Both Donnie and Don Nelson said after the draft that they were in the process of trying to sign a seven foot athletic center that nobody has heard of. This guy apparently is coming off some kind of knee problem. Later in the same day, Mark Cuban was quoted on ESPN as saying that the Mavs were in the process of signing a guy named Garth Joseph.
I can't say that I've ever heard of the guy, but here is some info I've found on him.
Position: C
Born: 08/08/73
Height: 7-2 / 2,18
Weight: 306 lbs. / 138,8 kg.
College - St. Rose College (NY) '97
A space eating defender and deadly short range shooter with a death touch for a big man. Joseph is a large man who wears a size XXXXXL uniform and a size 18 shoe. Growing up on Dominica (an island in the West Indies under British control, known by Americans mostly for its medical school), he originally played soccer as a youth and only began to play basketball at 16. He began to grow at the age of 12 and did not envision a college, let alone professional basketball career. Driven more by academics than sports, Joseph dreamed of attending college in the United States.
Career:
1994-1995: St.Rose (NCAA2): RebDivII-2(12.8), FGPDivII-3(.679), 14.2ppg
1995-1996: St.Rose (NCAA2): 15.8ppg, 11.8rpg, 3.3bpg
1996-1997: St.Rose (NCAA2): 13.8ppg, 11.5rpg: Ranks as the school’s all-time leading rebounder with 1,072; Ranks as the school’s all-time blocked shots leader with 300, just five shy of the NCAA Division II record; Ranks as the school’s seventh all-time scorer with 1,289 points; Recorded 58 career double-doubles over 89 games
1997: NBA Chicago Pre-Draft Camp
1997: Boston Celtics (NBA) summer camp
1997-1998: Peristeri Athens (GRE): 6 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1.5 assists per game, while shooting 65% FG and 70% FT for one of the top teams in Greece
1998-1999: Mansfield Hawks (IBA): averaged 14 points, 13 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, and 3 assists, while shooting 62% FG and 67% FT
1999: Atlantic City Seagulls (USBL), in May'99 was placed on the inactive list
1999-2000: Nov. '99 Training Camp with Trenton Shooting Stars (IBL,1T), the signed with team for the season: 6.9ppg, 6.9rpg
2000-2001: Toronto Raptors (NBA): 2games: 1ppg, 1rpg, in Jan.'01 traded to Denver Nuggets (NBA): 2games: 0pts, but released the same month
2001: Shaw’s Pro Summer League in Boston (Washington Wizards)
2001-2002: At the end of Nov.'01 signed at Shanshi Dongshen (CHN): 28.5 points, 19.7 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks; Led the league in rebounds and dunks, ranked second in blocks, and ranked fourth in points
2002: Adirondack Wildcats (USBL): left in May due to lack of playing time
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Awards/Achievements:
IBA All-Star 2nd Team -99
IBA Champion -99
USBL’s All-Defensive team -99
Chinese League All-Star Team -02