State of the Hornets: The Rookies

April 27, 2007

Sean Kelley

Bob Licht

We begin our look back at the 2006-07 Hornets by discussing the seasons of three of the team’s new additions – first-round draft picks Hilton Armstrong and Cedric Simmons, and second-rounder Marcus Vinicius.

Both of the Hornets’ play-by-play broadcasters – Hornets television’s Bob Licht and Hornets radio’s Sean Kelley – sat down with Hornets.com to provide their opinions on the squad’s trio of NBA first-year players.

Hornets.com: Like many of the first-round picks from the 2006 draft, No. 12 overall choice Hilton Armstrong experienced his share of ups and downs as a rookie. The Connecticut product had over 20 DNPs due to coach’s decision, but seemed to gain confidence and made his most consistent contributions in the last two weeks of the season. What were some of the most encouraging things you saw from him in April?

Bob Licht: His confidence level was elevated. He really seemed to understand where he had to be on the floor, in sharp contrast to his first few months in the NBA. His aggressiveness also improved in the final month. I can see Hilton becoming one of the better backup centers in the conference next season. He’s not intimidated, he’s a confident shot blocker and rebounder, and showed signs of hitting the face-up jumper in limited playing time late in the season.

Sean Kelley: Not only did Byron Scott show confidence in Hilton, but Hilton himself showed us a new confidence. Part of the battle is feeling like you belong. That holds true for players, coaches, and broadcasters too! Hilton is very athletic, and the game is slowing down for him. Like we saw in the last two weeks of the season, Hilton will go to a larger repertoire of moves in the low post this fall.

Hilton Armstrong’s confidence appeared to spike during the latter portion of the season. Armstrong shot 62 percent from the field after Feb. 1.

Hornets.com: The highlight of Armstrong’s debut season was the Nov. 15 visit to Detroit, when he scored 17 points, grabbed nine rebounds and made the victory-sealing play after his missed free throw. In the next game, however, he only played five minutes at Minnesota. Did you get the impression that the Pistons game was a glimpse of the potential that the 22-year-old may have as an NBA player?

Sean Kelley: It was a glimpse. Rookies can be very frustrating. They obviously have the talent to play, but are still so inconsistent. Hilton’s journey should feature more nights like that in succession. His timetable to make that happen will be the determining factor on his long-term impact in this league.

Bob Licht: Like many fans I was hoping his “Doctor Detroit” impersonation was the start of something special for Hilton last season. However, with veterans Chandler and Marc Jackson manning the middle most of the season there simply was no chance for him to show it... yet. That November performance opened some eyes around the NBA. Teams finally had a chance to see what Jeff Bower and the coaching staff saw during draft workouts a year ago. I will be surprised if Armstrong doesn’t become a starting center in the NBA someday. He has the size, the intelligence, and the combination of offensive and defensive skills to elevate him to starter status eventually. How much he improves during the summer is up to him.

Hornets.com: In a way, Armstrong and No. 15 overall pick Cedric Simmons seemed to experience opposite seasons, in that Simmons was entrenched in the rotation early in the season but saw his playing time cut after the All-Star break. Why did Simmons’ playing time diminish so greatly after he was often the second or third reserve off the bench in November and December? Keep in mind, Simmons actually played LESS after the Hornets were hit hard by injuries.

Sean Kelley: Marc Jackson may be the biggest reason. Coach Scott sought more from Jackson after the break because of Jackson’s experience. The games grew in significance and Jackson’s experience and vocal leadership outweighed the athletic upside that the rookie possessed. On top of that, Cedric rode the same rookie rollercoaster that Hilton did, and unfortunately Cedric’s downturn happened post All-Star.

Bob Licht: In order to become “Cedric the Entertainer” on a nightly basis, Simmons needs to get stronger. He got pushed around too much during his rookie campaign, which makes sense since he played just 63 college games and was the youngest Hornet this season (20 years old). He was listed at 235 pounds… I doubt he finished at that weight. Byron Scott said late in the season that Cedric needs to eat six meals a day this summer to add bulk. I think he’ll take that recommendation to heart and return to camp next fall with a “new” body.

Hornets.com: While both Armstrong and Simmons will focus on further developing their offensive games this offseason and in the near future, can we safely project that both first-rounders will be reliable rebounders and shot-blockers in the league?

Bob Licht: Yes. Simmons will be the better shot-blocker, Armstrong will be the better rebounder. Both will become reliable offensive players. Simmons has been compared to a young Theo Ratliff. I see that, plus a better offensive game. Armstrong is much more of a center than Simmons and enjoys banging underneath the boards.

Sean Kelley: It may be too early to say, but I’m hoping both will work on the same path that David West did. West worked through time and injury to finally blossom in his third season. We’ll continue to see flashes, and hopefully more often very soon. I’ll be patient this fall, but beyond that watch out… I’ll be looking for that BIG next step!

Hornets.com: Is it reasonable to suggest that Armstrong will become a better offensive player in the NBA than many anticipated after his four-year career at UConn? His college teams were so loaded with talent that he was mostly an afterthought offensively, but as a Hornets rookie he displayed good hands and finishing ability around the basket.

Bob Licht: I agree with that assessment. One of the reasons teams work out draft prospects is to search for talents that perhaps game tape did not show. In Armstrong’s case it was offensive potential. He reminds me a little bit of Jamaal Magloire, who seemed to be a mystery to almost every NBA team except the Hornets and Raptors prior to the 2000 draft. The Bees worked out “Big Cat” and discovered an offensive game never utilized by Kentucky. A similar story can be told about Armstrong, who showed the Hornets staff post moves and face-up jumpers he was never required to use in a game for UConn.

Sean Kelley: He’ll certainly get the opportunity to do more. I think the key for young bigs in the NBA now is to be able to score not only from the low post, but from anywhere in a 15- to 17-foot radius of the goal. Spot-up jumpers, stepback j’s, and the drop-step from out to in, should be a part of the daily regimen this summer.

Hornets.com: What areas do each of the Hornets’ 2006 first-round picks need to improve upon to give themselves a better chance to contribute next season and earn larger roles? Do they need to add muscle? Improve their basketball IQ?

Sean Kelley: Hilton needs some bulk, and improvement in short speed moves. He’s getting smarter (basketball IQ). I hope he spends time with some veterans. He needs their knowledge and “tricks” to avoid giving up bad fouls to the experienced centers he’ll be defending. I think Cedric just needs to play. He can’t get enough of that right now, and the summer league will help. Building his body will also make it more physically demanding of others trying to guard him in the future.

Bob Licht: Armstrong needs to add strength, quicker offensive moves and confidence in his defense on opposing centers. Simmons needs to add muscle, bulk and strength, without sacrificing his tremendous leaping ability.

Hornets.com: Switching to second-round pick Marcus Vinicius, do we have a feel for what kind of player he can be in the NBA? His confidence definitely seemed to increase significantly over the seven-month period from training camp to April.

Sean Kelley: Based on his D-League play, the answer is yes. The feel is that he can score, and that he possesses good basketball IQ. He spent a lot of time working through the language barrier, and that must continue in order to make the best use of his basketball brain. His athleticism, combined with his shooting, could make him a tough cover down the road. I think he’ll be a regular very soon.