VI’s Kleon 'BigKle' Penn steps closer to NBA
Penn, 29, most recently played in 45 games with Vaqueros de Bayamon in Puerto Rico, averaging 4.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 18.4 minutes per game. The 6’11 pivot recently competed in the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championships and was noticed by the interim Timberwolves head coach Sam Mitchell, who was coaching the USVI in the same competition.
Penn finished his college career at McNeese State in 2009.
The big man has previously said he always wanted to have the opportunity to play in the NBA and would utilise the opportunity if called.
"For now I'm just in training camp. I'm just happy to have the opportunity," he said earlier this week.
Penn will now hope to make the final roster and his first NBA appearance, which would be the first for a [British] Virgin Islander.
In the roster, Minnesota now has four pivots: Nikola Pekovic, Gorgui Deng, the first selected in the past amateur draft in the NBA, the Dominican Karl Towns and now Kleon Penn.
Penn has played six seasons in the National Superior Basketball (BSN) in Puerto Rico. He won the defensive player of the year in 2011, 2013 and 2014.
Standing 6’11, the 29-year-old Penn is a centre with strong defensive qualities. In the last tournament of BSN he finished second in blocks with 88 for an average of 2.2 per game and also accumulated averages of 4.8 points and 6.1 rebounds with the Cowboys.
Wiggins, 24, appeared in three games for the Timberwolves 2015 NBA Las Vegas Summer League entry, averaging 4.0 points in 11.0 minutes per game. The 6’6 guard spent parts of last season with the Idaho Stampede in the NBA D-League, averaging 9.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game.
Wiggins, the older brother of Andrew Wiggins, started the year in Germany playing with the Tigers Tubingen. He also played two seasons at Wichita State University and went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Penn will wear No. 50 while Wiggins will don No. 6.
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35 Responses to “VI’s Kleon 'BigKle' Penn steps closer to NBA”
With that being said he's still working and could use our moral support and that'd what we should be showing instead of arguing amongst ourselves and detracting.
Best of luck Kleon, it would be a trip and a major honor to see you suited up on the court representing.
Mr. St*** Pa***** you need to shut up your time has come and gone. Stop trying to act like you are Mr. Penn spokesman. We all have good wishes for mr. penn, do you?
BVI High School
Class of 2003!
NBA.com didn't say that he was signed for just training camp. They said he was signed and that he is on the roster.
Team Roster
NO. NAME POS AGE HT WT COLLEGE 2015-2016 SALARY
24 Anthony Bennett PF 22 6-8 245 UNLV $5,803,560
88 Nemanja Bjelica PF 27 6-10 234 $3,950,001
7 Lorenzo Brown PG 25 6-5 189 North Carolina State $947,276
5 Gorgui Dieng C 25 6-11 233 Louisville $1,474,440
21 Kevin Garnett PF 39 6-11 253 $8,500,000
1 Tyus Jones PG 19 6-1 190 Duke $1,282,080
8 Zach LaVine PG 20 6-5 183 UCLA $2,148,360
23 Kevin Martin SG 32 6-7 204 Western Carolina $7,085,000
99 Andre Miller PG 39 6-2 200 Utah $947,276
15 Shabazz Muhammad SF 22 6-6 227 UCLA $2,056,920
50 Arinze Onuaku PF 28 6-9 275 Syracuse
3 Adreian Payne PF 24 6-10 245 Michigan State $1,938,840
14 Nikola Pekovic C 29 6-11 295 $12,100,000
50 Kleon Penn C 0 6-11 285
-- Tayshaun Prince SF 35 6-9 215 Kentucky $947,276
9 Ricky Rubio PG 24 6-4 192 $12,700,000
9 Damjan Rudez SF 29 6-10 200 $1,149,500
32 Karl-Anthony Towns C 19 6-11 250 Kentucky $5,703,600
22 Andrew Wiggins SF 20 6-8 199 Kansas $5,758,680
6 Nick Wiggins G 0 6-6 192
I tell you now in my (VI accent ) when you see me on the court just keep clear Cause I'm coming hard.
Congrats agin.
All the best
Tommy
TD21