Last Updated on September 25, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
The Austin Toros’ 2007-08 season brought the franchise its first sustained breakthrough, as Austin finished 30-20, captured the Southwest Division title, and advanced to the NBA D-League Finals for the first time. Under head coach Quin Snyder, the Toros fielded one of the league’s most productive offenses and benefited from the emergence of young center Ian Mahinmi, whose interior scoring, rebounding, and shot blocking helped establish him as one of the D-League’s top prospects. Veterans such as DerMarr Johnson, Keith Langford, and Marcus Williams provided additional firepower as Austin developed into a legitimate championship contender. The season ended one win short of a title when the Toros fell to the Idaho Stampede in the Finals, but the 2007-08 campaign marked the organization’s arrival among the league’s top teams and signaled the success that would follow in later years.
Roster
| NO. | PLAYER NAME | POS | HT | WT | DATE OF BIRTH | COLLEGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Darius Washington | PG | 6 ft 2 in | 196 lbs | December 6, 1985 | Memphis |
| 3 | Darvin Ham | F | 6 ft 7 in | 230 lbs | July 23, 1973 | Texas Tech |
| 4 | Andre Barrett | PG | 5 ft 11 in | 175 lbs | February 21, 1982 | Seton Hall |
| 4 | Majic Dorsey | G | 6 ft 0 in | 185 lbs | August 5, 1981 | Brevard College |
| 7 | Josh Gross | G/F | 6 ft 6 in | 205 lbs | November 25, 1983 | UNC Greensboro |
| 10 | Carldell Johnson | G | 5 ft 10 in | 180 lbs | January 28, 1983 | UAB |
| 12 | Cheyne Gadson | G | 6 ft 3 in | 190 lbs | July 17, 1980 | Oklahoma State |
| 13 | Kenton Paulino | G | 6 ft 1 in | 185 lbs | June 23, 1983 | Texas |
| 15 | Keith Langford | G | 6 ft 4 in | 215 lbs | September 15, 1983 | Kansas |
| 17 | Josh Gross | G/F | 6 ft 6 in | 205 lbs | November 25, 1983 | UNC Greensboro |
| 18 | Justin Bowen | F | 6 ft 7 in | 210 lbs | May 26, 1983 | UIC |
| 21 | Patrick Fields | G/F | 6 ft 6 in | 210 lbs | March 18, 1984 | Baylor |
| 22 | Timothy Bush | F | 6 ft 6 in | 245 lbs | December 19, 1983 | Baylor |
| 23 | DerMarr Johnson | G/F | 6 ft 9 in | 210 lbs | May 5, 1980 | Cincinnati |
| 24 | Anthony Fuqua | C | 6 ft 11 in | 225 lbs | February 16, 1983 | Texas-San Antonio |
| 25 | Marcus Williams | G/F | 6 ft 7 in | 205 lbs | November 18, 1986 | Arizona |
| 32 | Ian Mahinmi | C | 6 ft 11 in | 230 lbs | November 5, 1986 | None |
| 34 | Kevin Pittsnogle | C | 6 ft 11 in | 240 lbs | July 30, 1984 | West Virginia |
| 41 | Yemi Nicholson | C | 6 ft 11 in | 260 lbs | June 7, 1983 | Denver |
| 42 | Kris Lang | F/C | 6 ft 11 in | 247 lbs | December 12, 1979 | North Carolina |
| 44 | Justin Reed | F | 6 ft 8 in | 238 lbs | January 16, 1982 | Mississippi |
| 50 | Eric Dawson | F | 6 ft 7 in | 255 lbs | July 7, 1984 | Midwestern State |
| 53 | Serge Angounou | F | 6 ft 8 in | 236 lbs | September 7, 1983 | Arizona State |
Regular Season Per Game
| PLAYER NAME | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ian Mahinmi | C | 21 | 46 | 40 | 29.6 | 16.8 | 8.0 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 9.8 | 6.0 | .615 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6.2 | 4.8 | .766 | |
| DerMarr Johnson | G/F | 27 | 44 | 32 | 35.5 | 17.2 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 13.1 | 5.8 | .444 | 6.3 | 2.5 | .392 | 3.7 | 3.0 | .832 |
| Marcus Williams | G/F | 21 | 36 | 20 | 35.0 | 19.2 | 7.0 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 14.5 | 7.6 | .521 | 2.4 | 0.8 | .349 | 4.0 | 3.3 | .814 |
| Keith Langford | G | 24 | 25 | 19 | 41.0 | 24.6 | 5.7 | 3.8 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 17.0 | 8.9 | .522 | 4.5 | 1.8 | .398 | 7.0 | 5.0 | .710 |
| Justin Bowen | F | 24 | 46 | 15 | 28.2 | 13.1 | 6.4 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 10.7 | 5.7 | .531 | 0.7 | 0.2 | .206 | 2.3 | 1.6 | .701 |
| Cheyne Gadson | G | 27 | 34 | 19 | 29.9 | 10.8 | 2.6 | 5.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 8.7 | 4.1 | .468 | 1.3 | 0.4 | .349 | 2.6 | 2.2 | .862 |
| Andre Barrett | PG | 25 | 13 | 13 | 36.9 | 17.2 | 2.9 | 8.3 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 13.8 | 6.3 | .456 | 3.2 | 1.3 | .405 | 3.5 | 3.2 | .933 |
