Sioux Falls Skyforce Forward Okaro White Will Play Rest of Season with Miami Heat
Assuredly, the Heat are not going to win the rest of their games this season because of his mere presence on the roster. In the age of instant sensations, 10-O-karo has become a source of delight in South Beach and in South Dakota.
With the ascension of White to The Association, another player’s precipitous fall coincides. Derrick Williams must be released in order to free up the roster spot which was reported by Shams Charania of The Vertical.
Miami was in the position of facing two deadlines as their game looms tonight (February 6) against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Deadline number one was the expiration of the second 10-day contract offered to White on Sunday.
At this particular crossroads generally two things can happen in the short term. White can be signed by the Heat for the rest of the season or be waived. Cutting White loose would then open up other opportunities because any other NBA team could offer their own 10-day deal. If no NBA team came calling, then the likely prospect of a Sioux Falls return takes hold.
Look at the paths of these two players and how they intersect:
Williams is currently 25 years old and entered the NBA Draft after completing his sophomore season at Arizona. White is currently 24 years old and is getting his first taste of the NBA after four years at Florida State.
Williams is currently in his sixth NBA season after being the second player taken in the 2011 draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. After two plus years in the Twin Citites, he was traded to Sacramento and spent the better part of two years with the Kings then played in 80 games with the New York Knicks last season.
White took the international route out of college playing two years in Europe. His first year was in Italy then earned Most Spectacular Player honors while with Aris Thessaloniki in the Greek League for year two.
Both Williams and White were in Miami’s training camp with Williams holding a season-long guaranteed contract. Meanwhile White with his lack of NBA pedigree was only on a partially guaranteed deal and an offer to play in Sioux Falls if he didn’t make the day one roster.
Williams played just 25 games with the Heat with averages of 5.9 points and 4 rebounds while hitting just under 40 percent of his shots. In Sioux Falls, White put up 18.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game with 8 double doubles in the NBADL. However in the nine games while wearing a Heat uniform White is 4 points, 2 rebounds per contest but has shown the ability to connect from long range hitting 46 percent from behind the arc.
White becomes the fifth Skyforce player to earn a call-up to play the rest of the season with Miami in the last four years joining Justin Hamilton, Henry Walker, Tyler Johnson and Briante Weber. Rodney McGruder earned his current spot with the Heat by advancing out of training camp.
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