Mardy Collins agreed to terms with Maccabi Ashdod

Veteran NBA guard Mardy Collins, who was drafted 29th overall by the New York Knicks in the 2006 NBA draft, has exchanged a draft agreement to play for Maccabi Ashdod of the Israeli Super League, sources familiar of the negotiations told Sportando earlier today.

The 28-year-old Temple alumnus played the last two seasons outside the NBA, splitting his time overseas (Turkey, China) and in the NBA Development League. On December 2011, Collins hooped with the L.A. D-Fenders where he teamed up with current Maccabi Tel Aviv power-forward Malcolm Thomas, who according to sources played an instrumental role in Collins signing in Israel, contributing a positive scouting report. 

Collins' resume includes playeing 189-NBA games over five season with the Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 14.7 minutes. His peak year came during the '08-09 season after being traded to the Clippers along with Zach Randolph in exchange for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. Collins played 39 games for the Clippers, recording career-high averages of 6 points on 46.4% shooting from deep, in addition to grabbing 2.5 boards and dishing out 2.6 dimes per. 

Last summer in Las Vegas, Collins played five Summer League games for the D-League Select team, posting 12.2ppg, 4.2rpg and 1.8apg.

Collins is expected to join the already extensive list of 2006 NBA draftees to have played in Israel at some point during their careers, including Jordan Farmar, P. J. Tucker, Craig Smith, Dee Brown, J. R. Pinnock, Will Blalock and Israelis Lior Eliyahu and Yotam Halperin.