| Justin Reed | F | 25 | 15 | 7 | 30.8 | 14.5 | 6.7 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 12.7 | 5.7 | .445 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.6 | 3.2 | .696 | |
| Carldell Johnson | G | 24 | 49 | 11 | 18.2 | 4.1 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 1.5 | .468 | 1.4 | 0.6 | .433 | 0.8 | 0.5 | .667 |
| Kenton Paulino | G | 24 | 34 | 3 | 14.5 | 5.6 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 4.1 | 1.8 | .426 | 2.5 | 0.9 | .369 | 1.4 | 1.1 | .826 |
| Darius Washington | G | 21 | 6 | 5 | 37.7 | 25.0 | 8.0 | 5.2 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 5.7 | 18.3 | 8.7 | .473 | 3.8 | 1.5 | .391 | 8.2 | 6.2 | .755 |
| Serge Angounou | F | 24 | 20 | 12 | 19.8 | 6.3 | 4.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 4.7 | 2.3 | .484 | 0.4 | 0.1 | .250 | 2.0 | 1.7 | .872 |
| Anthony Fuqua | C | 24 | 39 | 4 | 13.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.9 | 1.2 | .613 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 1.1 | 0.8 | .682 |
| Kris Lang | F/C | 27 | 9 | 4 | 30.0 | 12.9 | 6.3 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 9.3 | 5.1 | .548 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.2 | 2.7 | .632 | |
| Kevin Pittsnogle | C | 23 | 16 | 9 | 19.1 | 7.1 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 6.4 | 2.4 | .369 | 4.4 | 1.5 | .343 | 1.1 | 0.9 | .778 |
| Joshua Gross | G/F | 24 | 8 | 2 | 25.6 | 11.3 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 8.5 | 4.5 | .529 | 2.9 | 1.0 | .348 | 1.6 | 1.3 | .769 |
| Darvin Ham | F | 34 | 4 | 4 | 30.5 | 10.3 | 4.3 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 8.0 | 4.5 | .563 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 1.3 | .833 | |
| Curtis Stinson | PG | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17.7 | 5.3 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 4.6 | 1.4 | .313 | 1.0 | 0.3 | .286 | 2.6 | 2.1 | .833 |
| Yemi Nicholson | C | 24 | 7 | 1 | 8.9 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 0.9 | .375 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.6 | .667 | |
| Eric Dawson | F | 23 | 5 | 0 | 6.0 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 0.8 | .667 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | .000 | |
| Majic Dorsey | G | 26 | 2 | 0 | 8.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | .500 | |
| Timothy Bush | F | 23 | 3 | 0 | 4.7 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||
| Patrick Fields | G/F | 23 | 1 | 0 | 7.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | .000 |
Playoff Per Game
| PLAYER NAME | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Barrett | PG | 25 | 4 | 4 | 37.0 | 20.8 | 4.3 | 5.5 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 16.5 | 6.8 | .409 | 5.5 | 1.8 | .318 | 7.0 | 5.5 | .786 |
| Ian Mahinmi | C | 21 | 4 | 4 | 38.3 | 18.3 | 10.8 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 3.5 | 2.8 | 11.8 | 6.0 | .511 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.3 | 6.3 | .758 | |
| Justin Bowen | F | 24 | 4 | 0 | 37.3 | 16.0 | 6.3 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 14.5 | 6.8 | .466 | 0.3 | 0.0 | .000 | 4.3 | 2.5 | .588 |
| Darvin Ham | F | 34 | 4 | 4 | 34.3 | 14.0 | 6.3 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 10.3 | 5.3 | .512 | 0.8 | 0.0 | .000 | 4.8 | 3.5 | .737 |
| Joshua Gross | G/F | 24 | 4 | 4 | 28.5 | 8.5 | 4.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 6.5 | 3.0 | .462 | 2.5 | 0.8 | .300 | 2.5 | 1.8 | .700 |
| Kenton Paulino | G | 24 | 4 | 4 | 24.3 | 8.0 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 5.3 | 2.5 | .476 | 3.8 | 2.0 | .533 | 1.3 | 1.0 | .800 |
| Carldell Johnson | G | 24 | 4 | 0 | 26.0 | 7.0 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 8.0 | 3.0 | .375 | 2.8 | 0.8 | .273 | 0.5 | 0.3 | .500 |
| Serge Angounou | F | 24 | 4 | 0 | 14.5 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 1.0 | .333 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | .750 |
Regular Season Totals
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ian Mahinmi | C | 21 | 46 | 40 | 1360 | 771 | 367 | 62 | 66 | 78 | 123 | 449 | 276 | .615 | 0 | 0 | 286 | 219 | .766 | |
