The Mad Ants have acquired former Michigan State standout Travis Walton to help handle point guard duties after the recent call-up of Walker D. Russell, Jr. to the Detroit Pistons. 

Walton is a 6’2 point guard who played earlier this season in the NBA Development League for the Dakota Wizards and averaged 4.8 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in 19.8 minutes of action per game.  Walton has prior professional playing experience in Switzerland and Germany, and he was the teammate of current Mad Ants center Sean Sonderleiter while playing in Germany. 

While at Michigan State, Walton made a name for himself by being an excellent defender.  

The Fort Wayne Mad Ants announced today that they have hired Christian Laettner as their assistant coach pending a background check.  He will be working full time with Mad Ants head coach, Steve Gansey, who was recently promoted to the position.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Mad Ants organization! I am very excited and looking forward to working with the players, staff and organization as an assistant coach,” said Laettner. “The opportunity to work closely with developing players to improve their game and make it to the next level has always been a goal of mine. Many thanks to Jeff Potter and the Mad Ants organization for giving me this opportunity -- go Mad Ants!”

The Detroit Pistons have called up Walker D. Russell Jr. from the D-League in time for Friday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Russell has been playing for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and will be making his first appearance on an NBA roster.

“I'm real happy for him,” Mad Ants coach Steve Gansey told the News-Sentinel. “Walker's lived with me the past two summers and just worked hard wanting to get better, sacrificing good money overseas. … Walker's a realistic guy. He knows what he's supposed to do. He knows if he needs to be playing better, and he does it.”

The Milwaukee Bucks have assigned rookie guard Darington Hobson (6-7, 210) to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League, General Manager John Hammond announced today.

Hobson, 24, has appeared in five games for the Bucks this season and averaged 1.2 assists and 0.8 points in 7.8 minutes per contest.

Originally assigned to the Mad Ants on December 29, Hobson averaged 11.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in three games for Fort Wayne earlier this season. He was recalled back to Milwaukee on January 4.

Steve Gansey intends to continue an up-tempo style of play for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

The team is 2-2 since he has taken over as head coach.

“In terms of pushing the ball, we have to get that first (defensive) rebound and that's one thing we're stressing,” Gansey said. “We want to push it and get up and get going. Tulsa really worked on getting back on us and when we don't get that first rebound, it's harder to push the ball.”

The Fort Wayne Mad Ants announced their mutual decision that Joey Meyer will no longer be the head coach of the team. Steve Gansey has been named interim head coach effective immediately.

“Joey is a wonderful man, and we have been lucky to have him as a part of this organization for the past two and half years,” said Mad Ants President Jeff Potter. “Unfortunately, we have not had the success on the court that we would have hoped, and, after meeting with Joey, we both decided that the we needed a new voice to lead our team and chart a new course.”

“I have truly enjoyed my time in Fort Wayne, and I thank the organization for the opportunity to coach this team.” said Meyer. “We did not have the ultimate success we all hoped for, but we had some great moments here in Fort Wayne, and I will look back on my time here fondly. I wish the Mad Ants and the Fort Wayne community all the best now and in the future.”

Gansey, a 26-year-old graduate of Ashland University, has served as Meyer’s assistant coach for the past two and a half seasons.

The Fort Wayne Mad Ants have waived Chris Hunter due to injury.

Hunter was with the Knicks during training camp and averaged 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in 22.5 minutes over four games with Fort Wayne.

The Mad Ants sent their second round pick in the 2012 NBA D-League draft to the Energy for Iowa’s Jarrid Famous.

Famous, a 6’11” 240 lb center from South Florida University, was one of the final cuts in the Indiana Pacers training camp.  In eight games for the Energy, Famous averaged 16 points and 11 rebounds per contest shooting 55% from the field.

Famous will fill the roster spot of Chris Hunter who was waived today by the Mad Ants due to injury.

The Milwaukee Bucks have recalled rookie guard Darington Hobson from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League, General Manager John Hammond announced.

In three games for the Mad Ants, Hobson averaged 11.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 27.0 minutes per contest. Hobson tallied 22 points in the Mad Ants’ 104-103 win over Canton on Jan. 1, including the go-ahead basket with 21.5 seconds remaining. Hobson was initially assigned to Fort Wayne on December 29.

The Mad Ants sent have Marvin Phillips to the Bayhawks for Erie’s fourth round pick in the 2012 NBA D-League draft.

With the roster spot vacated by this transaction, the Mad Ants have reacquired Sadiel Rojas who was released due to injury on December 27. 

Phillips is a 6’7” 235 lb forward from Claflin University who spent last season and the first 12 games of this season with the Mad Ants. In 50 games with the team last season, Phillips averaged nearly a double-double with 12 points and 9.3 rebounds a game. In addition to those strong contributions, Phillips shot over 50 percent from the field and nearly 80 percent from the free throw line. In the first 12 games of the 2011-2012 season, Phillips played 30 minutes a game and averaged 11 points per contest.

“I want to thank Marvin Phillips for all that he’s done for the Mad Ants both on and off the court,” said Mad Ants President Jeff Potter. “It’s never easy trading a man of Marvin’s talent and character, but we think this is best for the team at this point. We wish Marvin and his wonderful family all of the best in the future.”

Sadiel Rojas, a 6’4” 190 lb guard from Oklahoma Weslyan and 2011 NAIA Player of the Year returns to the Ants after a promising early season start with the team. In ten games this season, Rojas brought instant energy off the bench and contributed four points and four rebounds a game.