2005 Nba Pre-draft Camp Participants

[Kori Ellis]

2005 NBA PRE-DRAFT CAMP PARTICIPANTS

Camp Players
Acker, Alex
Akindele, Deji
Anderson, Alan
Azubuike, Kelenna
Banks, Sean
Basden, Eddie
Bell, Mike
Bourousis, Yiannis
Brown, Dee
Campbell, Marcus
Conroy, Will
Coppenrath, Taylor
Diener, Travis
Dorsey, Daryl
Fischer, D’Or
Fobbs, Eddy
Ford, Sharrod
Francis, Torin
Gai, Deng
Gilchrist, John
Gortat, Marcin
Hayes, Chuck
Head, Luther
Homan, Jared
Jones, Dwyane
Katelynas, Mindaugas
Klotz, Jason
Krauser, Carl
Langford, Keith
Lee, David
Lucas, David
Lucas, John
Manuel, Jackie
Marshall, Rawle
Maxiell, Jason
McFarlin, Ivan
Mendez, Juan
Mensah-Bonsu, Pops
Miles, Aaron
Morris, Randolph
Myles, Ellis
O’Bannon, Larry
Pasalic, Drago
Pittsnogle, Kevin
Powell, Carlos
Powell, Roger
Price, Ronnie
Roberson, Anthony
Rush, Brandon
Schenscher, Luke
Simmons, Tre
Simon, David
Slaughter, Marcus
Smith, Steven
Stoudamire, Salim
Thomas, Chris
Thomas, Omar
Thompson, Dijon
Turiaf, Ronny
Whaley, Robert
Williams, Eric
Williams, Jawad
Williams, Louis
Wright, Bracey

Physical Only Players
Aleksandrov, Nemanja
Andriuskevicius, Martynas
Bogut, Andrew
Diogu, Ike
Ellis, Monta
Felton, Raymond
Fernandez, Rudy
Frye, Channing
Garcia, Francisco
Graham, Joey
Granger, Danny
Green, Gerald
Hodge, Julius
Ilyasova, Ersan
Jack, Jarrett
May, Sean
McCants, Rashad
Paul, Chris
Simien, Wayne
Taft, Chris
Villanueva, Charlie
Warrick, Hakim
Webster, Martell
Williams, Deron
Williams, Marvin
Wright, Antoine

[Kori Ellis]

Testing the Windy City Waters
By Rob Reheuser

June 6, 2005 (Chicago) --The city of Chicago was, for all intents and purposes, discovered in 1673 when Father Jacques Marquette, a French-born missionary of the Jesuit Order and Louis Jolliet, a Canadian explorer and mapmaker, traversed what is now Chicago on their way to explore the Mississippi River.

This was to be the city’s original “testing of the waters.”

These days, Chicago is home to a somewhat different procedure for critical evaluation -- the NBA’s annual Pre-Draft Camp, in which several would be college All-Americans seek to find out just how calm and inviting, or cold and treacherous their professional waters may be.

In 2004, Providence’s Ryan Gomes and Mississippi State’s Lawrence Roberts, two First Team All-Americans, cast their lines in Chicago, only to discover the fish weren’t biting in the first round.

Headlining the list of high profile underclassmen who will actually suit up for more than physical testing this week is Dee Brown of Illinois.

Brown, a Second Team All-American in 2004-05, who helped lead the Fighting Illini to the NCAA Championship game, is looking to gauge how he fits in this year’s draft pool.

As a senior at Proviso East High School in the Chicago suburbs, Brown passed a ran for over 1,800 yards and 16 touchdowns as the team’s quarterback, leading to recruiting overtures from Florida State and Nebraska.

He’ll reprise the role of quarterback (point guard) this week, a position filled mostly by Deron Williams the past three seasons. Brown has stated publicly that he’s looking to play his way into the first round, but won’t necessarily withdraw if he’s unable to secure a guarantee.

In 2004, only three Chicago participants -- Delonte West (24), Tony Allen (25) and Beno Udrih (28) -- snuck into the first round. Of the three, Udrih clearly made the most of his time in the Windy City, while West and Allen relied more on prior reputation.

There are 22 underclassmen expected to participate in the camp. Some, like Florida’s Anthony Roberson, West Virginia’s Kevin Pittsnogle and San Diego State’s Marcus Slaughter, are here to measure interest and will likely go back to school if the waters prove choppy. Others such as Kentucky’s Kelenna Azubuike, Maryland’s John Gilchrist and Indiana’s Bracey Wright, have already hired agents, meaning the eligibility ship has sailed.

