Tuesday, June 23, 1998
Draft’s top pick
up in air
Tomorrow's NBA
By Chris Sheridan
selections might have
several surprises
Associated PressVANCOUVER, British Columbia -- For the past couple weeks, the general consensus was that Arizona point guard Mike Bibby would be the No. 1 selection in the NBA draft.
Now, however, there is a subtle yet unmistakable opinion swing taking place that has many people believing that Pacific center Michael Olowokandi will be the man of the hour.
"I think it makes the draft more interesting, unlike last year when we knew Tim Duncan would go No. 1 and Keith Van Horn No. 2. I think now people can sit back and be surprised when the name gets called," Olowokandi said yesterday as some 14 first-round picks gathered in the NBA's northernmost outpost in anticipation of tomorrow's draft.
The Los Angeles Clippers hold the first pick, the Vancouver Grizzlies choose second and the Denver Nuggets third.
Anthony Carter, g, Hawaii
Ht Wt ppg rpg apg 6-2 185 18.4 6.9 6.9Considered a sleeper pick . . . Once mentioned as a first-rounder but recent shoulder surgery might have hurt his chances . . . Strong point guard skills and great penetrator . . . Two-year Hawaii averages of 18.4 ppg and 6.9 apg . . . Was sixth in nation in assists in '97-98 (7.3 apg) . . . Scored 33 points vs. Gonzaga and had 28 points, eight assists and six rebounds vs. Arizona St. . . . Shot 47 percent from field in two Hawaii seasons.
Like many teams, the Clippers need a center and a point guard in a draft short on talent at those two positions. It has been widely believed that Los Angeles -- if it did not decide to trade the pick -- would choose Bibby and let Vancouver decide whether to select Olowokandi or trade the choice to one of the many teams coming forward with offers.
The Clippers were the only team Bibby held a workout for.
"They'll draft who they want to draft," Bibby said. "I did what I had to do at the workout. If they didn't like it, then that's their opinion. There's nothing I can do about it."
Olowokandi, a 7-foot-1 center from Nigeria who grew up in England and has been playing basketball for only three years, held workouts for five teams -- including the Grizzlies.
With true 7-footers so hard to find, and with the Clippers likely to lose center Ike Austin to free agency, many have begun to believe that he will be the player whose name is the first to come out of commissioner David Stern's mouth when he steps to the podium to announce the first pick.
"This is all gratifying, people telling you you're going to be No. 1 and trying to trade up for you," Olowokandi said. "And for me, coming from London and not having played basketball for a long time, that means a whole lot.
"It's up to the general managers to determine, and that's not my job. My job is to sit here and be patient, get picked and start working," Olowokandi said.
If Olowokandi is picked first by the Clippers, the Grizzlies would have the choice of selecting Bibby or Paul Pierce of Kansas second.
Vancouver also could trade down a few spots to pick Antawn Jamison or Vince Carter of North Carolina. Carter worked out for the Grizzlies yesterday, and the team's talent evaluators came away more impressed than they expected.
The Nuggets would like to have a shot at Olowokandi, but have offered little to the Grizzlies in trade talks that would result in a swap of positions. Denver general manager Dan Issel apparently believes the Grizzlies won't take Olowokandi since they have center Bryant Reeves under contract for the next six years.
The Toronto Raptors, picking fourth, have held trade talks with Vancouver that are rumored to include Doug Christie and the No. 4 pick in exchange for the No. 2 pick.
Such a deal would be contingent on Olowokandi being available at No. 2.
Most experts see a grouping of eight players at the top of the draft and a crapshoot after that. Aside from Olowokandi, Bibby, Pierce, Jamison and Carter, the top echelon also includes Raef Lafrentz of Kansas, Larry Hughes of Saint Louis and Robert "Tractor" Traylor of Michigan.
The second tier includes 20-year-old Dirk Nowitzki of Germany, Bonzi Wells of Ball State, Michael Doleac of Utah and Nazr Mohammed of Kentucky.
