Ex-Tech star Anderson signs 10-day contract with NBA’s Thunder

Antonio Anderson became a citywide basketball star from his exploits on the Lynn Tech boys team. Now he’ll have a chance to showcase his talents as a professional on the national level.Anderson signed a 10-day contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association. He called his former coach at Tech, Marvin Avery, on Saturday to share the good news.”I’m very excited,” Avery said on the way home from practice on Monday. “Very, very, very excited for the Lynn Tech family, the City of Lynn, and also his family.”The Thunder (33-21, .611) are in third place in the Northwest Division of the NBA’s Western Conference, riding a nine-game win streak. Anderson, a 6-6, 215-lb. guard, will wear uniform number eight with the Thunder, who waived 11-year forward Matt Harpring to make room for him.”It’s big for him,” Avery said. “They’ll see how you work out. If they like you, they’ll extend the contract. If they don’t, you’ll see what happens.”There was much to like about Anderson from his play with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Development League. He started all 32 games he played for the Vipers, and averaged 15.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.3 steals and 39.6 minutes.The D-League offered a second chance to Anderson after he went undrafted out of Memphis last year and played five training-camp games with the Charlotte Bobcats (averaging 3.4 points, 1.8 assists and 1.4 rebounds in 14.2 minutes), who waived him on Oct. 22.”It was a numbers game with Charlotte,” Avery said. “He went another route.”Asked what Anderson offers to the Thunder, his former coach said, “Leadership. Every NBA player has it. He’s very defensive-minded. He worked hard on his outside shots.”Anderson is the first player whom Avery coached to make it to the NBA.”I’m not only his coach,” Avery said. “I’m a mentor and a guardian. He was home during the All-Star break and talked to the team. I’m very proud of him and his family. I’m just very happy with Antonio and the overall situation.”NOTES: There is a double Lynn basketball link to Oklahoma City. Anderson has signed with the Thunder, and another former Tech star, Corey Bingham, is playing college ball at Oklahoma City University. ? Current Thunder assistant coach Maurice Cheeks coached another former North Shore star when he was head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and had ex-Salem High standout Rick Brunson on the roster.