Four Vipers Honored with GATORADE All-NBA Development League Selections

MCALLEN, TEXAS – The defending NBA DevelopmentLeague champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers announced Wednesday that Jeff Adrien (6-7, 245, UConn) andHouston Rockets-assignee Marcus Cousin(6-11, 255, Houston) are members of the All-NBA Development League Second Team,Jerel McNeal (6-3, 200, Marquette)is on the All-NBA Development League Third Team, and Patrick Sullivan (6-9, 215, S.E. Louisiana) earned honorablemention, as voted on by the league head coaches.

The NBA Development League Player of the Monthfor January, Adrien averaged 18.3 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 27games (21 starts). He led the league with 20 double-doubles. After joining theVipers on December 30, the Vipers went on a 10-game winning streak to kick offa 22-game stretch in which they went 18-4 record (.818). Adrien averaged 19.9points, 12.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks while starting 20 games with the Vipers.Adrien became the second GATORADE Call-Up from the Vipers this season and the14th in franchise history when he signed with the Golden StateWarriors for the rest of the season on February 25.

Signed by the Rockets on Monday and thenassigned to the Vipers, Cousin made his debut for the Vipers last night, scoringsix points with one rebound and two blocks in 11 minutes off the bench. In 46games (45 starts) with the Austin Toros, Cousin averaged 14.9 points, 8.6rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. A Western Conference All-Star, Cousin wastied for sixth in the league with 19 double-doubles. Cousin’s first GATORADECall-Up came when he signed a 10-day contract with the Utah Jazz on March 9. Infour games, Cousin scored four points with three rebounds and one block in 18minutes. He hit 2-of-3 shots.

McNeal averaged 19.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.4assists and 1.3 steals while starting 47 games during the regular season. Theonly three games he missed came during a GATORADE Call-Up to the New OrleansHornets. He did not see any action during his 10 days in the NBA.

Sullivan averaged 9.4 points and 5.0 rebounds in50 games (19 starts). He is one of only three Vipers to appear in every regularseason game.