FORT WAYNE – The Mad Ants might have gained an assistant coach, but lost a player, then lost a game Friday.

While former Duke standout and 13-year NBA veteran Christian Laettner was officially named the Ants’ assistant coach, the team was without point guard Walker Russell Jr. in its 106-102 loss at Sioux Falls.

Darnell Lazare and Jarrid Famous had 19 points each for the Ants (8-14), who play Sioux Falls tonight. Guard Darington Hobson, who re-joined the Ants from the Milwaukee Bucks, added 11 points.

Meanwhile, Russell, the 6-foot-2 veteran point guard who leads the D-League with 9.9 assists per game and averages 16 points, was called up to the NBA Detroit Pistons.

But he, too, also lost Friday, falling to Memphis 98-81 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, where Russell had three points, two assists and one rebound in 20 minutes.

Prior to the NBA season opening in December, Russell participated in the Detroit training camp, but was released and returned to the Mad Ants, where he has had games of 12 assists or more five times, and scored 20 or more on four occasions.

In the team’s victory over Bakersfield in the D-League Showcase in Reno, Nev., Russell had 19 points and 19 assists.

The signing of Laettner became a formality after news was leaked that he would become the Ants’ assistant coach under 26-year-old Steve Gansey, who was named the team’s interim coach after Joey Meyer was recently fired.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Mad Ants organization,” Laettner was quoted in a Mad Ants release. “I am very excited and looking forward to working with the players, staff and organization as an assistant coach.

“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.”

Following the Mad Ants’ two games in Sioux Falls, they will play three more games on the road before returning home Feb. 2 against Maine.