Last Updated on September 27, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

The Albuquerque Thunderbirds struggled through a difficult 2009-10 campaign, finishing 18-32 as the franchise’s final season under the Albuquerque name before relocating and becoming the New Mexico Thunderbirds. Antoine Agudio emerged as the team’s leading scorer across the full season, while experienced guards Keith McLeod and Jason Horton handled much of the playmaking load. Carlos Powell delivered one of the year’s most productive individual stretches after joining the club, and interior defenders Kurt Looby and Shane Edwards gave Albuquerque a physical presence in the paint. Despite several strong individual performances and a roster that featured a mix of veterans, prospects, and international talent, the Thunderbirds spent most of the season chasing consistency on both ends of the floor and finished near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

Roster

NO. PLAYER NAME POS HT WT DATE OF BIRTH COLLEGE
3 Kris Collins G 6 ft 2 in 190 lbs June 13, 1983 New Mexico
5 Trey Gilder F 6 ft 9 in 185 lbs January 24, 1985 Northwestern State
7 Carlos Powell F 6 ft 7 in 225 lbs August 29, 1983 South Carolina
10 Anthony Danridge F 6 ft 5 in 215 lbs February 26, 1986 New Mexico
11 Keith McLeod G 6 ft 2 in 190 lbs November 5, 1979 Bowling Green
12 Jason Horton G 6 ft 2 in 190 lbs June 8, 1986 Missouri
13 Antoine Agudio G 6 ft 3 in 185 lbs January 20, 1985 Hofstra
15 Shane Edwards F 6 ft 7 in 220 lbs May 31, 1987 Arkansas-Little Rock
21 Yaroslav Korolev F 6 ft 8 in 225 lbs May 7, 1987 None
23 Marcus Hubbard F 6 ft 9 in 230 lbs December 23, 1983 Angelo State
32 Shagari Alleyne C 7 ft 3 in 270 lbs January 16, 1984 Kentucky
33 Chad Toppert G/F 6 ft 6 in 210 lbs November 11, 1985 New Mexico
34 Kevin Pittsnogle C 6 ft 11 in 240 lbs July 30, 1984 West Virginia
41 Erek Hansen C 6 ft 11 in 230 lbs August 31, 1982 Iowa
42 Sasha Cuic F 6 ft 10 in 253 lbs November 3, 1983 Oregon State
45 Cory Underwood F/C 6 ft 10 in 235 lbs February 13, 1980 Wagner
50 Kurt Looby C 6 ft 10 in 230 lbs February 14, 1984 Iowa