| DerMarr Johnson | G/F | 27 | 44 | 32 | 1564 | 755 | 202 | 80 | 60 | 27 | 123 | 576 | 256 | .444 | 278 | 109 | .392 | 161 | 134 | .832 |
| Marcus Williams | G/F | 21 | 36 | 20 | 1259 | 692 | 251 | 112 | 53 | 26 | 100 | 522 | 272 | .521 | 86 | 30 | .349 | 145 | 118 | .814 |
| Keith Langford | G | 24 | 25 | 19 | 1025 | 614 | 143 | 94 | 40 | 7 | 52 | 425 | 222 | .522 | 113 | 45 | .398 | 176 | 125 | .710 |
| Justin Bowen | F | 24 | 46 | 15 | 1297 | 602 | 293 | 76 | 55 | 30 | 73 | 490 | 260 | .531 | 34 | 7 | .206 | 107 | 75 | .701 |
| Cheyne Gadson | G | 27 | 34 | 19 | 1016 | 368 | 89 | 192 | 25 | 2 | 83 | 297 | 139 | .468 | 43 | 15 | .349 | 87 | 75 | .862 |
| Andre Barrett | PG | 25 | 13 | 13 | 480 | 223 | 38 | 108 | 18 | 0 | 43 | 180 | 82 | .456 | 42 | 17 | .405 | 45 | 42 | .933 |
| Justin Reed | F | 25 | 15 | 7 | 462 | 218 | 100 | 16 | 13 | 6 | 24 | 191 | 85 | .445 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 48 | .696 | |
| Carldell Johnson | G | 24 | 49 | 11 | 893 | 203 | 108 | 174 | 43 | 0 | 79 | 158 | 74 | .468 | 67 | 29 | .433 | 39 | 26 | .667 |
| Kenton Paulino | G | 24 | 34 | 3 | 494 | 189 | 39 | 34 | 21 | 1 | 22 | 141 | 60 | .426 | 84 | 31 | .369 | 46 | 38 | .826 |
| Darius Washington | G | 21 | 6 | 5 | 226 | 150 | 48 | 31 | 10 | 1 | 34 | 110 | 52 | .473 | 23 | 9 | .391 | 49 | 37 | .755 |
| Serge Angounou | F | 24 | 20 | 12 | 395 | 126 | 79 | 15 | 11 | 2 | 21 | 93 | 45 | .484 | 8 | 2 | .250 | 39 | 34 | .872 |
| Anthony Fuqua | C | 24 | 39 | 4 | 523 | 122 | 118 | 17 | 7 | 23 | 34 | 75 | 46 | .613 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 44 | 30 | .682 |
| Kris Lang | F/C | 27 | 9 | 4 | 270 | 116 | 57 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 26 | 84 | 46 | .548 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 24 | .632 | |
| Kevin Pittsnogle | C | 23 | 16 | 9 | 305 | 114 | 43 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 28 | 103 | 38 | .369 | 70 | 24 | .343 | 18 | 14 | .778 |
| Joshua Gross | G/F | 24 | 8 | 2 | 205 | 90 | 30 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 68 | 36 | .529 | 23 | 8 | .348 | 13 | 10 | .769 |
| Darvin Ham | F | 34 | 4 | 4 | 122 | 41 | 17 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 32 | 18 | .563 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | .833 | |
| Curtis Stinson | PG | 24 | 7 | 0 | 124 | 37 | 15 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 32 | 10 | .313 | 7 | 2 | .286 | 18 | 15 | .833 |
| Yemi Nicholson | C | 24 | 7 | 1 | 62 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 6 | .375 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | .667 | |
| Eric Dawson | F | 23 | 5 | 0 | 30 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 4 | .667 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | |
| Majic Dorsey | G | 26 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .500 | |
| Patrick Fields | G/F | 23 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | |
| Timothy Bush | F | 23 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Playoff Totals
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Barrett | PG | 25 | 4 | 4 | 148 | 83 | 17 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 66 | 27 | .409 | 22 | 7 | .318 | 28 | 22 | .786 |
| Ian Mahinmi | C | 21 | 4 | 4 | 153 | 73 | 43 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 11 | 47 | 24 | .511 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 25 | .758 | |
| Justin Bowen | F | 24 | 4 | 0 | 149 | 64 | 25 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 58 | 27 | .466 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 17 | 10 | .588 |
| Darvin Ham | F | 34 | 4 | 4 | 137 | 56 | 25 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 41 | 21 | .512 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 19 | 14 | .737 |
| Joshua Gross | G/F | 24 | 4 | 4 | 114 | 34 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 26 | 12 | .462 | 10 | 3 | .300 | 10 | 7 | .700 |
| Kenton Paulino | G | 24 | 4 | 4 | 97 | 32 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 10 | .476 | 15 | 8 | .533 | 5 | 4 | .800 |
| Carldell Johnson | G | 24 | 4 | 0 | 104 | 28 | 17 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 32 | 12 | .375 | 11 | 3 | .273 | 2 | 1 | .500 |
