C.J. Fair
C.J. Fair poses for a portrait during media day for the Indiana Pacers on Sept. 20, 2014, in Indianapolis
(AJ Mast | The Associated Press)
Syracuse, N.Y. — Former Syracuse University basketball player C.J. Fair will begin the 2014-15 season in the NBA's Development League. He hopes to finish the year in the NBA.
Fair, an undrafted free agent, went to training camp with the Indiana Pacers. He appeared in two preseason games, averaging 3.0 points, before the Pacers cut him last Friday.
After receiving some offers to play overseas, Fair decided to sign with the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Mad Ants of the D-League.
"He had a good camp with the Pacers,'' Joel Bell, Fair's agent, said Thursday. "We feel he's right on the cusp of the NBA.''
Fair will be what the D-League terms a designated player with Fort Wayne. That means that Fort Wayne owns the rights to Fair. He won't be part of the D-League's annual draft, which is this Saturday.
"They really wanted him,'' Bell said.
Bell said Fair made the final decision to play for Fort Wayne. He could have gone overseas, which would have likely meant a bigger paycheck but no chance of being picked up by an NBA team this season.