Regular Season

PLAYER NAME POS AGE GP GS MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Antoine Agudio G 25 50 43 32.1 15.1 2.5 2.8 1.0 0.0 1.9 11.2 5.2 .463 4.4 1.9 .436 3.7 2.8 .770
Carlos Powell F 26 33 32 38.9 22.1 5.0 5.0 1.6 0.6 3.2 14.7 7.2 .493 2.6 0.8 .310 8.8 6.8 .771
Keith McLeod G 30 30 28 36.4 21.8 3.7 5.6 1.9 0.3 3.0 16.5 6.6 .400 5.8 2.2 .387 8.6 6.3 .739
Chad Toppert G/F 24 50 21 28.2 11.1 3.6 1.3 0.7 0.1 0.9 8.0 3.7 .458 4.6 2.2 .481 1.8 1.5 .856
Shane Edwards F 22 39 25 25.9 12.7 5.3 0.8 0.7 0.8 1.9 7.7 4.8 .625 0.0 0.0 .000 4.2 3.0 .720
Kevin Pittsnogle C 25 28 21 28.4 11.8 5.4 1.4 0.7 0.6 1.4 10.6 4.1 .389 5.4 1.7 .320 2.1 1.8 .850
Anthony Danridge F 24 41 1 16.4 7.1 1.9 0.9 0.3 0.2 1.0 5.0 2.9 .575 0.1 0.0 .000 1.6 1.3 .833
Yaroslav Korolev F 22 20 13 24.7 11.3 5.8 1.3 1.1 0.9 1.7 8.2 3.9 .479 1.2 0.5 .435 4.0 3.0 .759
Jason Horton G 23 50 19 21.4 3.8 2.2 4.3 0.8 0.0 1.7 4.1 1.3 .325 1.0 0.3 .288 1.2 0.9 .694
Kurt Looby C 26 26 23 31.0 6.8 9.0 0.3 0.6 3.3 1.5 4.7 2.8 .593 0.0 0.0 2.1 1.2 .564
Marcus Hubbard F 26 21 8 18.8 7.2 5.4 0.8 0.6 0.6 1.4 7.6 2.8 .369 1.3 0.5 .370 1.6 1.1 .697
Trey Gilder F 25 10 4 30.7 14.0 5.9 2.2 0.9 0.8 3.0 10.2 5.4 .529 0.2 0.1 .500 4.0 3.1 .775
Sasha Cuic F 26 20 4 19.7 7.0 4.8 0.3 0.5 0.4 1.3 7.6 2.6 .336 1.4 0.3 .179 2.1 1.6 .780
Kris Collins G 26 12 0 17.4 6.9 2.3 1.8 0.7 0.0 1.6 6.9 2.5 .361 0.6 0.0 .000 2.9 1.9 .657
Cory Underwood F/C 30 7 1 22.1 8.3 4.4 1.0 0.7 0.3 0.9 6.6 3.6 .543 0.0 0.0 1.9 1.1 .615
Shagari Alleyne C 26 15 7 16.7 3.2 3.9 0.2 0.1 2.2 1.2 2.9 1.5 .523 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.1 .250
Erek Hansen C 27 6 0 13.0 1.3 3.5 0.3 0.3 2.5 1.7 3.0 0.7 .222 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 .000

Totals

PLAYER POS AGE GP GS MP PTS TRB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Antoine Agudio G — 50 43 1604 755 127 138 49 1 94 559 259 .463 220 96 .436 183 141 .770
Carlos Powell F — 33 32 1284 730 164 164 54 20 104 485 239 .493 87 27 .310 292 225 .771
Keith McLeod G — 30 28 1092 653 112 167 56 10 90 495 198 .400 173 67 .387 257 190 .739
Chad Toppert G/F — 50 21 1410 556 182 67 35 4 43 402 184 .458 231 111 .481 90 77 .856
Shane Edwards F — 39 25 1012 494 206 30 29 32 75 301 188 .625 1 0 .000 164 118 .720
Kevin Pittsnogle C — 28 21 795 331 150 38 19 18 38 298 116 .389 150 48 .320 60 51 .850
Anthony Danridge F — 41 1 672 293 79 37 14 7 40 207 119 .575 4 0 .000 66 55 .833
Yaroslav Korolev F — 20 13 494 226 115 25 21 17 34 163 78 .479 23 10 .435 79 60 .759
Jason Horton G — 50 19 1070 190 108 215 42 2 87 203 66 .325 52 15 .288 62 43 .694
Kurt Looby C — 26 23 806 177 235 9 15 85 40 123 73 .593 0 0 55 31 .564
Marcus Hubbard F — 21 8 394 151 113 16 12 12 29 160 59 .369 27 10 .370 33 23 .697
Trey Gilder F — 10 4 307 140 59 22 9 8 30 102 54 .529 2 1 .500 40 31 .775
Sasha Cuic F — 20 4 393 139 96 6 9 7 25 152 51 .336 28 5 .179 41 32 .780
Kris Collins G — 12 0 209 83 28 21 8 0 19 83 30 .361 7 0 .000 35 23 .657
Cory Underwood F/C — 7 1 155 58 31 7 5 2 6 46 25 .543 0 0 13 8 .615
Shagari Alleyne C — 15 7 251 48 58 3 2 33 18 44 23 .523 0 0 8 2 .250
Erek Hansen C — 6 0 78 8 21 2 2 15 10 18 4 .222 0 0 3 0 .000

HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight

PLAYER NAME ROLE TIER MPG USAGE TIER PPG RPG APG STK IMPACT INDEX NOTES AWARDS
Carlos Powell Primary Offensive Engine (1.1) 38.9 High 22.1 5.0 5.0 2.2 90.55 A do-everything forward who carried major creation responsibility, Powell repeatedly became Albuquerque’s late-game closer; one January win saw him score seven points in the final 1:37 after the game was tied at 90. His combination of scoring, playmaking and activity made him the Thunderbirds’ central offensive hub. Source: Powell Takes Over Late As T-Birds Knock Off 66ers (OurSports Central) NBA D-League All-Star (2010); NBA D-League Performer of the Week (Jan. 11, 2010); NBA D-League Performer of the Week (Feb. 8, 2010); Haier Shooting Stars winner (2010)
Keith McLeod Franchise Floor General (1.1) 36.4 High 21.8 3.7 5.6 2.2 87.91 McLeod functioned as the veteran table-setter and high-volume shot creator, combining heavy minutes with 5.6 assists while also generating 1.9 steals. His prior NBA experience gave Albuquerque a seasoned organizer in a league built around constant roster movement. Source: Keith McLeod Biography (ESPN Australia) All-NBA G League Honorable Mention (2010)
Trey Gilder Two-Way Slashing Forward (1.05) 30.7 Medium 14.0 5.9 2.2 1.7 54.98 Gilder arrived as a versatile forward capable of attacking multiple areas of the floor rather than simply spacing the offense. Before joining Albuquerque, he was already producing across the box score for Maine, including a 17-point, seven-rebound, seven-assist performance that illustrated his all-around game. Source: Red Claws Win on Fourth-Quarter Rally (The Portland Press Herald) NBA D-League All-Star (2010); All-NBA G League Honorable Mention (2010)
Antoine Agudio Primary Wing Creator (1.05) 32.1 Medium 15.1 2.5 2.8 1.0 49.43 Agudio supplied perimeter shot creation and spacing, building on a college reputation as a high-volume scorer and three-point threat. His professional role remained aggressive, but the Albuquerque version was more balanced, with his 2.8 assists complementing his perimeter scoring. Source: Agudio Top Scorer at Empire State Games (Hofstra University Athletics) NBA D-League Performer of the Week (Feb. 8, 2010)
Kurt Looby Rim-Protecting Centerpiece (1.05) 31.0 Medium 6.8 9.0 0.3 3.9 46.20 Looby’s value was overwhelmingly defensive and vertical: he was used as a starting interior deterrent, rebounder and rim protector. His 10-block triple-double against Dakota was an extreme example of that role, and the performance set a Thunderbirds franchise record for blocks in a game. Source: Looby’s Triple Double Powers T-Birds Past Wizards (OurSports Central) None
Yaroslav Korolev Transition-Space Forward (1.05) 24.7 Medium 11.3 5.8 1.3 2.0 47.12 Korolev provided Albuquerque with a mobile forward who could contribute on the glass while stretching defenses beyond the paint. His D-League stint came after a first-round NBA draft background, and the Thunderbirds later moved him to Reno in a deal for Marcus Hubbard. Source: Yaroslav Korolev (CSKA Basketball) None
Shane Edwards Versatile Frontcourt Scorer (1.05) 25.9 Medium 12.7 5.3 0.8 1.5 46.89 Edwards operated as a mobile scoring forward who could finish inside without needing a high volume of perimeter attempts. His rookie D-League season established enough value that Denver later invited him to training camp, with reports emphasizing his work rate and willingness to accept whatever role was required. Source: Shane Edwards Headed to Denver Nuggets’ Training Camp (Little Rock Trojans) None
Kevin Pittsnogle Stretch-Center Scoring Option (1.05) 28.4 Medium 11.8 5.4 1.4 1.3 45.97 Pittsnogle functioned as a floor-spacing big, with his 5.4 three-point attempts per game showing how often Albuquerque used his perimeter shooting to pull opposing centers away from the rim. His season ended when he left the club for personal reasons in February. Source: Lure of Pro Ball Still Tugs at Pittsnogle (Sizzltek Wiki) None
