Young Lone Potential Lottery Pick In Tuesday Workout
Charlotte's preparation for the 2007 NBA Draft continued Tuesday at the Presbyterian Hospital Training Center at Charlotte Bobcats Arena with Rice’s Morris Almond, Marist’s Jared Jordan, Ohio State’s Ron Lewis and USC’s Nick Young all taking part in the predraft workouts.
Almond was named Conference USA Player of the Year as a senior after setting single-season conference records for points averaged (26.4), total points scored (844) and free throws made (241). The 6-6, 215-pound guard earned First Team All-Conference USA honors his junior and senior seasons and finished his collegiate career as Rice’s fourth all-time leading scorer with 1,825 points. He ranked third in the nation in scoring in 2006-07 and led the Eagles in rebounding (6.6), three-point field goal percentage (.456) and free throw percentage (.846). Almond is projected to be a mid to late first round pick on Thursday.
Jordan finished his collegiate career at Marist as the all-time leader in assists (813) and ranks sixth in points (1,538). He became the fifth player in school history to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. The 6-2, 187-pound guard became the first player in Division I since Avery Johnson (Southern, 1986-88) to lead the nation in assists twice, dishing out 8.5 assists in 2005-06 and following up with 8.7 dimes in 2006-07. The 6-2, 187-pound guard was named the Metro Athletic Conference Player of the Year and selected for First Team All-MAAC after averaging 17.2 points, hauling down 5.9 rebounds and tallying 1.40 steals his senior season.
Lewis played his final two seasons at Ohio State after transferring from Bowling Green and sitting out the 2004-05 season under NCAA transfer rules. The 6-4, 200-pound guard ranked second on the team with 12.7 points and added 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists while helping lead the Buckeyes to the 2007 National Championship Game. Lewis raised his stock in the NCAA Tournament, scoring 27, 25 and 22 points in three consecutive NCAA Tournament games against Xavier, Tennessee and Memphis. He also hit the game-tying three-pointer that forced overtime in Ohio State’s win over Xavier.
Young is currently projected to be a late lottery pick and has been moving up numerous mock drafts as of late. An early entry candidate for Thursday’s draft, Young earned First Team All-Pac-10 honors in his sophomore and junior seasons. The 6-6, 200-pound guard/forward finished his collegiate career as USC’s sixth all-time leading scorer with 1,486 points. He ranked second in the Pac-10 in scoring (17.5 points), fifth in field goal percentage (.525) and tied for second in three-point field goal percentage (.440) following his junior season. Young also drove his stock up in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, recording 22 points and seven rebounds in the Trojans second-round upset of Texas, and adding 15 points in USC’s near-upset of North Carolina in the Sweet Sixteen.
Bobcats Head Coach Sam Vincent, Almond, Jordan, Lewis and Young all spoke with the media after the workouts:
(On handling the process with these kids, can you tell any difference in them now… maybe they are more worn down)
(On how important these workouts are in the overall draft process)
(On how many workouts he’s had)
(On being tired from the 13 previous workouts)
(On how the workout stacked up to the other 13 workouts)
(On what he knows about the Bobcats and how he would fit in here)
(On if scoring is his biggest strength)
(On how difficult it is to compete against the bigger guys)
(On hearing that Sam Vincent was impressed with his workout)
(On how many workouts he’s had)
(On if he’s ready to be done with workouts)
(On his impression of the Bobcats)
(On what he knows about the Bobcats organization)
(On if he would like to play here)
(On where he thinks he might be drafted)
(On his biggest strengths)
(On defense being something he takes pride in)
(On if he’ll be glad when the whole process is over)
(On how many workouts he has had)
(On if he has a feel for when he might be drafted)
(On what impresses him about the Bobcats organization)
(On if it was it intimidating with Michael Jordan watching him)
(On if he expected to work out for the Bobcats)
(On how he formed a friendship with Adam Morrison)
(On if Morrison gave him a heads up on the Bobcats workouts)
(On what he thinks his position will be in the NBA)
June 26, 2007
BOBCATS HEAD COACH SAM VINCENT
(On if anybody stood out in today’s workout)
I was happy with Nick Young’s performance. He’s been traveling around doing a lot of workouts. He did a back-to-back and came in here a little bit sore, but had a real nice workout. He showed some things that he can do that are a little bit different than what we have on the team, so he was impressive. I thought Morris Almond also played well and I liked the point guard, Jared Jordan, who’s a guy that really makes solid decisions. We had a good group working out today.
I think all these guys are getting close to the draft, so they’re excited that this process is getting ready to end, and I can get that feel from them. They’re trying to come in and give their all, but you can see that they’re getting a little bit worn down. From a coaching staff standpoint, all we try to do is get a feel for their body, speed, just quick little things. And like I’ve said all through this process, it’s our scouting department who has seen these guys play during the season and have a better feel than we do than just judging them from these workouts.
