Here's a little of what we know about some of our former Panther basketball players:
? Nate Williams, right, has been signed by the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats to play in the 2006 Orlando Summer League. The 6-11 Williams reported July 3 to the Bobcats training camp at Presbyterian Hospital Training Center in Charlotte. This team will compete July 10-14 in Orlando at the RDV Sportsplex in Maitland, just off I-4 north of downtown. The NBA teams in the Orlando Summer League are the Chicago Bulls, the Indiana Pacers, the NBA Champion Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic, the New Jersey Nets and the Charlotte Bobcats. Williams' Charlotte team will play July 10 vs. Miami, July 11 vs. Chicago, July 12 vs. Orlando, July 13 vs. New Jersey and July 14 vs. Indiana. Williams' Charlotte teammates this summer will include No. 1 pick Adam Morrison (Gonzaga), Curtis Withers (from the Charlotte 49ers), Sean May (from North Carolina), Ryan Hollins (UCLA), and Brett Blizzard (UNC Wilmington).
Williams has previously played in the New Orleans Hornets training camp (2004) and the Los Angeles Lakers Summer Camp team (2004). Nate played this year for the Beijing Jinyu Ducks in the Asia-Basketball League on a first place team that went 31-9. We found a few clips that showed Nate scoring 30 points in one game and 29 points in another. Nate's play in the 2004 Summer Camp helped him get signed to New Orleans as he scored 60 points, grabbed 33 rebounds and blocked a couple shots with the Lakers team. Williams had been a two-time first-team All-Conference pick at Georgia State (2001-2004) with 1,222 points, 540 rebounds and 113 blocked shots.
? Thomas Terrell repeated as Most Valuable Player with his Barcelona, Spain, team in the European Basketball League. The 6-7 scoring machine led the league in scoring and shot 59% from the field while being second in the league in rebounding (8.6). The forward for the CB L'Hospitalet team also was chosen for a TV commercial with the No. 1 motorcycle rider in the world, Danny Pedroza.
One web story referred to him as "the Emperor of the LEB." Thomas was an All-America honorable mention player for the Panthers who scored 1,193 points in just two seasons with a 20.5 average as a senior. Most exciting for Thomas is that he returns to Atlanta every summer and will graduate from Georgia State in August before returning back overseas for his six-figure basketball career.
? Lamont McIntosh finished his second European basketball season. He played in Belgium with the Verviers-Pepinster team. Lamont excelled with a 15-point per game scoring average, shooting 50% from the field and making 59 three-point baskets. Lamont started the year 25-of-26 from the free throw line to finish the year at 84% from the charity stripe. When he was hot, he was hot. He scored 36 points in one game by making 18-of-21 field goals, scored 31 points in another by making 16-of-24 baskets and scored 27 points in yet another game. His Belgium team was a delightful 15-3 at home but just 1-17 on the road. Lamont graduated on time with his degree in business from Georgia State.
? Marcus Brown also played some in Belgium in the European League with the Liege team. In 19 games, Marcus scored 104 points (5.8 per game). His top game appeared to be a 23-point night when he hit 8-of-11 shots including 7-of-9 three-point baskets. He was back in Atlanta this summer helping out with the Mike Perry Basketball Camp. He had earned his college degree from State and spent some time this spring substitute teaching in Atlanta.
? Lanard Copeland has set the standard for determination and dedication. He just finished a 16th pro season in Australia, playing with Adelaide after stints with Brisbane and Melbourne. Copeland is almost "a legend" in that country as he's scored 10,000 points and been a multiple All-Star pick. Copeland began with two years with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA before heading overseas. Lanard is a 6-6 guard who turned 41 years young on July 16.
? Reports were not quite as clear on where some other former Panthers were playing, but it is thought that Trello Galloway, Kevin Thomas, Leroy Davis and Cedric Patton are all continuing to play in the professional overseas leagues.
