger usually is in the works.

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It seems likely that this guy was the best candidate Danny could find in terms of his skills, rather than his physique. I wouldn't deign to allude to the old days for fear of having a hit put out on me, but there are a number of people in the NBA nowadays who are intimidators without being behemoths.

Sam

Pre-Draft Scouting Report.





http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jarvis-Varnado-1189/



bob


.

Remember guys...Russell was not built like Wilt Chamberlin. He was on the thin side as well. Who knows but it will be fund to watch......."as blocked shots danced in our heads."

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OK; everyone together now...

WHO?

That feels better, doesn't it? [Safe bet you never see him take the floor/not signed for actual game play except emergency]

Regardless of whom we do or don't sign, Merry Christmas to all!

Also, this guy was cut in September by the woefully frontcourt thin Miami Heat.

That doesn't exactly garner excitement about this signing. Or even confidence.

Hey,

Has anyone ever heard of the Christmas Movie........"Miracle on Causeway Street"

There truly is a rebounder and shot blocker on the Boston Celtics. Really!

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