| Serge Angounou | F | 24 | 4 | 0 | 58 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 4 | .333 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 6 | .750 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Regular Season Team Impact Spotlight
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG + BPG) | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Washington | Primary Scoring Point Guard (1.1) | 37.7 | High | 25.0 | 8.0 | 5.2 | 1.9 | 106.39 | As a downhill combo guard, Washington immediately became Austin’s offensive initiator after returning from San Antonio, attacking in transition and creating his own offense. His first Toros stint included a 26-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, while contemporary reporting emphasized how quickly he took control of games. Memphis Tigers report on Washington’s D-League assignment | |
| Keith Langford | High-Volume Wing Scorer (1.1) | 41.0 | High | 24.6 | 5.7 | 3.8 | 1.9 | 95.04 | Langford played with the freedom of a primary perimeter scorer, combining strong downhill drives with enough shooting to stretch defenses. His D-League production earned a San Antonio call-up, and Bill Self specifically pointed to how well Langford had played in Austin before getting another NBA opportunity. KU Sports report on Langford’s Spurs call-up | D-League All-Star (2008) |
| Marcus Williams | Two-Way Wing Creator (1.1) | 35.0 | High | 19.2 | 7.0 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 83.16 | Williams functioned as a big scoring wing who could punish smaller defenders while also contributing heavily on the glass. In one March matchup he carried the late offense, scoring 33 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, with reporting also noting his ability to finish games rather than simply accumulate production. New Mexico Thunderbirds report on Williams’ 33-point performance | All-NBA D-League Third Team (2008); D-League Performer of the Week (March 10, 2008); NBA D-League Southwest Division Champion (2008) |
| Andre Barrett | Franchise Floor General (1.1) | 36.9 | High | 17.2 | 2.9 | 8.3 | 1.4 | 78.67 | Barrett’s value came from controlling tempo and constantly pressuring the defense off the dribble. Quin Snyder described him as one of the league’s best point guards, while Barrett’s Austin debut was notable for pushing the ball and getting teammates into transition before quickly earning another NBA call-up. Austin Chronicle interview with Barrett | D-League All-Star (2008); NBA D-League Southwest Division Champion (2008) |
| DerMarr Johnson | Stretch Wing Scorer (1.1) | 35.5 | High | 17.2 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 67.58 | Johnson operated as a rangy scoring forward with legitimate perimeter shooting, giving Austin size without sacrificing floor spacing. His six three-pointers in a March win showed how readily the Toros could use his shooting as a pressure release, and his strong D-League play produced another Spurs call-up. NetsDaily report on Johnson’s 2008 NBA opportunity | NBA D-League Southwest Division Champion (2008) |
| Ian Mahinmi | Rim-Protecting Centerpiece (1.05) | 29.6 | Medium | 16.8 | 8.0 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 67.45 | Mahinmi was used as an athletic interior force rather than a traditional low-post plodder, with his length driving both rim protection and transition opportunities. His 30-point, 15-rebound, seven-block eruption against Dakota captured the physical upside that made him such an important NBA assignment for Austin. Austin Chronicle report on Mahinmi’s breakout game | D-League All-Star (2008); All-NBA D-League First Team (2008); NBA D-League Southwest Division Champion (2008) |
| Justin Reed | Interior Scoring Forward (1.05) | 30.8 | Medium | 14.5 | 6.7 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 54.52 | Reed brought a physical, attack-the-rim style to the forward rotation, using his size to generate offense inside rather than spacing the floor. His Austin stint was also a bridge between NBA stops, as he was moved to Bakersfield for Andre Barrett shortly after establishing himself as a productive Toros scorer. ShamSports player profile for Reed | |