For me, these workouts are not going to hold a whole lot of weight. I like to see guys committed to coming in and working out with the teams. It gives me a chance to get a feel for their personalities and how they handle some of the drills we put them through. But if a guy comes in and plays great but hasn’t had a successful career, or if a guy comes in here and plays bad but has played well, we can’t put too much weight into it. So our scouting department sees these guys, they know these guys, they have a feel for them… that’s really where the decision is going to be made.
MORRIS ALMOND • 6-6 • 215 LBS. • FORWARD • RICE • SENIOR
(On today’s workout)
It’s my last one, the end of the road. I tried to come here with a little bit of adrenaline and leave it all on the floor, but it’s been a fun tour. I’m glad it’s over with.
Oh man, this is number 14. Magic number 14. You really try to give it your best showing – you know the drill – you give it your best showing everywhere you go and hope for the best come the 28th (of June).
You try not to show it. You try just to push through it. This is the chance of a lifetime; you don’t want to take it for granted but, at the same time, we are human. Five different cities in five nights, and across the country – it wears on the body. At the same time, you enjoy it while you’re at it.
This is one of the more thorough ones. I guess this is a reflection of the organization – crisp, thorough and efficient with not a lot of lag time, and it looks like they’ve got a lot going on here in Charlotte.
I just feel with the moves that they’ve made (personnel-wise in the front office) that everything is going in the right direction. They’re getting a family-type atmosphere from people right here in Carolina. That’s a positive, no matter where you’re from. In some organizations, there is so much turnover. I’ve had workouts where I’ve been at one team, and the next workout, the GM or Assistant GM is at another team already within the same workout process. It just shows that they are really building something long-term here.
I think so. I try to be efficient, but I’d say 1A, I’m a scorer, and 1B, I’m a shooter. I think I have versatility to do other things with my size at the shooting guard position.
JARED JORDAN • 6-2 • 187 LBS. • GUARD • MARIST • SENIOR
(On today’s workout)
It went well. It was interesting. I was the only point guard out there playing against bigger guys. It’s always fun to compete against top-notch guys, that’s how I look at it.
I’m kind of used to it by now, but it’s difficult. This isn’t really set up for how I play. I’m more of a pass the ball and give other guys the opportunity to score. It’s a little different but you take what it gives you.
It’s nice to hear, especially coming from him, a great point guard. Just trying to work hard and hope for the best and see what happens.
This is my 12th and I have one more. So 13.
Kind of, yeah (laughter). I’m looking forward to it being over. Like I said, it’s fun though. A couple weeks from now I’ll look back and say I’m glad I did all these.
I think they’re good. They’re a young team – up and coming. I think they’re going to do well. They have a couple good draft picks, so I’m excited to see what they do.
RON LEWIS • 6-4 • 200 LBS. • GUARD • OHIO STATE • SENIOR
(On today’s workout)
It went good. Everybody comes into Charlotte saying it’s going to be your hardest workout, and it was. It was a great performance with great competition, and I think I did well.
I know they are a growing team. I know they have a young team with a lot of North Carolina players. They are really getting in tune with what they are doing here, really developing a great team and a great program.
Absolutely. Just being in Charlotte—they have football and basketball and fan support all the time.
I’m not sure. My main thing is just to keep working hard. Wherever I land, I land. Whoever picks me, I know they’re going to get a person that works hard and is willing to come in and compete all the time.
I think it’s the all-around aspect of my defense and being able to shoot the ball and being able to get to the free-throw line; that’s really the main strong points of my game.
Absolutely. You know, during the season and also during the tournament, I had to do the things like defend the best player of the team. I tried to take it to them and look at it as an aspect that I can get better at and do great things for my team. It’s been helping me ever since.
Absolutely. This whole month has been a grind, but it’s been a great grind just being able to travel to a whole bunch of cities and being able to try out for a lot of great programs to try and follow your dream. It’s just amazing.
NICK YOUNG • 6-6 • 200 LBS. • GUARD/FORWARD • USC • JUNIOR
(On today’s workout)
I think it went pretty good for me. I’m a little tired. It’s coming down to the draft and I’m still working out, so I’m feeling it.
I’d say about 12 or 13. Those plane flights from L.A. are getting long (laughter).
Not really. Everybody has said the same thing – that they kind of like me. Hopefully I’ll just end up in the lottery.
Michael Jordan, what else can I say? (laughter) I grew up watching him and wore his shoes. It’s an honor to come in here and see him upstairs watching us and performing in front of him and performing in front of the coaches.
It was, kind of. I couldn’t take my eye off of him for a minute, but I got it going and I’m just happy to work hard. I’m going to be in his shoes one day probably (laughter).
I worked out for Memphis, but I didn’t know I was going to work out here. I got this call late last week and I thought it would be good for me to come down here. A good friend of mine is on the team, Adam Morrison, so it would be good for me to come here, too.
When he was working out in L.A., I was kind of like his workout partner. We just got a relationship going, hanging out together. I called him during the season to see how it is.
Oh yeah, he said it is hard (laughter). That’s all he said, it’s hard and be prepared. I came in thinking we were about to run miles today.
I don’t know – I’m a swingman. I’m more of a two, but I can play the three. It doesn’t matter – just put me out there on the court.
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