North Carolina’s Jawad Williams, Cincinnati’s Jason Maxiell and Kentucky’s Chuck Hayes headline the field of 19 players who graduated from the first pre-draft stop in Portsmouth.

Maxiell was truly a man among boys at the PIT, and it will be interesting to see how he fares against enhanced competition.

Louis Williams, Brandon Rush and C.J. Miles make up this year’s high school contingent. Miles has said publicly that he’ll honor his commitment to Texas if he’s unable to generate serious buzz. Williams, a player most feel would benefit greatly from experience at the collegiate level, will remain in the draft no matter how he performs. Rush’s status is unclear due to questions concerning academics.

Here are some other players to keep an eye on this week.

Luther Head, Illinois -- The senior member of Illinois’ fabled guard trio, Head had a terrific senior campaign, leading the team in scoring (15.9 ppg) and earning Second Team All-America honors. With Deron Williams and Dee Brown assuming the majority of the ball-handling duties, Head played mostly off the ball. He’ll have the chance this week to demonstrate his ability to run the point.

Rawle Marshall, Oakland – Though he flew somewhat under the radar playing in the Mid-Continent Conference, Marshall has been on the mind of scouts who are intrigued with his athleticism and ability to play multiple positions. He was also a premier defender at the collegiate level. According to various reports, he’s been helping his stock with strong workouts.

Ronny Turiaf, Gonzaga – Turiaf flirted with the idea of entering the 2004 draft but opted for another season in college. The word of late is that Turiaf is failing to distinguish himself in workouts, meaning he could use a strong performance here this week. His mix of size, strength and feistiness around the basket should serve him well.

Daryl Dorsey – Dorsey spent two seasons at Brevard Community College in Florida, then tried to enroll at Southern Indiana in September of 2004 before deciding to sign a professional contract with the Las Vegas Rattlers of the American Basketball Association. He’s currently playing for the Rome Gladiators of the World Basketball Association. Since he renounced his eligibility and signed a professional contract, he’s in the draft as an “also eligible” player.

John Gilchrist, Maryland – As a sophomore in 2003-04, Gilchrist looked like one of the top players in the ACC and a sure-first first-round selection when he decided to make himself available for the draft. A disappointing junior season, coupled with reports of an attitude problem, has damaged his stock in recent weeks. On talent alone, Gilchrist should be one of the top players in camp this week. Whether he plays like it is another question.

[ChumpDumper]

I'm almost convinced I want to trade out of the first round for two second rounders; this draft is pretty deep in prospects and few at #28 look like they'd contribute immediately. I'd make a relatively safe choice (Turiaf, Gomes, Hodge or the like) then take a flyer and try to recreate Jack with Sean Banks as the other pick.

[ChumpDumper]

Mike Bell is 6'10", has a 7'1" wingspan, an 8'8" standing reach and a 40" vertical leap :wow

Where the hell are the rest of the measurements?

[RobinsontoDuncan]

Hey Kori does that mean that Luka hasn't decalred for the draft this year?

[Kori Ellis]

Hey Kori does that mean that Luka hasn't decalred for the draft this year?

No. Those are just the players that are at the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp.

[King]

Didn't Dee Brown break his foot?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Antoine Wright (A&M) isn't going to participate in camp. He's going to get measured and lift weights, but no player workout.

He's already got a promise to be drafted by a top 10 team should he still be there when they pick.

[Kori Ellis]

Lee Stars In Chicago Reality Play

By Rob Reheuser
June 7, 2005 (Chicago) --The script has been in development for quite some time, dating back to David Lee’s show-stopping performance at the 2001 McDonald’s High School All-American extravaganza.

The main parts have been cast, the storylines are juicy and the locations have all been identified. The major sticking point -- one that has led to several script revisions and much internal strife -- has been the question of when to film the Chicago Pre-Draft scene.

When Lee made his debut at Florida in 2001, it was clear he had the necessary athletic tools to play at the next level. Two years playing against top-flight competition in the SEC figured to serve him well as he moved on to bigger and better things.

Then a funny thing happened on the way to NBA box office glory. Lee was type cast. Scouts couldn’t help but admire his intriguing physical gifts, but his performances didn’t seem to translate under the direction of Florida coach Billy Donovan. Suddenly, the kid once viewed as the next big thing was auditioning for the part of NBA player like everyone else.

To his credit, Lee continued to work hard and bring the right attitude. And even as word spread on the internet last week that strong individual workouts had pushed him into the first-round discussion, Lee decided it was in his best interests to suit up in Chicago and do the scene once and for all.

