Kevin Pelton, SUPERSONICS.COM | June 27, 2005
The state of Washington's new place of prominence in the basketball world will be confirmed during tomorrow night's NBA Draft. The seismic shift in importance for the state in NCAA circles was evident two years ago, when three Washington schools - the University of Washington, Gonzaga and Eastern Washington - all made the NCAA Tournament. Now, the impact will be deeply felt at the NBA level, with the possibility of up to four players from Washington colleges being drafted and two more Washington products who went to college elsewhere (
Marvin Williams, North Carolina) or skipped it altogether (Seattle Prep's
Martell Webster) expected to go in the lottery.
As the Seattle Times reported this morning, players who played high school ball in Washington have been progressively having more impact in the NBA Draft in recent years, with two state products - Curtis Borchardt and Dan Dickau - selected in the first round of the 2002 Draft and seven in total drafted in the last eight years.
|
" I’m sure everybody is a little bit nervous now but we’ll know where we are going after tomorrow."
Elsa/Getty Images
|
|
None, however, have had their name called as early as Williams assuredly will tomorrow. The Bremerton native, after helping North Carolina to a national championship as a freshman, could be the top pick overall by Milwaukee. Even if Williams is taken second by Atlanta, that would make him the highest drafted Washingtonian ever, beating UW and Queen Anne High star Bob Houbregs, picked third by the Hawks in 1953. (One player with Washington ties has been taken higher - Seattle University product Elgin Baylor was the top overall pick in 1958.)
"I think that’s the scary part to be honest with you," said Williams of the uncertainty on the eve of the draft. "You have no input on where you’re going to go. It could be the fun part too. But it does make you a little bit nervous, I’m sure everybody is a little bit nervous now but we’ll know where we are going after tomorrow."
Playing for a deep Tar Heels team, Williams averaged 11.3 points and 6.6 rebounds during his one NCAA season. His ability to play both forward positions and well-rounded game makes him a top prospect, but scouts are also excited by his strong character. Williams feels a year at North Carolina helped him mature.
"I matured definitely as a person and as a basketball player," he said. "Playing for Coach Williams, he’s such a great man to play for and such a great coach so I just learned so much from playing for him. And I just felt like I was ready after that one year."
Webster, who initially committed to the University of Washington before deciding to make the leap to the NBA, felt he didn't need that extra development.
"I definitely think I am ready for this," he said. "I thought about this for three or four months before putting my name into the Draft. You have to go into something like this knowing you can do it. You have to be confident. Right now, I’m confident. And I’m going to stay that way."
NBA teams agree that Webster has the talent necessary to make the jump; he's considered a possible lottery pick and recent rumors have the Portland Trail Blazers highly interested. A good sign for Webster's stock is that he, along with Williams, was invited to attend the draft at Madison Square Garden, indicating that NBA experts expect him to be taken early. Webster is the first Washington player to head from high school to the NBA, and with the recent agreement on an age limit by the NBA and its Players Association, he'll also be the last.
A trio of Husky guards, all Seattle natives - Will Conroy, Nate Robinson and Tre Simmons - could be selected tomorrow.
|
"I think I can be like Allen Iverson in the league. Baron Davis, Steve Francis, guys like that."
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
|
|
Of the three, Robinson is the best prospect despite his 5-9 height. The general consensus seems to be that Robinson will be a quality NBA player, but teams are somewhat worried about taking a player so limited by his height in the first round. Robinson isn't concerned by that perception.
"I think I can be like Allen Iverson in the league," he told Knicks.com. "Baron Davis, Steve Francis, guys like that."
Simmons shined during his senior season, averaging 16.0 points per game and earning First Team All-Pac-10 honors. His shooting ability turned heads in the NBA and will give him a good opportunity to play in the league.
"Tre is an NBA shooter," said Sonics Director of Player Personnel Dave Pendergraft last week. "He came in here and just lit it up. He can shoot; he has NBA size. He'll be on a roster next year."
A marginal prospect at the conclusion of the Huskies' season, Conroy impressed scouts with his performance at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, where he averaged 8.7 points and 9.3 assists per game. That performance earned Conroy an invitation to the prestigious Chicago Pre-Draft Camp, and his solid play there, including 4.8 assists per game, could lead a team to spend a second-round pick on him.
"You will not appreciate him until you coach him," said Pendergraft. "I told his agent I think he's going to be in the NBA. I don't know what vehicle he's going to take to get there. I don't know whether it will be the second-round vehicle, make it in the summer or going to the developmental league. If I'm a betting man, I bet on him. I think he makes it."
Another Washington college star who could be drafted is Gonzaga's Ronny Turiaf, the only player in the group not to play prep ball in the state (he is a native of Martinique). The West Coast Conference's Player of the Year as a senior, Turiaf is a probable second-round pick.
"I think without a doubt, he makes a roster," Pendergraft said. "I think he's probably an early- to mid-second-round pick. He has all the intangibles. It's hard to give him due consideration considering the fours we have. You don't want to take a local guy and then have him not be happy."
