By Sekou Smith and Mark Montieth
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June 26, 2004


Indiana Pacers associate coach Mike Brown is awaiting word from Atlanta and Toronto after interviewing for their head coaching positions.

Brown's interview with Toronto came up suddenly when he was in Chicago for the NBA pre-draft camp the first week of June.

The Raptors asked the Pacers on June 2 for permission to interview Brown, then conducted the meeting that evening in general manager Rob Bab 's hotel room.

"I'm just sitting and waiting," Brown said Friday. "I enjoyed going through the experience.

"If it happens, great. If it doesn't, I'm in a terrific situation."

Brown has worked as an NBA scout or assistant coach for 14 seasons with Denver, Washington, San Antonio and the Pacers.

Different days

This was the first Pacers draft since 1985 controlled by someone other than CEO Donnie Walsh.

Pacers president Larry Bird said he enjoyed Thursday night's festivities and laughed about his experience with drafts in Boston. Bird worked as a scout for the Celtics after his Hall of Fame playing career ended.

"We do it a little different here," Bird said. "In Boston, you just sit there and go through everything and (Celtics president) Red (Auerbach) walked in and said, 'We're taking this guy,' and you just say, 'OK,' after you spent all year working on it."

Minicamp schedule

The Pacers' rookie/free agent minicamp starts July 12 with two-a-day practices at Conseco Fieldhouse. They will continue until the team leaves for summer league play July 16-24 in Salt Lake City.

Harsh words

Josh Smith's roller-coaster ride from Indiana University signee to first-round NBA draft pick didn't come without some lumps.

Moments after he was selected with the 17th pick of the draft by the Atlanta Hawks, ESPN's panel of draft experts panned him as he walked from the green room to the stage to shake hands with NBA commissioner David Stern.

Jay Bilas was most harsh, questioning Smith's ballhandling skills and labeling him as the "one high school player in this draft that could be a bust."

Smith was asked about Bilas' comments but handled it without things turning nasty.

"There are going to be critics and people trying to get at you," he said. "I just have to continue to work hard and prove them wrong."

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