Possible Late First Rounders Work Out Monday
June 25, 2007
Charlotte's preparation for the 2007 NBA Draft continued Monday at the Presbyterian Hospital Training Center at Charlotte Bobcats Arena with UCLA’s Arron Afflalo, Wisconsin’s Alando Tucker and Arizona’s Marcus Williams all taking part in the predraft workouts. Unfortunately, Tucker's workout was cut short due to a previous injury.
Afflalo is an early entry candidate in this year’s draft after earning Consensus First Team All-American honors and being named a member of the Wooden All-American team following his 2006-07 year at UCLA. The 6-5, 215-pound, junior guard was also named the 2006-07 Pac-10 Player of the Year after averaging 16.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three-point range. He helped lead the Bruins to 30-6 overall record, a No. 2 seed in the 2007 NCAA Tournament and a berth in the 2007 Final Four, where UCLA fell 76-66 to eventual National Champion Florida. Afflalo is expected to be a late-first or early-second round selection on draft day.
Tucker was named Big Ten Player of the Year by the coaches and media and was also named First Team All-American by The Associated Press following his senior season at Wisconsin in 2006-07. He finished his career as the Badgers all-time leading scorer with 2,217 points, surpassing Michael Finley. The 6-6, 206-pound forward holds seven other school records, including games played, games started, minutes played, field goals, free throws, free throw attempts and offensive rebounds. He averaged 19.9 points in his senior season, becoming the first Badger to lead the Big Ten in scoring since Don Rehfeldt in 1950. Tucker is also expected to be a late-first or early-second round selection on draft day.
Williams is an early entry candidate in this year’s draft after being named First Team All-Pac-10 following a sophomore season in which he averaged 16.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists. The 6-7, 205-pound forward ranked fourth in the Pac-10 in scoring and eighth in rebounding and scored 20-or-more points 11 times while helping lead the Wildcats to a 20-11 overall record and a spot in the 2007 NCAA Tournament.
Bobcats Head Coach Sam Vincent, Afflalo, Tucker and Williams all spoke with the media after the workouts:
BOBCATS HEAD COACH SAM VINCENT
(On where the Bobcats are with their workouts)
You know, I think it was Friday that some of you guys asked me about (Jeff) Green and whether or not he was coming. At that point, he still was. And today he was not. It’s kind of been on again, off again with Green. We’ve been looking forward to seeing the young man but haven’t had a chance. It’s probably not going to happen at this point. But as far as the workouts, we’re going to run that all the way up to Wednesday. We’re going to keep working guys out. The thing that we noticed today is a lot of guys are going around to different teams and they’re starting to get a little tired. The guy (Alando) Tucker today had a little bit of a pulled quad muscle, so he really couldn’t get through the workouts, but that’s expected. These guys are working out almost every single day in different cities and they’re going through a lot of different drills. They’re just starting to get tired and that’s what we saw a little of today.”
(On if he anticipates a team before Charlotte having made a guarantee to Jeff Green)
Hey, it’s draft-time, anything could be going on. Some of these guys that are on the table, have come in to do workouts, and then all of the sudden decide to pull off… you kind of wonder why. And some teams might be saying, “Hey if you’re available, we’re going to take you at four.” There’s nothing we can do about that. I think the thing that the players have to caution against is going on those kinds of promises. Because all of the sudden now, that fourth pick comes and the coach says “We don’t really want to take that guy,” and they take someone else, and now that kid hasn’t gone and worked out for you. So now you’re not comfortable with him, so maybe now he slides to 10. A lot of that is going on. A lot of teams are talking to agents and a lot of agents are getting involved with various conversations. The only thing you can do is let the kids come in and work them out and get a feel for their personalities from there.
(On if Atlanta’s pick at No. 3 will determine the rest of the early first round)
I think teams have not let it become problematic just because there’s so much speculation, there’s so much talk and then there’s teams still debating whether or not they can move up by giving up this and that. I think it’s going to go right up to the final hour. Some of these guys may not have the current draft order that they have just because teams may package certain things or players. I think as a team identity, you have to identify what your needs are, try to target those guys, maybe have it three or four, and then you’re going to get one of those guys. But I don’t think you can put too much into it right now.”
(On the possibility of Mike Conley Jr. working out for the Bobcats)
There have been a lot of guys that were on the list that have either come off and then come back on, but I don’t recall Conley’s name ever being on the list, so I’d be surprised if he came in and worked out.
(On if a player did not workout for the Bobcats, how that would or would not effect their decision to draft that player)
I don’t think it would effect our decision simply because we are not basing our selection simply on these workouts. We brought Julian Wright in, and if you look at a lot of the mock drafts, he’s a top six guy, but our specific workout didn’t really give him the chance to do all the things he’s really good at. Some guys are going to come in here and shine in the workouts and some guys are not. It has to be the last two or three years of history that our scouting department has put together that help us base our decision on who we draft.
(On if the Bobcats will use balance with their two picks and go small with one and big with the other)
I won’t say it will be small-big. It will be based on need-need. We pretty much know what our priority need is with that first pick, and then we have a secondary need with the second pick. We’re looking more at making sure we fill the gaps and make our team stronger.
(On what those needs are)
I would say primarily we’re looking for a big – an athletic big that has low-post scoring and gives us the ability to get the ball on the inside a little bit more to increase the athletic ability from the 4/5 position. Our secondary need is maybe a little bit more strength in the backcourt.
