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Fort Wayne Mad Ants Select Four Players And Perform Trade In 2016 NBA D-League Draft

The Fort Wayne Mad Ants, presented by Lutheran Health Network, gained the rights to four players after the conclusion of the 2016 NBA D-League Draft.

“Today’s draft was a culmination of months of hard work by our scouting staff and coaches. These four players, added to an already strong group of returning and affiliate players give us the best chance to be successful this year,” General Manager Brian Levy said. “I’m excited to get them here and see them compete against each other with the season right around the corner.”

The Mad Ants fourth overall pick of the first round, Travis Leslie is no stranger to the D-League. Leslie was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers in 2011, where he played 10 games and also played for the Bakersfield Jam. In 2012, Leslie was drafted by the Santa Cruz Warriors averaging 15.2 points per game. Named 2013 NBA D-League All-Star Game MVP, Leslie was called up to the Utah Jazz. Leslie returns to the D-League after playing overseas the past three years. He completed his last season with Medi Bayreuth in Germany, averaging 11.8 points per game and shooting 80.6-percent from the free-throw line.

After selecting Dallas Lauderdale, the Mad Ants agreed to a trade with the Maine Red Claws. Trading the draft rights of Dallas Lauderdale and returning player rights to Terran Petteway. In exchange, Fort Wayne receives the draft rights to Adam Woodbury, Maine’s original 2017 1st round pick, and the returning player rights to Omari Johnson. Woodbury finished his collegiate career this past season at the University of Iowa. He ranked first on the team in rebounding and fifth in scoring. Woodbury completed his senior season averaging 7.6 points and 8.3 rebounds in a single-season; he became the fourth Hawkeye the past 23 seasons to do so.

With the 7th pick in the second round of the draft, the Mad Ants selected Chris Fowler, a recent graduate of Central Michigan University. In his final season at CMU, Fowler averaged 16.5 points per game and shot 80-percent from the free-throw line. Fowler goes down as the Chippewa’s’ all-time assist leader (686), all-time leader in free throws made (475) and attempted (680), and ranks third all-time in steals (185) and fifth in points (1,736). He is the only player in CMU history to have all four season assist totals rank in the program’s top 10.

Mad Ants chose to select Jordan Loyd in the third round. Loyd spent three seasons at University of Indianapolis after transferring from Furman University. Lloyd finished his final Greyhound season averaging 20.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists, while shooting 50 percent (196 for 391) from the field, 41 percent (62 for 151) from 3-point range and 86 percent (151 for 176) from the foul line. Lloyd finished his career at UIndy as the 25th all-time leading scorer (1,213) and fifth in career free throw percentage (.839).

List of final draft picks:

Pick Name Pos. HT WT School

29th Chris Fowler G 6-1 191 Central Michigan University

4th Travis Leslie G 6-4 218 University of Gerorgia

48th Jordan Lloyd G 6-4 210 University of Indianapolis

20th Adam Woodbury G 7-1 245 University of Iowa

Join the Indiana Pacers’ affiliate, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, as they are celebrating their 10 Year Anniversary season. Tickets for the 2016-17 season are on sale now at Ticketmaster outlets and the Allen County War Memorial Box Office. For information on all ticket plans and promotions, visit fortwaynehoops.com or call (260) 469-HOOP