| Justin Bowen | Versatile Starting Forward (1.05) | 28.2 | Medium | 13.1 | 6.4 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 53.36 | Bowen supplied Austin with a flexible forward who could start or provide offense from the second unit. His 25-point performance in the opening D-League Finals game showed that he could shoulder a larger scoring load when the matchup demanded it, while his rebounding gave the Toros another possession player. UIC report on Bowen’s championship-series performance | NBA D-League Southwest Division Champion (2008) |
| Kris Lang | Veteran Interior Reserve (1.05) | 30.0 | Medium | 12.9 | 6.3 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 51.05 | Lang gave the Toros an experienced interior option during the first part of the season, working around the basket and providing reliable rebounding. His stint ended when Austin acquired Serge Angounou, illustrating how the roster shifted toward younger and more developmental frontcourt pieces. OurSportsCentral report on Angounou replacing Lang | NBA D-League Southwest Division Champion (2008) |
| Cheyne Gadson | Lead Combo-Guard Facilitator (1.05) | 29.9 | Medium | 10.8 | 2.6 | 5.6 | 0.8 | 45.74 | Gadson functioned as a secondary ball-handler who could turn into a scorer when defenses ignored him. His eight-assist, 27-point performance against Albuquerque illustrated that dual role, and his eventual trade reflected Austin’s decision to reshape the backcourt before the postseason. New Mexico Thunderbirds report on Gadson’s performance | |
| Josh Gross | Perimeter Shot-Making Wing (1.05) | 25.6 | Medium | 11.3 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 39.27 | Gross operated primarily as an offensive wing whose value came from quick scoring bursts and perimeter shooting. His 37-point outing against Austin later in the season showed the scoring ceiling that made him a dangerous matchup even when he was not carrying a primary creation role. NBA D-League Daily Developments | D-League Three-Point Contest participant (2008) |
| Darvin Ham | Veteran Defensive Forward (1.0) | 30.5 | Medium | 10.3 | 4.3 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 34.00 | Ham arrived late in the season as a veteran presence, bringing physical defense, toughness and positional versatility to a young Toros group. Austin’s playoff coverage highlighted the experience he added to a roster already featuring several NBA-caliber prospects. Austin Chronicle playoff preview featuring Ham | NBA D-League Southwest Division Champion (2008) |
| Serge Angounou | Energy Frontcourt Reserve (1.0) | 19.8 | Medium | 6.3 | 4.0 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 23.60 | Angounou was used as an active, physical reserve who could rebound, defend and run the floor rather than needing designed offense. His arrival from Albuquerque was specifically framed around his ability to provide energy and frontcourt depth after Kris Lang departed. OurSportsCentral report on Angounou’s acquisition | NBA D-League Southwest Division Champion (2008) |
| Kevin Pittsnogle | Stretch Big Reserve (1.0) | 19.1 | Low | 7.1 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 22.20 | Pittsnogle’s role centered on extending the defense from the frontcourt, reflecting the perimeter-oriented skill set that had made him distinctive at West Virginia. His Austin stint was brief, ending with a January release before he moved to Albuquerque. ShamSports Pittsnogle player profile | |
| Carldell Johnson | Backup Point Guard (1.0) | 18.2 | Low | 4.1 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 0.9 | 21.60 | Johnson was the compact table-setter of the second unit, valued more for ball control and organization than scoring volume. Contemporary Austin coverage singled out his “Squeaky” identity while describing him as a diminutive point guard who remained part of the club’s developing core. Austin Chronicle’s Toros coverage of Johnson | NBA D-League Southwest Division Champion (2008) |