He was clearly in the moment Tuesday night as the camp got underway with an intense drill session. Not only was Lee making his presence felt on the court, he was supportive of his teammates and raising the overall energy level. He figures to be a major factor this week.

Here are some casual observations from Tuesday’s session, which is more about players feeling out teammates and GM’s and scouts putting a name to the body and face before game action gets underway Wednesday morning.

Illinois’ Dee Brown is noticeably thicker, though it hasn’t robbed him of his exceptional speed. Like Lee, he appears to be all business this week as he tries to improve his stock.

Despite perceived physical limitations, Marquette’s Travis Diener never loses sight of when to shoot and when to pass. An injury kept him out of Portsmouth, meaning this week takes on even greater importance. Diener was a great pressure player in college.

Oakland’s Rawle Marshall has arms that nearly touch the floor. He was a pest on defense throughout Tuesday’s session. His shooting range appears to be a question mark, but his defense and overall athleticism should be enough to garner serious second-round consideration.

Florida’s Anthony Roberson shot the ball extremely well, which isn’t a huge surprise, considering he shot the ball well this past season. The questions surrounding Roberson have more to do with his ability and willingness to run a team. Roberson would very much like to stay in the draft, though it’s doubtful he’d crack the first round.

As he did in Portsmouth, Washington’s Will Conroy was clearly assuming a leadership role with his teammates. While guards have a tendency to dominate the ball in these settings, Conroy is a leader first and playmaker second. Daryl Dorsey of the ABA, who’s in the “also eligible” draft category, adopted a similar approach. He probably has as much to gain this week as anybody.

UCLA’s Dijon Thompson, Fairfield’s Deng Gai, Croatia’s Drago Pasalic and IUPUI-Fort Wayne’s David Simon are back for another go-round in Chicago.

Thompson had a terrific senior campaign and appears to have worked diligently on his game and body. He doesn’t jump off the page, but he usually makes the correct play. Gai still needs to show more aggression on offense. His defense, particularly his shot blocking skills, remains strong. Pasalic appears to have added strength and hasn’t lost his nose for the ball. He’s certainly a player teams will look at in the second round. Simon’s Chicago experience last year was cut short when he tore his ACL. When he plays with passion, Simon looks like he belongs in the NBA. An inconsistent performance in Portsmouth left many scratching their heads.

[Kori Ellis]

Definite Keepers in Chicago
By Rob Reheuser

This is NBA Pre-Draft Jeopardy.

Now entering the studio are representatives from all 30 NBA teams, here to substantiate pre-existing opinions; collect data on those who may have flown under the radar to this point; and gain a sense of the overall draft picture.

The prevailing view, as this year’s camp swings into high gear, is that this year’s crop is better than last year’s harvest, in which three players -- Delonte West, Tony Allen and Beno Udrih -- ultimately found their way into the first round.

So, without further ado, the first Jeopardy answer is: Luther Head, Salim Stoudamire and Ronny Turiaf.

The correct question is: Which players in this year’s camp may not be drafted in the first round this year, but will most certainly be in the NBA next season.

While the first round brings the security of a guaranteed three-year contract, history has shown us that the way onto an NBA roster isn’t always through the front door. The reality is there are several players here who will have to wait until the second round to hear their names called, but should find a home in the NBA next season.

We begin with Turiaf, who finished with 11 points and six rebounds in Wednesday’s opener, as Team Six easily defeated Team Five, 88-71.

The word on Turiaf of late is that he’s failed to distinguish himself in individual workouts. Last we checked, basketball was a game of wins and losses and not a means to get in shape and look good.

No player in the camp embodies this idea more so than Turiaf. What he fails to show in drill work, he more than makes up for with a relentless approach on the interior, grabbing rebounds, getting put-backs, setting screens and helping his team win games. In short, he’s a known commodity in a market that caters to potential and intrigue. If he doesn’t work his way into the first round -- and he’ll no doubt go down swinging -- he should be off the board early in round two.

Head was less of known commodity heading into this season before a wonderful senior campaign planted him firmly on everybody’s radar. While the debate rages on as to his ability to play the point in the NBA, he’s clearly one of more skilled guards in the field, with the ability to shoot, handle, defend and make athletic plays. He finished with 14 points in a losing effort.

As for Stoudamire, bets were being taken as to when he’d actually miss a shot in the morning shooting drills. Questions persist about his ability to be a lead guard in the NBA, but there’s simply no denying his ability to flat-out shoot the rock. If this were 1982 (pre-suffocating defense) and Stoudamire was just entering the league, he’d probably step in and average 20 points. His stroke is that good and he doesn’t need time or room to get his shot off.

