The Mavericks have officially signed second-round pick Bernard James, the team announced today in a press release. James was selected 33rd overall in June's draft, one of three players Dallas acquired on draft night from the Cavs in exchange for 17th overall pick Tyler Zeller. His first-year salary of $473,604 will be fully guaranteed, according to Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com.
James is a former Staff Sergeant in the Air Force, having served in Iraq, Afghanastan, and Qatar. His second-round selection provided one of the more memorable moments of draft night, when the Newark audience serenaded him with "U-S-A" chants. In five games for the Mavericks' Summer League team in Las Vegas, the 6'10" Florida State product nearly averaged a double-double, with 10.9 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 2.6 BPG.