The Halifax Rainmen have signed a “Skyscraper.”
Team owner Andre Levingston announced yesterday that seven-foot-three Shagari Alleyne, nicknamed the “Skyscraper,” has signed with the Premier Basketball League club.
Alleyene played NCAA Division 1 basketball for the University of Kentucky and then professionally with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds of the NBA’s Development League.
The nickname “Skycraper” came in 2008 when he was invited to join and play with the Harlem Globetrotters.
Levingston said the Rainmen have been negotiating with the 25-year-old for about a month, and yesterday he was made available.
“He had a good training camp with the Thunderbirds, but it’s a numbers game in that league - NBA players have first options,” said Levingston, referring to an NBA player coming down to the D league and bumping Alleyne out.
Levingston said he’s very excited about having a player like Alleyne’s skill and size. He said Alleyne has an eight-foot wingspan.
“He’s talented, he’s long, and he’s a great shot blocker … he’s going to make it tough,” Levingston said of Alleyene, who in 2007 tried out for the Philadelphia 76ers but failed to make the NBA club.
Levingston also signed point guard Gary Ervin yesterday, who played NCAA Division 1 with Arkansas University and then for several teams in the NBA D league.
“He’s just tough. He’s the kind of guard were looking to come in and do some great things for us,” said Levingston.
Ervin, 26, averaged eight points per game and three assists in 25 games last season for two different clubs in the D league.
The signing of Alleyne and Ervin comes one day after the club signed four other players, including six-foot-11 centre Mark McCarroll. The 29-year-old McCarroll played NCAA Division I with the University of Pittsburgh and is an experienced professional player with several stints on overseas teams.
The Rainmen now have 13 signed players on their roster. Levingston said the club wouldn’t be signing anybody else until after the team takes to the court for pre-season games, which begin Dec. 19.
