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D.J. Kennedy signs training camp contract with the Dallas Mavericks

Kennedy won a D-League title with Rio Grande Valley earlier this year.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

D.J. Kennedy is making another stop on his journey to land in the NBA.  The St. John's alum signed a training camp contract with the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.

Kennedy, who played in the 2013 Summer League with the Miami Heat, has jumped around in recent years in pursuit of his dream.  After a brief stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the end of the 2012 season, including a game in which he scored 12 points, Kennedy was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies.

Since then, the forward has made a name for himself on the NBA Development League circuit.  Kennedy averaged 16.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game in 2012-13, a season he spent time split between the Erie BayHawks and Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

After Kennedy was traded to Rio Grande Valley in March, he elevated his game dramatically and led the squad to a D-League championship.  In the three playoff series he played with the Vipers, Kennedy's statistics improved across the board.

Now, the NBA is giving the now-journeyman another shot to prove himself and make a roster.  Dallas is looking to improve upon a disappointing 41-41 season, in which the Mavericks missed the playoffs for the first time since 1999-00.

Kennedy's high school teammate and friend DeJuan Blair also signed with Dallas in August.  The Mavericks added former Syracuse center Fab Melo and Richard McConnell along with Kennedy on Tuesday.

Per team policy, the terms of Kennedy's contract with the Mavericks have not been disclosed.

In four years with St. John's, Kennedy averaged 11.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.  He suffered a season ending ACL tear that kept him sidelined during the Red Storm's only NCAA Tournament appearance in his tenure.