Unfortunately, Stoudamire suffered a minor ankle sprain during the morning drill session and was unable to play in his first game Wednesday.

Travis Diener did his best Stoudamire impersonation in Wednesday’s opener, making all five shots he took and finishing with 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. While some guards in the field clearly struggle with the balance between dribble, shoot and pass, Diener knows how and when to deliver the ball. Though his team struggled, Diener made a nice first impression.

Another player who continues to impress is Oakland’s Rawle Marshall. As one scout put it, he has the type of body and athletic ability that will enable him to play multiple positions on the professional level. Whether his career begins in the NBA remains to be seen, but he’s clearly a player to keep an eye on this week.

Team One 98, Team Two 88

“This Eddie Basden is a ditch,” said Ryan Blake, the NBA’s Assistant Director of Scouting.

When asked for clarification as to the meaning of such a statement, Blake was quick to point out he was being derogatory.

“The guy just sucks up everything. Every lose ball, every steal,” said Blake.

Obviously, there’s a reason why Basden captured Conference USA’s Defensive Player of the Year award as a junior and senior. He simply never takes a defensive possession of. He finished with a game-high three steals, to go with 10 points and four assists.

Like Turiaf, the word on Basden is that he hasn’t looked great in workouts, because he doesn’t have great ball skills and struggles with consistency on his outside shot. If he keeps defending the way he does and playing with great energy, he’s a player teams will have to consider in the middle part of the second round.

UTEP’s Omar Thomas led Team One with 17 points. Maryland’s John Gilchrist added 15 points and two assists.

Gilchrist is clearly one of the most intriguing prospects in the camp. When he plays under control and keeps his emotions in check, he’s pretty tough to deal with, getting into the lane with ease and finishing with well-balanced runners and pull-ups. He defended opposing points with intensity and vigor. So, why does his stock seem to be all over the board? Maturity seems to be an issue, seeing as how his college career ended on a sour note. He can be streaky, which isn’t an ideal quality for a point guard. It’s not a complete stretch to envision a team burning a late first-round pick on him, though he most likely comes off the board early in the second round.

Sean Banks led Team Two with 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Like Gilchrist, Banks’ collegiate career ended up on a sour note when he was declared academically ineligible in January. This came on the heels of multiple suspensions levied upon him by Memphis coach John Calipari.

When the smoke cleared, Banks decided to give the NBA a shot. While he clearly has the makings of an NBA small forward, Banks struggles with shot selection and playing within a team concept, two things that won’t ingratiate him to GM’s this week. Still, Banks could very well be drafted in the second round.

Team Four 80, Team Three 73

The most competitive contest of the day came in the finale, as Team Four emerged victorious behind a game-high 24 points from Michigan State’s Alan Anderson.

A late scratch at Portsmouth due to injury, Anderson needed to put together a solid week to convince teams he’s worthy of second round consideration. So far, so good.

Anderson is somewhat unique in this setting in that he truly thrives in the mid-range and in-between game, backing in smaller guards and shooting medium range shots. He also does a terrific job getting to the free throw line, as evidenced by his 14-for-16 performance in this game.

Florida’s Anthony Roberson led Team Three with 15 points. He played more minutes (31) than any player on the first day and finished with only two assists. Everyone knows he’s capable of putting the ball in the basket. What teams would like to see is a more well-rounded point guard.

It was a fairly quiet Chicago debut for Cincinnati’s Jason Maxiell, who finished with eight points and three rebounds. Maxiell was a show-stopper at the PIT, but appears to have added a few extra pounds, which could be affecting his explosiveness to some degree.

[Kori Ellis]

Innocence vs. Experience in Chicago

He began the week as the sacrificial lamb, plucked from the herd of high school players and turned loose among a stable of thoroughbreds in Chicago.

And when the dust settled on Tuesday night’s super intense drill session, Brandon Rush appeared ready to be put out to pasture. While most of the players continued to mess around on the court or gathered in groups to exchange war stories, Rush found the nearest folding chair along the wall, grabbed a towel and buried himself in it.

In the two days since, Rush has clearly made strides, showing glimpses of the potential some feel he has -- which leads to an interesting scenario.

If Rush decided to stay in the draft, he’s clearly not a first-round selection. A general manager with a pick in the middle to late portion of the second round may have to ask himself the following question: Do I take Rush and hope he becomes what I think he could be, or do I grab a guy like Alan Anderson, who played four years at Michigan State and is possibly ready to contribute?

