Former Men’s Basketball: Ex-Cajun Elijah Millsap joins Utah Jazz

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, January 8, 2015

 

Elijah Millsap drives to the lane when he played for the Cajuns in 2008. (Photo: File, The Advertiser)

 

 

Another ex-Ragin’ Cajun has made it to the NBA.

Elijah Millsap was signed by the Utah Jazz to a 10-day contract earlier this week, and had five rebounds, four assists, two points and a steal while playing 19 minutes in his debut, a loss to Indiana on Monday night.

Millsap, 27, played two seasons at UL from 2006-08, then transferred to Alabama-Birmingham for one season before turning pro after his junior season in 2010.

The shooting guard was playing for the D-League’s Bakersfield Jam before getting called up by the Jazz, and also played in Israel, in the Philippines and for multiple NBA summer-league teams since leaving UAB.

Millsap is a younger brother of ex-Jazz and current Atlanta Hawks power forward Paul Millsap.

He’s the ninth ex-Cajun to make it to the NBA, and joins Orlando Magic point guard Elfrid Payton as the only two current ones.

Millsap averaged 12.4 points and a team-high 7.3 rebounds in 23 games including 18 starts for the Cajuns in 2006-07, and he averaged 9.4 points and a team-high 5.4 boards over 30 games including 22 starts in 2007-08.

Utah visited the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Millsap had two points, two rebounds and one block while playing 21 minutes in the Jazz’s 97-77 win.

A look at ex-Ragin’ Cajun players who have appeared in NBA games:

• Marvin Winkler (three games with Milwaukee in the 1970-71 season)

• Fred Saunders (three teams over four seasons from 1974-78 – Phoenix, Boston, New Orleans Jazz)

• Larry Fogle (two games for the New York Knicks in the 1976-76 season)

• Bo Lamar (one season with the Los Angeles Lakers, 1976-77)

• Andrew Toney (eight seasons with Philadelphia from 1980-88)

• Kevin Brooks (three seasons with Denver from 1991-94)

• Orien Greene (four teams from 2005-07 and in 2011 – Boston, Indiana, Sacramento, New Jersey)

• Elfrid Payton (rookie with Orlando this season)

• Elijah Millsap (made debut with Utah on Monday)