(Adds NBA statistics, background, details on career)

May 28 (Reuters) - Rookie New Orleans Pelicans basketball player Bryce Dejean-Jones died after being shot early on Saturday in a Dallas apartment, police said.

The National Basketball Association team issued a statement confirming the 23-year-old shooting guard's death. Dejean-Jones, a native of Los Angeles, had signed a multi-year contract with the New Orleans club in February.

"We are devastated at the loss of this young man's life who had such a promising future ahead of him. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bryce's family during this difficult time," the team said.

Dallas police said officers responded to a 3:20 a.m. call at an apartment, where the resident told them that an intruder kicked open his front door while he was asleep in his bedroom and failed to respond when the resident called out.

The man then grabbed a handgun and opened fire when the intruder kicked his bedroom door, the police statement said.

The intruder left the apartment and collapsed in the breezeway, later dying at a local hospital. The police statement identified the dead man as Dejean-Jones.

A 6-foot-6-inch (1.98-meter) guard from Iowa State University, Dejean-Jones had averaged 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 14 games with the Pelicans. He made his NBA debut in January.

(Reporting by Frank McGurty; Editing by David Gregorio and Paul Simao) ((frank.mcgurty@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646 223-6013; Reuters Messaging: frank.mcgurty.reuters.com@reuters.net;))

Keywords: NBA DEJEAN/