game are you
most looking forward
to in November?
PRE-DRAFT WORKOUTS CONTINUE WITH TRIO OF PROSPECTS
Gordon averaged 18.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists this season in helping lead the University of Connecticut to the national championship. He was named All-Big East First Team and to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament Team. Gordon holds the UConn career record with 246 three-pointers and his three-point field goal percentage of 42.3% is second only to Ray Allen.
Smith is looking to make the jump from Oak Hill Academy to the NBA. He posted averages of 16.2 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocks this past season. Smith is an athletic small forward who runs the floor well and can shoot the three.
Lamizana was named All-Big East Third Team after averaging 13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.1 blocked shots as a senior. He helped lead Rutgers to an appearance in the 2004 NIT Championship game and to the schools’ first 20-win season since 1982-83. Lamizana finished his three-year Rutgers career third in all-time blocked shots with 246.
BobcatsBasketball.com visited with Bobcats General Manager & Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff and all three players after the workout:
GENERAL MANAGER & HEAD COACH BERNIE BICKERSTAFF
(on what position Ben Gordon will play in the NBA)
I think he’s sort of like the guards the Celtics used to have – we call them quasi-guards, guys that can play both positions. The drills that he went through today that we’ve been giving the other guys – footwork he’s off the charts as far as quickness and lateral movement. He has the rare ability to face you and go by you. Most guys they back you down to protect the basketball, but he has the ability to come face you, make his move and he has good thrust once he goes by you. I think he’s got a shot to be a really, really good basketball player.
(on whether Gordon could be taken at number four)
He could merit consideration. He’s very good because he can shoot the ball and he’s explosive. At Connecticut, at the end of the game, they had to put the ball in his hands because he was the only free throw shooter, but the opponents knew that he had to hold on to the ball too, so he ended up taking a lot of bad shots because they didn’t want him to pass the ball.
(on the question of Gordon being in-between size)
What I would try to do in that situation is try to find you a big point guard to play with him. He can defend the one (point guard) because he has great quickness and then they have to chase him.
(on Herve Lamizana)
He is a very athletic player who surprised us a bit with his ability to shoot the basketball. I’m not sure of where a player of his caliber will fit in, but he is definitely a guy who has a chance to develop into a really good basketball player.
(on Josh Smith)
Anytime you have a player at his age with the amount of athletic ability as this kid has, you are basically looking at potential because his basketball experiences are limited in relation to the competition that he has faced.
(on players going from high school to NBA)
You can probably count on both hands the amount of high school players that have actually made a difference in the league over the years. LeBron James caused a problem in that he was a prodigy of the game much like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett were when they came into the NBA. A lot of guys have the professionalism to do their jobs and make an NBA roster, but it’s the one’s who have the inate ability to come back and work hard to get better, so over the years they become better basketball players. Those are the guys you can count on down the road.
(on why college seniors are undervalued)
The way things are today, there are not that many college seniors available each year, so the attention has turned to underclassmen, European players and now high school kids. I really think that a player experience is just as import as upside. I think college seniors face more competition and perform under a different type of pressure like the NCAA tournament – that’s a real win and go home event.
(on the chances of landing a quality player in the draft)
I’m confident we are going to get a good basketball player. We need all positions, so we are really not restrained to looking at just one specific type of player. There are a ton of talented players in the draft and we are excited about our possibilities.
BEN GORDON
(on the workout)
This is one of the more difficult workouts and it’s something that I expect from a new organization. They just want to get a good feel for the players and kind of see what they can do. I thought it was a very good workout today.
(on playing for an expansion team)
I think this would be a beautiful way to start my career – coming to a city like Charlotte with a new organization. They have a lot of people here who know what they are doing. I would love to be a part of this organization.
(on what position he would play in the pros)
I’m a playmaker, so whatever the coach needs me to do out there on the court. I feel like I’m versatile enough to run a team, distribute the ball and make my teammates better or to create my own shot. I think I bring a lot more to the table than just a pure point guard because I can do both. In college, my coach actually had to force me to shoot more because I was always looking for my teammates. So, I think that’s more of my natural role – distributing the ball and making my teammates better. I think at the start it would be a rough transition just like it is for any rookie point guard.
(on the toughness of the workout)
This was definitely the team who was the most thorough and knew exactly what they were looking for as far agility, quickness, vertical and things like that. It’s definitely a good way to figure out what a player can and can’t do. We did a lot of physical testing before we even touched a basketball – probably 45 to 50 minutes of just straight drills. We did vertical testing, agility quickness drills with your feet just moving side to side – lateral movement, a lot of sprints with and without the ball and some flexibility testing.
HERVE LAMIZANA
(on his workout)
My workout today was alright. It was nothing really crazy, but they put you through a lot of drills and you have to work really hard. This was my seventh workout for a team and I feel I’ve done pretty good.
(on what he would bring to the Bobcats)
What I bring to the basketball court is excitement. I can run, I can shoot and I can dunk the basketball, so really, it’s just excitement. I feel I can do a little of everything on the court.
(on playing for an expansion franchise)
I would really like this situation because it would give you a chance to learn and go about your business and become a better basketball player. This is a good situation and I think I would really enjoy playing here. To be honest, I would just like to be selected by any NBA team.
(on where he will be selected)
I think I have a chance at going late first round or early second round, if I continue to improve and excel during these workouts. A lot of people didn’t get to see me play in college, so this is my chance to show what I can do. I just have to keep working hard and good things should happen for me.
JOSH SMITH
(on his workout)
I think I did pretty good out there today. We did a lot of agility work, but I think I did pretty good.
(on the expectation level of going from high school to the NBA)
I know what is expected out of me. Guys like LeBron James have set the standard, but I just have to come out and work hard, get into the gym earlier and get better. The expectation level is really high right now. This is one of the best classes as far as talent is concerned and there are a lot of good players around. That did not affect my decision to enter the NBA draft and I feel I am ready for the challenge.”
(on more high school players entering the draft)
Guys are encouraged by the success that another is having. They (other high school players) and myself see like LeBron James doing his thing and think, I can do that. For me personally, I am mentally and physically ready and I made my decision and have no second thoughts.”
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