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Draft Workouts: June 3, 2005
Antonio Hudson (LSU), Raymond Felton (UNC), Deron Williams (Illinois), John Gilchrist (Maryland) and Toney Douglas (Auburn) visited the Alario Center training facility to participate in pre-draft workouts. It was a great chance for the team to get a better look at their draft options, especially Felton and Williams, considered two of the best point guard prospects in the draft. Williams arrived this afternoon for a later workout while the four others took to the floor this morning for their workout for the team. "Raymond (Felton) was good. You could tell that he came from a school that understands what it is to put out basketball players. He understands how to play and he’s very quick. Out of the four, I think he was the most impressive," said Head Coach Byron Scott follwing today's workout. Hornets.com caught up with the players after their workout (and Williams just before his began), along with Coach Scott and GM Allan Bristow to get a take of how the players looked today and if the team is fielding any trade offers for their #4 draft pick. ANTONIO HUDSON - 6-5, 214 - Louisiana State University (on working out close to home) It’s a blessing, man. This is my first one and I’m just glad that I was able to come down here and workout. It fells good that they’re showing a little interest in me. Hopefully, I did something to impress them and they’ll bring me back to workout again. (on if he feels he can play in the NBA) Yes. I’m very confident. If I don’t believe in myself, who will? I feel like I have the talent to play anywhere, you know. I just feel like I need the opportunity. If I’m blessed with the opportunity, I believe I could play. (on if he will go to Europe or try to get in the league as a rookie free-agent if he’s not drafted) I’ll try to get on a summer league team and if not….all money is good money. I don’t mind going overseas. TONEY DOUGLAS - 6-1, 190 - Auburn University (on if staying in the draft will be a tough decision) Not really. I really have to finish out my workouts, see where I stand and talk to my parents and see what I’m going to do on June 21. (on what he’s hearing from different NBA teams) Everybody’s saying that I can play in the NBA now, I’ve got NBA talent. I just need to work on my explosiveness and that’s what I’ve been doing when I’m off, when I’m not working out, and also working on my ball-handling. (on if he’ll wait a year if his draft status is not certain) If it’s not cut and dry, if I’m not in the first-round, I’m going back to school because I’m only a freshman and I know when I go back to college, if it doesn’t work out this year, I’ll know what the NBA is looking for and I’ll have more exposure.
(on how the workout was) It went good. I can’t complain. It’s just another chance to do what I can do. I didn’t quite have the performance that I would have love to have had. Of course, I would want to play better each time I get on the court but I think I had a pretty good workout. (on if people overlooked him on his North Carolina team) In a sense. Some people don’t have me as the first point guard going in the draft, which is fine because that’s somebody’s opinion and that may not happen. I don’t know that. I’m not worrying about that. I just want to have a chance to come out, workout for some teams and get to know some people. (on why a GM should pick him) I’m just a player who loves to win and brings that intensity each and every night. I do what it takes to win. I’m out there on the court trying to make my teammates better instead of looking for mine, not saying that Derron (Williams) and Chris (Paul) do that because they’re both great point guards and basically play the same way that I do. But that’s what I bring to the team. I bring someone who has that desire and that will to win. (on the Hornets) If I come here, it’s a great situation. I think I might be able to come in and play right away, maybe not start because they’ve still got Speedy Claxton here, who’s a great point guard, and Dan Dickau. Not saying I’ll play right away, but I’ll have a chance to show my talent if I play here and at the same time, wherever I go, I’ll be happy because this is a dream. This is what I want to do. This is what I want to play, NBA Basketball. DERON WILLIAMS - 6-3, 218 - University of Illinois (on the workout process) This is my first workout. I don’t know what to expect, I just want to perform well and be myself. (on why a team should draft him) I bring a winning attitude. Every team I’ve been on has won. I do my best to get the rest of my teammates involved and make them better. (on the 2005 NCAA tournament) I think I took my game to another level in the tournament and showed I have the intangibles to be a good player. I had to step up for my team to win and I did that. (on the Hornets) I know the team struggled a bit last year and had a number of key injuries. But they are an up-tempo style team and Coach Scott has told me they want someone who can push the ball and I think I can fit in with the kind of athletes the Hornets have on their team. JOHN GILCHRIST - 6-3, 194 - University of Maryland (on how the workout was) I feel it went pretty well today. I got the opportunity to get out here and go against the guys. I had a good feeling about today’s workout. (on if he’s concerned about it being a crowded draft for guards) I’m not concerned at all. I know any team that gives me the opportunity to step in and be a part of the organization, I feel confident enough that I’m willing to continue to improve just like I have done throughout my career. (on his draft status) It all depends on your workouts and Chicago (Pre-Draft Camp) because you never know who really likes you and everyone keeps it real secret and all the analysts project but you never really know. HEAD COACH BYRON SCOTT (on who impressed him today) Raymond (Felton) was good. You could tell that he came from a school that understands what it is to put out basketball players. He understands how to play, he’s very quick….He didn’t shoot the ball too well today but I’ve seen enough tape of him to know that he’s capable of knocking down shots. Out of the four, I think he was the most impressive. (on trading our number four pick) You will hear a bunch of chatter about various things, including us trading down our pick, and chatter is good. Right now, we just want to bring in a large number of guys and that we get a good look at them. Hopefully we are able to get the guy we want. If not, hopefully we can get our second choice. Anyway we can improve our team, we will. If that means trading our pick, then we’ll do that. Or if we trade our pick for more picks, we’ll do that. Right now we are bringing in guys we think will be available at the fourth pick. GENERAL MANAGER ALLAN BRISTOW (on the draft) We’ve had five point guards in and we feel like this is a point guard draft. With the fourth spot, we should have the choice of three or four good point guards. (on whether the Hornets have had trade offers for the fourth pick) Nothing that would be concrete. I think all of the other teams are trying to feel this draft out, not necessarily for our fourth pick, but who is going to be available at their pick, whether it’s 16th or whatever. Quite a bit more homework would need to be done before any thoughts of moving out of the fourth spot would be considered. Trading our pick is not out of the question, but it would have to be a solid pick or picks in the draft. (on taking an underclassman and wanting him to make an impact) I consider one set of underclassmen to be the high school level and the second level the traditional underclassmen who are college players who are not seniors. The point guard is the toughest position to learn. Look at Chauncey Billups and Steve Nash, they had to bounce around a few years and take time to learn how to play the position. It’s very difficult for any underclassmen to make an immediate impact at the point guard.
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