| Curtis Stinson | Reserve Floor Creator (1.0) | 17.7 | Low | 5.3 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 21.20 | Stinson arrived late after moving through several teams, so his Austin role was more about providing emergency creation and ball-handling than establishing a long-term offensive hierarchy. His brief March stint ended with another transaction only weeks later. Wikipedia-independent transaction trail via cited career record unavailable; limited contemporary coverage was found | |
| Anthony Fuqua | Interior Depth Center (1.0) | 13.4 | Low | 3.1 | 3.0 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 14.60 | Fuqua supplied length, rebounding and running ability from the reserve center spot, with Albuquerque coach Jeff Ruland describing him as a tall, athletic player who could rebound and run the floor. Austin eventually moved him in exchange for veteran Darvin Ham. OurSportsCentral report on the Fuqua-Ham trade | NBA D-League Southwest Division Champion (2008) |
| Kenton Paulino | Floor-Spacer Guard (1.0) | 14.5 | Low | 5.6 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 16.60 | Paulino’s professional role was comparatively narrow, emphasizing perimeter shooting and low-mistake guard play rather than primary creation. His background as a two-position Texas guard and team captain gave Austin a steady veteran-style reserve option. UTEP profile of Paulino’s playing background | NBA D-League Southwest Division Champion (2008) |
| Eric Dawson | Developmental Interior Big (1.0) | 6.0 | Low | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 9.20 | Dawson’s season was disrupted by injury, limiting him to a small role before Austin waived him in February. The Toros’ roster move specifically cited the injury, making his limited minutes more a reflection of availability than a settled rotation role. OurSportsCentral report on Dawson’s injury and roster move | |
| Yemi Nicholson | Emergency Rim Protector (1.0) | 8.9 | Low | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 8.00 | Nicholson arrived late as a large-bodied center acquired to add size after Cheyne Gadson was traded. With only seven appearances, his role remained situational, but his previous college reputation as a productive interior player made him a logical depth addition. OurSportsCentral report on the Gadson-Nicholson trade | |
| Patrick Fields | Defensive Utility Reserve (1.0) | 7.0 | Low | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 4.00 | Fields had an extremely limited offensive role and was primarily a depth option, making his two-steal appearance in the supplied sample more representative of his defensive utility than any scoring responsibility. Contemporary roster reporting shows Austin waived him when DerMarr Johnson and Darius Washington arrived. Memphis Tigers report on the Toros roster move | |
| Majic Dorsey | End-of-Rotation Guard (1.0) | 8.5 | Low | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 3.00 | Dorsey occupied an end-of-rotation guard role, with the available contemporary material offering little substantive reporting beyond his brief playing opportunities. The limited coverage makes a more detailed season-specific stylistic assessment difficult without relying on statistical-reference material. StatsCrew Austin Toros roster archive | |
| Timothy Bush | Frontcourt Depth Piece (1.0) | 4.7 | Low | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.00 | Bush was used strictly as frontcourt depth, with his limited appearances offering little evidence of a sustained offensive or defensive assignment. Contemporary independent coverage of his role is sparse, so the available record supports only a cautious description of his place at the bottom of the rotation. StatsCrew Austin Toros roster archive | |
| TEAM TOTALS | 228.8 | 85.5 | 47.0 | 18.3 | 18.3 | 922.24 | Austin’s 2007-08 roster combined high-usage NBA prospects, veteran reclamation pieces and developmental reserves, with the team reaching the D-League Finals. | NBA D-League Southwest Division Champion (2008); D-League Finals (2008) |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Playoff Team Impact Spotlight