Chad Toppert Movement Shooting Specialist (1.05) 28.2 Medium 11.1 3.6 1.3 0.8 38.81 Toppert’s identity was built around shooting gravity and intelligent off-ball play rather than isolation creation. His 48% three-point shooting led the D-League in his rookie season, and contemporary reporting highlighted shooting and basketball IQ as the traits expected to translate overseas. Source: CAI Zaragoza signs Chad Toppert (The Hoops Market) None
Cory Underwood Interior Rotation Enforcer (1.0) 22.1 Medium 8.3 4.4 1.0 1.0 32.34 Underwood was primarily an interior rotation piece, bringing size and physicality rather than being asked to create offense. His seven-game Albuquerque stint ended with a move to Idaho, where contemporary reporting described him as a veteran of three Thunderbirds seasons. Source: NBA D-League Daily Developments: Underwood to Idaho (OurSports Central) None
Marcus Hubbard Face-Up Energy Forward (1.0) 18.8 Low 7.2 5.4 0.8 1.2 29.20 Hubbard was an athletic face-up four whose strengths were rebounding and mobility, although contemporary scouting criticized his tendency to settle for long two-point jumpers. He joined Albuquerque after a January trade from Reno, giving the Thunderbirds another athletic frontcourt option. None
Sasha Cuic Stretch-Four Reserve (1.0) 19.7 Low 7.0 4.8 0.3 0.9 26.00 Cuic was brought in specifically as a versatile shooting big, with Albuquerque coach John Coffino emphasizing his range and ability to fit the team’s system. He arrived after a stint with the Los Angeles D-Fenders, so his role was largely to provide spacing and frontcourt flexibility. Source: T-Birds Add Sasha Cuic to Roster (OurSports Central) None
Jason Horton Backup Point Guard (1.0) 21.4 Medium 3.8 2.2 4.3 0.8 24.42 Horton was the connective guard rather than a primary scorer, with his value coming from organizing possessions and keeping the offense moving. His 4.3 assists per game fit that distribution-first role, while game coverage also shows him handling substantial point-guard minutes when the roster shifted. Source: Albuquerque Thunderbirds vs Utah Flash Box Score (NBA.com) None
Kris Collins Second-Unit Ballhandler (1.0) 17.4 Low 6.9 2.3 1.8 0.7 23.40 Collins served as a reserve guard who could stabilize possessions and provide secondary creation. His limited starts and 17.4 minutes point to a situational role, while the 1.8 assists against modest scoring volume suggest he was used more for ball movement than offensive dominance. Source: New Mexico Thunderbirds 2009-10 roster and season coverage (OurSports Central) None
Anthony Danridge Transition Finisher (1.0) 16.4 Low 7.1 1.9 0.9 0.5 20.80 Danridge was an athletic perimeter reserve whose value extended beyond half-court scoring. His selection for the 2010 D-League Slam Dunk Contest reflected the explosive athletic profile that complemented a relatively low-usage offensive role. Source: 2010 NBA All-Star Game — D-League Dream Factory (CareQuest) D-League Slam Dunk Contest participant (2010)
Shagari Alleyne Shot-Blocking Reserve (1.0) 16.7 Low 3.2 3.9 0.2 2.3 19.20 Alleyne was deployed almost entirely around rim protection, rebounding and physical presence. When Albuquerque recalled him in March, coach John Coffino described the 7-foot-3 center as another force down low, underscoring that his value was defensive rather than offensive. Source: T-Birds Add Alleyne to Roster (OurSports Central) None
Erek Hansen Deep-Coverage Rim Protector (1.0) 13.0 Low 1.3 3.5 0.3 2.8 15.80 Hansen’s role was strictly interior depth, with his length and shot-blocking instincts giving Albuquerque a specialist option near the basket. Contemporary Iowa coverage had long characterized him as a defensive-oriented center, a profile that carried into his later professional role. Source: Daily Iowan: Hansen and Looby defensive development (dailyiowan.lib.uiowa.edu) None