The Milwaukee Bucks announced the signing of beloved Tiger D.J. Stephens Wednesday morning.
Stephens graduated from Memphis last May after playing four seasons for the University of Memphis men's basketball team.
The Killeen, Texas, native dunked his way into the hearts of Tiger fans with his acrobatic finishes near the rim and service throughout the community. He even won the 2012 Intersport Dunk of the Year title for an emphatic slam on Feb. 4, 2012, against Xavier University.
U of M head coach Josh Pastner gushed about Stephens at the end of last season, arguing that Stephens should be considered one of the five greatest Tigers of all time.
"I guarantee you he would win the NBA dunk contest," Pastner said at the end of the 2013 season. "He belongs in the pros and could help a team win."
The problem for Stephens has been finding the right fit in the NBA. He bounced around to several teams for the summer league and training camps, but he couldn't land himself a spot on any regular season rosters.
After attempting the NBA route, Stephens focused on a career overseas where he signed in Greece with Ilysiakos. With Ilysiakos, he averaged 9.8 points, 8.8 boards and 2.2 blocks per game.
The production earned him a 10-day contract in Milwaukee. He will play out the contract in hopes of earning another contract and permanent spot at the end of the deal.
Stephens battled through a multitude of injuries during his four seasons the U of M but it was tough to know he was injured with the way he hustled to every loose ball and skied for every blocked shot.
He scored 7.6 points per game, grabbed 6.6 rebounds per game and blocked 95 shots - the fourth most in a single season at the U of M.
The Bucks' next game is on Thursday against the Lakers. They also face the defending champion Miami Heat twice, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors over the life of the contract.
Stephens is the second Tiger from last year's squad to make an NBA roster this season. Adonis Thomas signed a 10-day contract with the Orlando Magic earlier in the season. Both players will get a photo of themselves in an NBA uniform on the wall in the Larry O. Finch Center.
