Devyn Marble gets 21 points in D-League debut

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - As an enterprising reporter - or as someone who wanted an excuse to get out of Jacksonville from time to time - I had a big idea.

I'd drive the 150 miles or so from Jacksonville to Orlando this week to interview the Orlando Magic's Devyn Marble about what life in his rookie NBA season is like after his stellar career at Iowa.

The best-laid plans ... A few days ago, the Magic sent Marble to their D-League affiliate in Erie, Pa. He hadn't gotten any playing time in a month, and the Magic weren't going to be doing any practicing with games on the 26th, 27th, 29th and 30th. The NBA life.

So Marble has become an Erie BayHawk for the time beginning. He made his D-League debut Saturday night in Erie, collecting 21 points and 8 rebounds in the BayHawks' 118-107 win over the Bakersfield Jam.

'I was just trying to get my rhythm back, and my wind and game shape back, so this was real good for me to come out and play 41 minutes.” Marble told the Erie Times-News. 'I got in a little practice yesterday, and I knew a lot of these guys from training camp in Orlando and knew some of these guys playing them in college. They welcomed me, and I was happy to contribute to a win.”

Marble's season was altered on Nov. 5 when he suffered a sprained rotator cuff as a result of this shot he had blocked by the Minnesota Timberwolves' Mo Williams. He has played in just five minutes over five games for Orlando. He scored four points in the team's season-opener at New Orleans, and hasn't scored since.

He was the Magic's second-round pick, and it's common for second-rounders to get assignments to D-League teams. Even first-rounders these days.

T.J. Warren, the 14th pick in the 2014 NBA draft out of North Carolina State, was recently assigned to Bakersfield by the Phoenix Suns. He had a game-high 29 points in Saturday's game at Erie.

Teammate Tyler Ennis was taken 18th in the draft after leaving Syracuse following his freshman season. He went down to Bakersfield from Phoenix with Warren. Ennis had 14 points for the Jam Saturday.