Coby Karl Raises Game During NBA Call Up

Filed under: D-League

At least the son has some bragging rights.

By averaging 7.0 points in four recent games on a 10-day contract with Golden State, Coby Karl has raised his seasonal average to 4.0 per game.

The top seasonal NBA scoring average his father, Nuggets coach George Karl ever had was 2.7, although dad did once average 8.1 in the ABA.

The Warriors elected last week not to sign Karl to a second 10-day contract. But Karl, who said he will return to the D-League's Idaho Stampede and be in uniform for Friday's game against Iowa, relishes having had the opportunity to log real NBA minutes for the first time.

"It was a special opportunity for me,'' said the guard, who played sparingly with the Lakers in 2007-08, was out of the NBA last season, and started this season rarely playing with Cleveland before being waived last month. "I hadn't been on the floor like that any point in the last three years. I was finally able to be on the court and actually show some players and NBA personnel that I can play at (the NBA) level.''

Karl didn't shoot well at 34.4 percent, including 2-of-11 on three-pointers. But he also averaged 4.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Warriors. He had games in which he had career highs of 12 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and 38 minutes.

But Karl wasn't brought back for a second 10-day deal due to what he considered some "bad timing'' because of the All-Star beak.

"Some of their guys were getting healthy, but they didn't want to (have Karl on a second 10-day deal) during the All-Star break,'' said Karl, who spent All-Star Weekend in Dallas along with his father, who coached the West. "It would have been five days. ... They didn't give me too much information about (eventually being offered a second 10-day deal). But they said they would keep their eye on me.''

Karl expects other teams will as well. The hope now is for Karl, averaging 27.2 points in five D-League games this season, to keep playing well for the Stampede and find another NBA job by the end of the season.

Until the NBA again calls, at least George Karl has plenty of memories.

"Although it was only a 10-day contract those four games (with the Warriors) were an incredible gift to watch my son play in a couple of those games real good basketball,'' said the coach. "(Golden State coach Don Nelson) gave him that shot, and I'm hoping he'll get another shot.''

In other words, dad would be thrilled if his son has a way higher NBA scoring average than he ever did.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson

 

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Full story at http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/02/15/coby-karl-raises-game-during-nba-call-up/