(On if there are certain players who have had the most impressive workouts)
There have been a bunch of guys who have had good workouts. I thought Javaris (Crittenton) had a good workout – I liked his potential. I liked (Corey) Brewer’s workout. Joakim (Noah) – I like his workout, plus you know what you’re going to get from a player like that. I liked (Al) Thorton’s workout. He had a good workout, but once again, I want to make clear that these workouts are purely to get a feel for size, speed and the like. Until you put four other guys around them and see how they interact in a team setting, you can’t really tell how they’re going to play. You have to put 20,000 people in an arena and put four guys on the court. Then they have to make decisions, so there are a lot of other factors that go into it.
ARRON AFFLALO • 6-5 • 215 LBS. • GUARD • UCLA • JUNIOR
(On today’s workout)
It was very organized with just me and Marcus (Williams) in there. I’ve just got to get in some better conditioning so you can get your performance to its optimal position, but I think it was good overall.
(On how many teams he’s worked out for)
This is my eighth team.
(On the other teams he has visited)
I’ve been to Houston, the Lakers, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Utah, San Antonio and Seattle. This is probably my final stop as far as a new team. I might be going to some callbacks. That’s about it.
(On if going through workouts is getting old after eight workouts)
I wouldn’t say that. You know, this is part of the job, part of the process. Just have to come here and compete, put my best foot forward and hope for the best. It gets repetitive, but over a long career I’m going to do a lot of the same drills, so you have to get used to it.
(On if the Bobcats workout lived up to its reputation for being one of the hardest in the league)
A few guys told me that, and it’s pretty tough, pretty tough. I think that’s part of getting your body in a good condition so that you can compete like that for at least an hour. If you can get your energy level high for a workout like this, you’ll be pretty good.
(On where he is getting the feel he might go in the draft)
I don’t know. Most of the feedback I’ve gotten from teams that I worked out for has been pretty positive. Obviously, they’re first round looks. I’m not too worried about the position. I’m just worried about getting to a good team, a team that values winning and the same things that I do and competing hard – just getting to a good opportunity more so than looking for a number.
(On if he prepares for different teams’ workouts differently)
Obviously I have a little background knowledge about the team—the history here is pretty short but I know a little bit. I look at the personality of the guys I’m working out against as well as the staff and just try to be prepared mentally as much as possible.
ALANDO TUCKER • 6-6 • 205 LBS. • FORWARD • WISCONSIN • SENIOR
(On his injury)
It was a minor (quad) strain from a week and a half ago. There was an understanding—my agent talked to the organization and told them if my quad tightened up just a little bit to call it.
(On how disappointing it was not to be able to go through the workout)
For me as a competitor, it’s very disappointing. But I talked to the management and like they said, they have a lot of film on me. I’m a guy that played four years in college, so a 90-minute workout won’t make or break me. So that’s what I’m hoping for. But it’s very disappointing because I’m a competitor – when I see guys out on the court, I want to be out there.
(On where he is hearing he may go in the draft)
It’s a range anywhere from mid-to-late first round. The teams that I’ve been working out for and the managements that I’ve been talking to, they’ve all been happy with the things I’ve done.
(On how many workouts he’s had and with whom)
I’ve had five official ones, but I’ve been to about 10 different cities though, just talking to different teams and managements. I’ve been to Philly, Phoenix, New Jersey, San Antonio, Utah, Seattle, Miami and Golden State.”
(On if this is his last one)
I’m headed back to Phoenix one more time, just to talk to the management again.
(On when he first got hurt)
It was at the New Jersey/New York workout. I took a knee to the quad, so it was one of those injuries that you just have to let it rest and it gets better. That’s one of the things that I’m really trying to focus on to make sure that I’m ready for the summer league.
MARCUS WILLIAMS • 6-7 • 205 LBS. • FORWARD • ARIZONA • SOPHOMORE
(On today’s workout)
The workout went really well. It was real intense. There were only two of us in it, me and Arron Afflalo, so it made it twice as hard. But it was good – we pushed through it. The coaches in this one were a lot more involved as far as motivating and keeping us on one drill to the next, making sure you jog to the next drill rather than where some might let you get away with a little more. This one was intense – it was always game moves and game speed. It went well.
(On how many workouts he’s had, where and where he might be headed still)
This is 10 – nine previous to this. I have two or three more. I will be in DC and then probably Utah. I’ve been all the way from Miami, California teams (Clippers, Lakers and Golden State), San Antonio, New York, New Jersey, Philly, just to name a few.
(On having so many workouts)
Obviously teams have needs as far as what type of player they’re looking for. They obviously want to see all the guys that they can. But some teams might need a shooter, some teams might need a point guard, you never really know. They might see you and say “That’s our guy.” You don’t know so you go in there and regardless of what you hear, you just have to go 110 percent. As the process goes further and as they see more guys and it gets closer to the (June) 28th, you’ll kind of get a feeling as far as what teams like you or will pass. You get different feedback.
(On his strengths)
I like to be a playmaker. I like passing the ball just as much as I like scoring the ball. Defensively I like to get after people, being pretty long and athletic. I want to be able to affect the game on both sides of the floor. So those are probably my strengths.
(On where he’s hearing he might get drafted)
I have been hearing, you know, obviously the first round, but my agent has been dealing with that right now. I still have some more workouts to go. I am just trying to keep an open mind and wherever I fall, I’m blessed – God’s blessed me to be in a good situation.
