Derrick Byars

Derrick Byars JaVaughn ( born April 25, 1984 in Memphis, Tennessee ) is an American professional basketball player. After studying in his native country he has played as a professional for several clubs in Europe, including Cologne were the 99ers and ALBA Berlin in the German Basketball League, where he Beko BBL Cup 2013 won with the Berliners. Since 2014 he plays in the Eastern European VTB United League for the novice Krasny Oktjabr from Volgograd.

Career

After a few games in the NBA Summer League, including at Orlando Magic and the New Orleans Hornets, he joined in November 2007 at the Cologne 99ers to Germany, where he played in eight games. In January 2008 he moved to French club Chorale Roanne Basket, where it was used in a game at the highest European League ULEB Euro League, and was with him the national runner-up in France. The following season Byars played in the NBA Development League for the Bakersfield Jam. He reached the first playoff round with them and was elected to the All- NBDL Second Team. After further playing in the NBA Summer League for the Chicago Bulls, he moved back to the beginning of November 2009 BBL to Alba Berlin, with whom he could reach the German Cup final. The following summer, he tried one more time on participation in the NBA Summer League for the Chicago Bulls to get a professional contract with an NBA club. As he failed again, he signed for season 2010/11 a contract with Panellinios Athens in the Greek A1 Ethniki. After only five games this contract was terminated again and Byars played from January 2011 back to Bakersfield Jam in the Development League.

For the 2011/12 season he returned once more for Europe and played back at Cholet Basket in France. There, however, he completed only a Euro League qualifier and a championship game, before the contract was canceled again. In the shortened because of a lockout NBA Preseason he was then briefly in December 2011 at the Miami Heat under contract before he played again in 2012 for the Bakersfield Jam in the D- League. At season's end of 2012, he finally got a contract but in the NBA and played his first game for the San Antonio Spurs.

For the season 2012/2013 Byars received a new contract in the NBA and eventually joined in November 2012 re- Alba Berlin. There he received initially a temporary contract until the end of December 2012, which was extended until the end of the season, and reached with the German club the second round of the 16 best teams in the top-ranked European club competition ULEB Euro League 2012/13. In national competitions, however, the Berliner resigned after winning the BBL Cup in 2013 in the first round of the play -offs for the championship early from. After the early end of the season in Europe, Byars graduated from the caciques Humacao in the Puerto Rican Baloncesto Superior Nacional. Then Byars was in pre-season in the squad of the Memphis Grizzlies in his native city, but was released again from the squad just before the season starts. Only at the beginning of 2014 he signed a new contract and then change to " Krasny Oktjabr " ( German Red October ) from Volgograd, which have been newly added to this season in the VTB United League 2013/14.