Hawks Select Boris Diaw-Riffiod in First Round of 2003 NBA Draft
ATLANTA, GA (June 26) ----- The Atlanta Hawks selected Boris Diaw-Rifford of France’s Pau Orthez with the 21st pick in the first round of the 2003 NBA Draft on Thursday. In the second round the Hawks picked Brigham Young guard Travis Hansen.
An early-entry candidate for this year’s draft, the 6-8, 203-pounder played both guard and forward positions for Pau Orthez and finished the regular season with averages of 7.3 points and 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists. In 23 games, Diaw-Rifford (pronounced DEE-ow) saw his playing time increase to about 25 minutes per game this year, his third for Pau Orthez.
A versatile product with great potential, his team will play ASVEL for the title of the French League Saturday night in the best-of-three series in Villeurbanne, France. The Golden State Warriors picked his teammate Mickael Pietrus, a 6-6 guard, with the 11th pick in Thursday’s draft.
“We're really pleased,” said Hawks’ Director of Basketball Operations and interim General Manager Billy Knight. “I think he's a good all-around player. We think he has size and versatility. We think he has the ability to handle the ball and make some plays with the ball. I think it will just add a different dimension to the team. He's a player that will take the ball out of the point guard's hands sometimes, and allow the point guard to do some other things. He's experienced. We look forward to getting him over here and working with him.”
Now a member of the French Senior National Team, Diaw-Riffiod has steadily progressed through France’s lower divisions and was once a teammate of current Charlotte Hornets’ forward-center Jerome Moiso, when the two played for Centre Federal, previously known as INSEP (the French National Institute for Sports and Physical Education).
“I’m excited,” Diaw-Rifford told Atlanta reporters (at 3:30 in the morning) via telephone from his home in France, where he watched the proceedings on NBA.com. “I think I have a balanced style, with the ability to do many things to help my team. I can rebound, score some points and play defense, so I think I can do a lot of things.”
When asked if he felt his style of play is similar to those of Portland’s Scottie Pippen, the 21-year-old Diaw-Rifford responded, “I’ve been told that my position could be a point-forward, but when I played on the France Junior National Team I played the point guard spot. I guess he’s a little bit like me, because he does a little bit of everything on the court. He can play defense. He’s like a role player who does every role. He defends, he scores, he passes, and he makes plays sometimes. I like the comparison.”
He stated that he has already received background information on the city of Atlanta from Rod Sellers, a teammate who played in the United States at the University of Connecticut. “While I’ve never been there, Rod told me it was a pretty nice town. I’m looking forward to playing with them (his new teammates). I know of them. They’re great players, so I think it will be very good for me to improve myself.”
According to the Suproleague Yearbook, Diaw-Rifford’s mother Elisabeth is probably “the best center in French women’s basketball history (they won the French title seven times and three European championships), while his father, Issa Diaw, is a former Senegalese high jump champion.”
He will wear #32 for the Hawks.
With the 37th overall pick, Atlanta chose 25-year-old guard/forward Travis Hansen of BYU. After starting his career at Utah Valley State College in 1996-97, the 6-6 Hansen spent the next two years on a LDS mission in Santiago, Chile before transferring to BYU prior to the 2000-01 season.
He averaged 13.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists in three years for the Cougars, and connected on 43.4 percent of his field goals and 36.9% shooting from three-point range. In his final season Hansen led the team in scoring (16.8 ppg) and blocked shots, and ranked second in rebounding and assists. He tallied a season-high 27 points at Colorado State and recorded a 21-point, 12-rebound effort against in-state rival Utah.
A high-energy player who has the ability to have an impact from any place on the floor, Hansen is considered to be one of the best athletes in the draft.
“We think Travis Hansen is a good player,” said Knight. “He's mature, he's 25 years old and spent two years in Chile, on his own, for his mission. He can shoot the ball, he's a good athlete who is versatile. I think he's a combo guard, and will evolve into a good combo guard in the league. He's not too dissimilar to Jon Barry, that kind of a player. I think he provides some energy and some toughness. He’ll certainly get after people. We think he'll be able to help us in a lot of ways. We think he has a chance to help us next year.”
Billy Knight Comments on the Selection of Diaw-Riffiod and Hansen
Boris Diaw-Riffiod Speaks Following Selection
An early-entry candidate for this year’s draft, the 6-8, 203-pounder played both guard and forward positions for Pau Orthez and finished the regular season with averages of 7.3 points and 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists. In 23 games, Diaw-Rifford (pronounced DEE-ow) saw his playing time increase to about 25 minutes per game this year, his third for Pau Orthez.
 Boris Diaw-Riffiod |
“We're really pleased,” said Hawks’ Director of Basketball Operations and interim General Manager Billy Knight. “I think he's a good all-around player. We think he has size and versatility. We think he has the ability to handle the ball and make some plays with the ball. I think it will just add a different dimension to the team. He's a player that will take the ball out of the point guard's hands sometimes, and allow the point guard to do some other things. He's experienced. We look forward to getting him over here and working with him.”
 Travis Hansen |
“I’m excited,” Diaw-Rifford told Atlanta reporters (at 3:30 in the morning) via telephone from his home in France, where he watched the proceedings on NBA.com. “I think I have a balanced style, with the ability to do many things to help my team. I can rebound, score some points and play defense, so I think I can do a lot of things.”
When asked if he felt his style of play is similar to those of Portland’s Scottie Pippen, the 21-year-old Diaw-Rifford responded, “I’ve been told that my position could be a point-forward, but when I played on the France Junior National Team I played the point guard spot. I guess he’s a little bit like me, because he does a little bit of everything on the court. He can play defense. He’s like a role player who does every role. He defends, he scores, he passes, and he makes plays sometimes. I like the comparison.”
He stated that he has already received background information on the city of Atlanta from Rod Sellers, a teammate who played in the United States at the University of Connecticut. “While I’ve never been there, Rod told me it was a pretty nice town. I’m looking forward to playing with them (his new teammates). I know of them. They’re great players, so I think it will be very good for me to improve myself.”
According to the Suproleague Yearbook, Diaw-Rifford’s mother Elisabeth is probably “the best center in French women’s basketball history (they won the French title seven times and three European championships), while his father, Issa Diaw, is a former Senegalese high jump champion.”
He will wear #32 for the Hawks.
With the 37th overall pick, Atlanta chose 25-year-old guard/forward Travis Hansen of BYU. After starting his career at Utah Valley State College in 1996-97, the 6-6 Hansen spent the next two years on a LDS mission in Santiago, Chile before transferring to BYU prior to the 2000-01 season.
He averaged 13.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists in three years for the Cougars, and connected on 43.4 percent of his field goals and 36.9% shooting from three-point range. In his final season Hansen led the team in scoring (16.8 ppg) and blocked shots, and ranked second in rebounding and assists. He tallied a season-high 27 points at Colorado State and recorded a 21-point, 12-rebound effort against in-state rival Utah.
A high-energy player who has the ability to have an impact from any place on the floor, Hansen is considered to be one of the best athletes in the draft.
“We think Travis Hansen is a good player,” said Knight. “He's mature, he's 25 years old and spent two years in Chile, on his own, for his mission. He can shoot the ball, he's a good athlete who is versatile. I think he's a combo guard, and will evolve into a good combo guard in the league. He's not too dissimilar to Jon Barry, that kind of a player. I think he provides some energy and some toughness. He’ll certainly get after people. We think he'll be able to help us in a lot of ways. We think he has a chance to help us next year.”
 |
