Today the Lakers announced via press release that they have signed rookie forward Ryan Kelly. Kelly was taken 48th overall by the Lakers in the 2013 NBA Draft out of Duke University.
Kelly was named ACC player of the week twice in his senior year at Duke and received honorable mention for the All-ACC team. Kelly missed 13 games with a foot injury during his senior year with Duke, and is currently recovering from an operation to repair the foot he injured during the season.
In his senior year with Duke, he averaged nearly 13 points with 5.3 rebound and 1.6 blocked shots.
Kelly is best known for his ability to shoot the three. If anything is going to get him minutes this season, it will be his ability to consistently knock down the three in D’Antoni’s system. Kelly isn’t the most athletic guy in the world, and isn’t particularly a great defender, but is a deft enough passer to be able to gel with the likes of Steve Nash and Pau Gasol.
Kelly still hasn’t fully recovered from his injured foot, and is not expected to be back for the start of training camp.
[showhide type=”pressrelease”]The Los Angeles Lakers have signed rookie forward Ryan Kelly, it was announced today. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.Kelly, a 6-11 forward out of Duke, was selected by the Lakers in the second round (48th overall pick) in the 2013 NBA draft. The former McDonald’s All-American, who earned a 2010 NCAA Championship as well as two ACC Championships with Duke, played all four seasons for the Blue Devils where he averaged 7.5 points and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 46 % from the field. As a senior, Kelly was named ACC Player of the Week twice and earned honorable mention All-ACC honors despite missing 13 games due to injury. Kelly finished his final season with the Blue Devils averaging 12.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocked shots in 28.9 minutes.[/showhide]
