Former LSU basketball star Ronald Dupree made the most of his NBA debut.
Signed by the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 7, Dupree came off the bench later that day to lead the team with 18 points and nine rebounds in his first game against the Miami Heat.
“It’s just a game, man,” Dupree said of his debut in an interiew with the Associated Press. “I was able to get into a rhythm early and my teammates got me involved.”
Bulls coach Scott Skiles said he was impressed by the rookie’s play.
“He’s got life in his body,” Skiles told the AP. “When you watch him play, he’s in stark contrast to some other guys. I hope he can keep it going.”
Dupree followed up his debut game with strong performances off the bench against Portland (eight points), New Orleans (seven points), Detroit (10 points), and Memphis (12 points). The 6-foot-7 forward cracked the starting lineup Saturday against the Knicks and started again Monday at Washington.
For the season Dupree is fifth on the Bulls in scoring with 10.3 points per game, and is averaging 26.7 minutes per contest.
The former LSU star’s path to the NBA has been anything but smooth. The eighth-leading scorer in LSU history, Dupree went undrafted in the 2003 NBA draft.
Dupree then played with the Pistons in the 2003 Pepsi Pro Summer League, earning an invitation to the team’s training camp. After playing in seven preseason games, Dupree was waived by the Pistons on Oct. 23.
Following his stint with Detroit, Dupree was picked by the Huntsville Flight with the seventh overall selection in the 2003 NBA Developmental League Draft. The forward quickly established himself as one of the best players in the six-team league, averaging 16.9 points in 15 games, including a 33-point performance against the Asheville Altitude on Jan. 3.
The Chicago Bulls noticed his progress and made Dupree the second player called up from the NBADL this season.
“I knew I was able to play in this league,” Dupree said in an interview with the Chicago Daily Herald. “It was just a matter of time to get the opportunity. A lot of guys that were drafted are not in my situation.”
Dupree signed his second 10-day contract on Jan. 17. NBA rules permit a player to sign only two 10-day contracts with a team. After the second 10-day contract expires, the player must be signed to a deal for the rest of the year or be released.
LSU coach John Brady said he was not surprised at the dedication Dupree showed on his road to the NBA.
“Ronald Dupree, one thing he is is a character guy, and he’s going to take most of the problems that people see as problems as challenges for him, and that’s what he did in this case,” Brady said. “Now he’s doing what he’s always wanted to do, and hopefully now that he’s there he can sustain it and work himself into a contract for next year.”
“I’m just as happy as I can be for him,” Brady said. “He’s a great guy.”