Tuesday, October 31, 2000
Locals fill NBA ranks
40 college players have moved on
By Michael Perry and Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer
No, Cincinnati does not have an NBA team. But if you follow college basketball in this area, there is reason to keep an eye on at least 20 teams this season. The league begins regular-season play tonight.
Cincinnati, Kentucky, Miami and Xavier total 27 NBA players on 20 teams. If you add Indiana, Louisville, Ohio State and Wright State, there are 40 players spread among 21 NBA teams. And that doesn't include Soumalia Samake, a former Cincinnati Stuff player.
Kentucky has 11 players in the NBA, Cincinnati seven and Xavier six.
Which NBA team has the most area representation? Try the Boston Celtics (Walter McCarty, UK; Antoine Walker, UK; Greg Minor, Louisville; Vitaly Potapenko, Wright State).
Atlanta has four; Denver, Minnesota, New Jersey and San Antonio have three each.
CINCINNATI
• Corie Blount, 31 (Phoenix): The 6-foot-10 forward started practicing on Oct. 18; he had knee surgery Sept. 26. Originally a first-round draft pick of Chicago in 1993, Blount has played with the Bulls, Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers. He played 38 games for the Suns last season.
• Danny Fortson, 24 (Golden State): The 6-7 forward is playing with his third team in three years. . Boston traded him to Golden State in August as part of a nine-player deal. After career-high averages of 11.0 points and 11.6 rebounds in 1998-99, Fortson started just five of 55 games with the Celtics and averaged 7.6 points and 6.7 rebounds.
• DerMarr Johnson, 20 (Atlanta): Selected sixth overall by the Hawks, the 6-9 Johnson tries to make it after just one year of college ball.
• Kenyon Martin, 23 (New Jersey): The No. 1 pick last June, the 6-9 Martin will be a starting forward for the Nets and counted on to produce immediately.
• Pete Mickeal, 22 (New York): The 6-6 forward was drafted in the second round — 58th overall — in the June draft by Dallas, then traded to the Knicks. Will start season on injured list.
• Ruben Patterson, 25 (Seattle): His first year in the NBA (1998-99), Patterson played in just 24 games for the Lakers and averaged 2.7 points. Seattle signed him as a free agent before last season, and Patterson averaged 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds. The 6-5 forward had the fourth-best field goal percentage in the NBA last season (.536).
• Nick Van Exel, 28 (Denver): Will be the starting point guard for the Nuggets in his third season with the team. Van Exel was drafted in the second round by the Lakers in 1993 and played five years in Los Angeles. He was an All-Star in 1998 and has never averaged fewer than 13.6 points a game (his rookie season). He was second in assists (9.0) last season.
XAVIER
• Torraye Braggs, 24 (Detroit): Begins the season on the injured list with a strained right elbow. Has a one-year guaranteed contract.
• Brian Grant, 28 (Miami): Was traded in August from Portland in a three-way deal with Cleveland. His role becomes critical now that Alonzo Mourning is out for the season with a kidney ailment. Was ready for a starring role after being a backup last year in Portland (7.3 ppg).
• Tyrone Hill, 32 (Philadelphia): Has consistent numbers. His averages last year — 12.0 points and 9.2 rebounds — are in line with what he's done nine consecutive years.
• James Posey, 23 (Denver): Made the All-Rookie second team last year, averaging 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in a starting role. Played some shooting guard the last quarter of the season but should play small forward this year.
• Derek Strong, 32 (L.A. Clippers): Was traded from Orlando in June. Could mean a fresh start for the 10-year pro whose role had diminished the past two years. Averaged just 7.4 minutes and 2.7 points last year.
• Aaron Williams, 29 (New Jersey): Is with his seventh team in seven seasons. The 6-foot-9 forward had career-high averages of 7.6 points and 5.0 rebounds last year for Washington.
MIAMI
• Ron Harper, 36 (L.A. Lakers): Harper is beginning his 15th NBA season. The 6-6 guard is the most successful in terms of team accomplishments, having been a part of four NBA championship squads (3 Bulls, 1 Lakers). Harper started 78 of 80 games in his first season in Los Angeles. He has averaged 14.1 points and 4.3 rebounds over his career.
• Ira Newble, 25 (San Antonio): The 6-7 forward has played for the Spurs in the summer league the past two years and landed an NBA roster spot for the first time.
• Wally Szczerbiak, 23 (Minnesota): Last year the 6-7 forward averaged 11.6 points, shot 51.1 percent from the field and was named to the All-Rookie first team. Szczerbiak, who started 53 of 73 games, had a career-high 27 points against Milwaukee.
KENTUCKY
• Derek Anderson, 26 (San Antonio): Is with his third team in three years. He signed with San Antonio as a free agent. Played with Clippers (16.9 points) last season.
• Rex Chapman, 33 (Phoenix): Will likely miss the season and is reportedly mulling retirement. The 13-year veteran had surgery on his right thumb and still needs surgery on both of his ankles.
• Tony Delk, 26 (Phoenix): Is with his fourth team in four years. He signed with Phoenix in the offseason after averaging 6.4 points last year in Sacramento.
• Jamaal Magloire, 22 (Charlotte): Was taken with the 19th pick in this year's draft. Scored eight or more points in three different preseason games, and totaled a game-high 10 rebounds against Atlanta.
• Jamal Mashburn, 27 (Charlotte): Was traded (with P.J. Brown) for Eddie Jones and Anthony Mason. Averaged 17.8 ppg and 5.0 rebounds last year for Miami.
• Walter McCarty, 26 (Boston): Is in his fourth season with former coach Rick Pitino. He averaged just 3.8 points and 1.8 rebounds last year. Will start season on injured list
• Ron Mercer, 24 (Chicago): Is with his fourth team in three years. He signed as a free agent in August. He averaged 16.9 points last year, splitting his season between Denver and Orlando.
• Nazr Mohammed, 23 (Philadelphia): Had a tumultuous offseason. He was robbed and his father died. Averaged just 6.8 minutes per game last year.
• Scott Padgett, 24 (Utah): Played 9.2 minutes per game last year, his rookie season. He averaged 2.6 points and 1.9 rebounds. Will start season on injured list.
• Mark Pope, 28 (Milwaukee): Begins the season on the injured list with lower back spasms. Played in just four games last year for Indiana.
• Antoine Walker, 24 (Boston): Averaged 20.5 points and 8.0 rebounds last year in Boston.
Other area schools/players
• Indiana: Calbert Cheaney, Denver; Dean Garrett, Minnesota; A.J. Guyton, Chicago; Alan Henderson, Atlanta; Andrae Patterson, Minnesota.
• Louisville: Pervis Ellison, Seattle; Greg Minor, Boston; Felton Spencer, New York; Samaki Walker, San Antonio.
• Ohio State: Lawrence Funderburke, Sacramento; Jim Jackson, Atlanta; Michael Redd, Milwaukee.
• Wright State: Vitaly Potapenko, Boston.
• Cincinnati Stuff: Soumaila Samake, New Jersey.
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Locals fill NBA ranks
