Veteran big men Chris Ayer and Christian Maraker will suit up for the JBL's Rera Kamuy Hokkaido during the 2010-11 season, the club announced over the weekend.
Ayer, a Loyola Marymount University product, played in the NBA Development League last season, appearing in 16 games and averaging 5.2 points per game. He played in three games for the Utah Flash and in 13 other contests for the Springfield Armor.
The 208-cm Ayer spent two seasons with the bj-league's Oita HeatDevils (2006-08) and made major strides in becoming a formidable force at both ends of the floor. While playing for the champion Ryukyu Golden Kings in 2008-09, Ayer averaged 13.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while starting alongside star forward Jeff Newton, who earned the league's regular-season and playoff MVP accolades.
Maraker will be beginning his second season with Rera Kamuy in September, but first under new coach Joe Bryant. Last season, Maraker, who attended the University of Pacific, averaged 12.3 points and 8.8 rebounds in 42 games. The 206-cm Swede previously played pro ball in Spain and Slovenia.