Bahaadar Russell is ready to show his true ability. Slowed by a preseason injury a year ago, he struggled to create a place for himself in the lineup and saw his playing time diminish as the season progressed. A combo-guard, Russell is a natural scorer who can also use his size and ball-handling skills to create scoring opportunities off the dribble. The nephew of former NBA standouts Campy and Walker D. Russell, he has a basketball pedigree that screams success.

2005-06 SEASON:
• Struggled to find playing time in the guard rotation, totalling 115 minutes while seeing action in just 17 games.
• Missed the UW-Milwaukee (Feb. 11) & Wright State (21/15/06) games because of illness.
• Earned first career start at Butler (2/18/06), playing eight minutes.
• Played seven minutes at UIC (1/19/06), handing out an assist and grabbing two rebounds.
• Scored two points with three rebounds and three assists vs. John Carroll (12/22/05).
• Did not play vs. Rochester (11/26/05) because of an ankle sprain.
• Scored five points with two assists and two steals vs. Florida A&M (11/19/05), playing 13 minutes.

PRE-CLEVELAND STATE:
• Averaged almost 24 points per game in his lone season of prep school basketball at Maine Central Institute, playing for coach Ed Jones (2003-04).
• Honorable mention all-state choice by the Arizona Republic as a senior at Phoenix's South Mountain High, playing for coach George Wray.
• Averaged 20 points and six assists as a game as a senior to earn Metro Tri-Player of the Year honors.
• Second team all-metro choice after averaging 15 points and seven assists as a junior.
• Four-year regular at South Mountain, playing on teams that compiled a 66-36 record, finishing third in the state in 2000-01.
• Two-time all-tournament selection at the Phoenix area Christmas Tournament.
• Lettered in track as a junior and senior at South Mountain, competing in the high jump.

PERSONAL:
Born Feb. 23, 1985 in Pontiac, Mich. . . son of Larry Russell and Paulette Shorter Russell. . . is the sixth of nine children, having five brothers and three sisters. . . older brother, Bilal, plays basketball at Howard University. . . older brother Davin White plays for the Niagara Daredevils of the ABA. . . is the nephew of former NBA standouts Campy Russell (Cleveland) and Walker Russell (Detroit). . . undecided on a major.