MIAMI, September 23 – The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed center Keith Benson. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Benson spent last season with the HEAT's NBA Development League affiliate, the 2016 champion Sioux Falls Skyforce, appearing in 49 games (23 starts) and averaged 13.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.57 blocks and 23.8 minutes while shooting 57.3 percent from the field. The 2016 NBA D-League All-Star appeared in all seven postseason games on the Skyforce's path to the title averaging 10.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.14 blocks and 17.8 minutes while shooting 59.2 percent from the field.
Benson has now played in 93 career NBA Development League games (60 starts) and averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.58 blocks and 24.9 minutes while shooting 52.9 percent from the field. He was previously signed by the HEAT on August 25, 2015, appearing in five preseason games averaging 5.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 11.8 minutes before being waived on October 24, 2015. Additionally, Benson has appeared in three career NBA regular season games, all with Golden State, totaling three rebounds in nine minutes of action and has spent time playing professionally in Belarus, China, Lithuania, Estonia, Italy and the Philippines.
Benson was originally drafted in the second round (48th overall) in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks.
