All season long Sioux Falls proved to be the best defensive team in the NBADL. The player who sparked the ferocity gets his proper respect.

In a press release from the League, it was announced that Skyforce guard DeAndre Liggins was named the 2015-16 NBA Development League Defensive Player of the Year by a vote of the league’s 19 head coaches. This is the second such honor for Liggins, who also earned the award in 2013-14 with Sioux Falls. It is the third time that a Skyforce player has won the award joining center Greg Stiemsma who captured the honor in 2010.

Liggins (6-6, 204, Kentucky) played in 34 games (33 starts) for Sioux Falls this season, anchoring a Skyforce defense that held opponents to league lows of 98.1 points per game and 98.5 points per 100 possessions. The Skyforce allowed 96.0 points per 100 possessions when Liggins was on the court, giving him the league’s best individual defensive rating. Sioux Falls’ opponents shot only 44.1 percent from the field, the second-lowest mark in the NBA D-League. In addition, the Skyforce as a team set a new franchise record for fewest points allowed in a season (4,905)

Liggins tied for second in the NBA D-League with 2.1 steals per game. He also averaged 13.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 7 assists in 38.4 minutes. Liggins becomes the third person to win the award twice joining Stefhon Hannah and Derrick Zimmerman.
A 2016 NBA D-League All-Star, Liggins helped the Skyforce to an NBA D-League-record 40 wins and the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the playoffs. The team swept the Westchester Knicks during the Conference Semifinals and currently leads the Canton Charge 1-0 in the Conference Finals.

A three-year contributor at Kentucky, Liggins was selected in the second round (53rd pick overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. He has played in 57 NBA games, making appearances with Orlando, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat. He owns NBA career averages of 1.6 points, 1.2 rebounds and 7.1 minutes.

Liggins will be presented with the Defensive Player of the Year Trophy on Sunday, April 17 prior to Game 2 of the NBA D-League Eastern Conference Finals. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. CT on ESPNU.


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