Former West Virginia basketball player Joe Alexander is taking another stab at the NBA. Alexander has recently been added to the Atlanta Hawks’ mini-camp roster.
After bouncing around the NBA for the last two seasons following his selection as the 8th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the 6-foot-8 forward is coming off his best season as a professional. Alexander averaged 20.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game this season for the Texas Legends of the NBA Developmental League. That was good enough to earn him a spot on the D-League all-star team.
Alexander has been busy this summer at his NBA comeback. He’s already attended free agent workouts in Oklahoma City, New York, Denver, Memphis and was in Milwaukee last week. The Bucks traded Alexander to Chicago in 2010 as part of a deal for John Salmons. Alexander played just 29 minutes in Chicago and was dropped by New Orleans in the 2011 preseason.
His two years of limited NBA experience makes Alexander the second most experienced player on the Hawks’ mini-camp roster behind Qyntel Woods who has played four years in the league. Three other former Big East players are also on the roster: Brad Wanamaker (Pitt), Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall) and Eniel Polynice (Seton Hall). The Hawks’ first round pick, Keith Benson of Oakland is also on the team.