Anderson had another solid performance in Thursday’s opener, finishing with 11 points and four steals in a losing effort as Team One defeated Team Four, 88-78.

As one personnel guy put it, Anderson doesn’t rate a 10 in any one particular category. He simply piles up sevens and eights across the board. His ability to see time at the one, two and three in college, and here at the camp, bodes well for his professional future.

UTEP’s Omar Thomas led all scorers with 17 points. As he did in Portsmouth, Thomas simply finds ways to score. He’s a bit one-dimensional in this respect and undersized at the two, but he has an undeniable knack for putting the ball in the hoop.

Charlotte’s Eddie Basden picked up another four steals to go with 13 points, continuing a solid effort here this week.

Team Five 97, Team Two 81

When the week began, Illinois’ Luther Head was clearly identified as a player to watch. And he hasn’t disappointed his growing fan base.

Head was everywhere in this game, finishing with a 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, while adding four steals, three assists and three rebounds. It was easily the most impressive performance of the camp thus far. Head came in with a reputation as a player who would most certainly be drafted in the second round. He’s starting to look like a player teams with a late first-round pick may have to consider, depending on how many underclassmen pull out.

Florida Atlantic’s Mike Bell added 17 points for Team Five. Bell opened some eyes with a strong showing in Portsmouth. He hasn’t enjoyed the same success here, as the talent level has significantly increased. Still, Bell has intriguing raw materials and will be earning good money somewhere next season.

Louisville’s Larry O’Bannon led Team Two with 16 points. Croatia’s Drago Pasalic added 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Pasalic, an early entry candidate for the second year in a row, participated in this camp in 2004 and held his own. This year, he’s clearly one of the better big players in the field. Checking in at 6-11 with shoes, Pasalic has an excellent nose for the ball and can also step outside and make shots. Based on how he’s performed this week, he’d definitely in the second round picture.

North Carolina’s Jawad Williams finished with 12 points, but shot only 1-for-7 from the field. Williams was up and down in Portsmouth. So far, he’s done nothing to distinguish himself here. Some question his fire. His overall body of work suggests someone will burn a second-rounder on him, but he hasn’t exactly blown teams away.

Team Six 109, Team Three 92

There were several noteworthy performances in Game Three Thursday, beginning with La Salle’s Steven Smith, who finished with a game-high 23 points.

After sharing Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors with Pat Carroll of St. Joseph’s, Smith decided it was in his best interests to see where his stock stood. Like Anthony Roberson and Dee Brown, before he broke his foot and had to pull out of the camp, Smith is on the record saying he wouldn’t necessarily withdraw if he was unable to get into the first round. While it’s doubtful he’ll make such an ascent, Smith has had a pretty solid week, measuring bigger than he was listed (closer to 6-9) and showing impressive inside-out skills. While it’s probably in his best interests to go back to school and improve his chances, Smith would likely garner second round consideration.

His teammate, Wake Forest’s Eric Williams has pretty much said all along he intends to return to Wake Forest if he’s not comfortable with where he sits after this week. Williams had another solid game, finishing with 18 points on 8-for-12 shooting.

Williams checked in at 282 pounds, but is surprisingly nimble and agile. He could really be a force in the ACC next year and plant himself in the first-round picture for next.

George Washington’s Pops Mensah-Bonsu added 13 points for Team Six. The word on Pops is that despite saying publicly he was here for a look-see, he’s already hired an agent. He has shown flashed of the athleticism that makes him an interesting prospect.

Washington Will Conroy led Team Three with 17 point to go with six assists. As he did in Portsmouth, Conroy continues to impress here in Chicago. Unlike many guards in the camp, Conroy concentrates on running the team and getting others involved. Though he’s probably a longshot to get drafted, it would probably surprise no one if he showed up on an NBA roster in the near future.

Workout Central

During the break between the morning and evening sessions Thursday, the Moody Bible Institute was transformed into workout central, as teams got a first-hand look at some international prospects.

First to take the court was Lithuania’s Martynas Andriuskevicius, who many have projected as a possible top-10 pick. While it’s difficult to discern what type of player he is in a workout setting, Andriuskevicius appears extremely skilled and athletic for 7-2 player. The rumor is he’s looking for a promise in the lottery. The prevailing feeling is that on sight alone, some team will grant him his wish.

Also working out were Spain’s Rudy Fernandez and Turkey’s Ersan Ilyasova. Fernandez appears athletic and bouncy, but is super thin. Ilyasova is put together well for an 18-year-old and looked strong in shooting drills. Both would probably need assurances they’ll be taken in the first round to stay in this year’s draft.