7-footer Joins Skyforce

It’s not often that a big man makes a little splash, but that seems to be the case here.  The Sioux Falls Skyforce announced the signing of Hassan Whiteside to be one of the caretakers of the paint.  In the process, they waived Dan Coleman who started the first six games for the once-beaten Skyforce.

The covert move came in the form of Whiteside’s selection from the player pool on Tuesday December 5th.  At that time the Skyforce website noted the addition to the roster, but the same 10 players that opened the season suited up for the team for the weekend games with Erie on Friday December 7th and Texas on December 8th.

Apparently, Whiteside was not quite ready to play, but the move was made to choose an available player with an NBA pedigree before someone else took him.  Sioux Falls was able to use an injury designation to keep Whiteside in-house until he was ready to go.

The background on Hassan Whiteside is quite colorful.  He played one year in college with the Thundering Herd of Marshall University.  In that one year he was the first freshman ever to collect three triple-doubles.  He led the nation in blocked shots that season and became the career leader in blocked shots for Marshall.  That’s pretty impressive for a single year of college.  When his head coach took another position at another school, Whiteside took to the NBA and was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the second round.  This is not Whiteside's only foray into the NBA Development League. He did play against the Skyforce on assignment with the Reno Bighorns, but eventually missed half the season with a torn knee tendon.  Whiteside has been a basketball nomad since July, but will get some seasoning in Sioux Falls.

Whiteside won’t even be the tallest player on the squad as he is about five inches shorter than Will Foster.  Whiteside isn’t even the best shot blocker on the team with NCAA career block shot record holder Jarvis Vanardo in the fold.  The makes the current roster long on big men in more ways than one.  The Skyforce take on the Austin Toros in a weekend back-to-back Friday and Saturday at the Sioux Falls Arena.  Game time 7:05pm Central time both nights.