| PLAYER NAME | ROLE TIER | MPG | USAGE TIER | PPG | RPG | APG | STK | IMPACT INDEX | NOTES | AWARDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ian Mahinmi | Rim-Protecting Centerpiece (1.1) | 38.3 | High (1.2) | 18.3 | 10.8 | 1.5 | 5.0 | 93.98 | Mahinmi played the interior as a developing two-way centerpiece, combining a huge frame with surprising mobility and polished offensive instincts. Sports Illustrated described him as the league’s premier prospect and noted that his defensive footwork had improved after earlier foul trouble, which fits the 3.5 blocks and 1.5 steals he supplied during this run. Sports Illustrated | D-League All-League First Team (2008) |
| Andre Barrett | Lead Shot Creator (1.1) | 37.0 | High (1.2) | 20.8 | 4.3 | 5.5 | 1.3 | 84.22 | Barrett operated as the Toros’ primary perimeter creator, pushing tempo and repeatedly putting pressure on defenses off the dribble. ESPN’s contemporaneous profile highlighted his quickness and passing vision, while his playoff workload shows how heavily Austin relied on him to manufacture offense late in possessions. ESPN | D-League All-Star (2008); D-League All-League Second Team (2008) |
| Justin Bowen | Slashing Frontcourt Creator (1.05) | 37.3 | High (1.2) | 16.0 | 6.3 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 67.54 | Bowen gave Austin a physical downhill option from the forward spots, attacking the paint rather than functioning as a perimeter spacer. Washington Post reporting on his Toros years later noted that Snyder spent extra time developing Bowen’s fundamentals, while Bowen’s heavy playoff minutes reflected the trust placed in his all-around frontcourt game. The Washington Post | |
| Darvin Ham | Veteran Interior Enforcer (1.05) | 34.3 | Medium (1.1) | 14.0 | 6.3 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 53.59 | Ham brought veteran savvy to a young Toros group, using strength, post moves and physical play rather than perimeter shooting to create offense. The Austin Chronicle described him as a veteran presence who schooled younger defenders with post technique and regularly advised his teammates, a particularly useful role during Austin’s first playoff run. The Austin Chronicle | NBA Champion (2004) |
| Carldell Johnson | Defensive Point-of-Attack Guard (1.0) | 26.0 | Medium (1.1) | 7.0 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 35.42 | Johnson functioned as a disruptive reserve guard whose value came from pressure defense, ball movement and connective play rather than scoring volume. Retrospective reporting on the Toros emphasized his difficulty mastering the pick-and-roll while also portraying him as a player who responded well to detailed coaching, which helps explain the combination of 2.0 steals and 2.8 assists here. The Washington Post | |
| Joshua Gross | Athletic Transition Wing (1.05) | 28.5 | Medium (1.1) | 8.5 | 4.0 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 31.50 | Gross supplied athleticism and slashing ability on the wing, giving Austin another player capable of attacking space without needing the offense built around him. Contemporary D-League reporting also captured his scoring upside before the Toros acquired him, describing a forward who had been producing heavily in the league and could stretch a defense with his activity. OurSportsCentral | 2008 NBA D-League All-Star Three-Point Shootout participant |
| Kenton Paulino | Floor-Spreading Reserve Guard (1.0) | 24.3 | Medium (1.1) | 8.0 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 24.42 | Paulino’s playoff role centered on spacing and controlled guard play rather than high-volume creation. His 53.3% three-point shooting gave the Toros a useful perimeter release valve, while reporting on his time under Quin Snyder later identified him as someone who understood the coach’s demanding developmental approach. ESPN | |
| Serge Angounou | Interior Energy Reserve (1.0) | 14.5 | Low (1.0) | 3.5 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 13.80 | Angounou filled a short-burst interior role, supplying physical activity and defensive disruption when Austin needed another body up front. Independent contemporary D-League reporting was limited, but game coverage identified him among Austin’s notable contributors during the late-season stretch, consistent with a reserve role built more around energy and matchup utility than offensive volume. OurSportsCentral |