George Washington University Athletics
Mike Hall Signs with Washington Wizards
9/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Sept. 14, 2006
WASHINGTON, DC -- Former George Washington basketball player Mike Hall has signed a contract to attend training camp with the NBA's Washington Wizards, Wizards President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld announced Thursday. The terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Hall is the third player from the 2005-06 Colonials' team to make the jump to the National Basketball Association. Danilo (J.R.) Pinnock was selected with the 58th pick in the second round of the NBA Draft on June 28, by the Dallas Mavericks, before his rights were dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers. Pops Mensah-Bonsu has signed a contract with the NBA finalist Mavericks.
The Wizards also signed three other players, James Lang, Roger Mason Jr. and Kevinn Pinkney, to training camp contracts yesterday. "These are versatile and hard-working players who will help make our training camp very competitive," said Grunfeld.
Hall, a 6-8 forward and Chicago native, posted career averages of 10.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 48 percent from the field in 117 collegiate career games with GW. He averaged 11.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in 30 games during his senior season. Hall became the first Colonials player to lead the team in rebounding all four years since Alexander Koul accomplished the feat from 1994-95 through 1997-98.
Hall spent much of the summer playing for the Denver Nuggets in the Toshiba Vegas Summer League. In five games, he averaged five points and just over three rebounds per game.
"I think it is a great opportunity for me to be back in the D.C. area," Hall said. "After four years of college here I fell in love with the area. I have been following the Wizards and it is a great organization. I am eager to show them that I can play. I just love to play defense and rebound. I can do the little things to help the team win. I want to play defense and help the team."
GW (27-3, 16-0 A-10) is coming off the best campaign in the 92-season history of the program. GW concluded the regular season with a 26-1 mark that included a school-record 18-game winning streak. The Colonials won all 16 Atlantic 10 Conference games en route to the regular-season title and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 8 seed. The Colonials defeated No. 9-seed UNC Wilmington in the first round Mar. 16 before falling to overall No. 1 seed Duke in the second round on Mar. 18, in Greensboro, NC, as part of the Atlanta Regional.
