Tuesday, November 2, 2004
Region boasts 30 players on NBA opening-day rosters
By Dustin Dow
Enquirer staff writer
Cincinnati hasn't claimed ownership of a National Basketball Association team since 1972, but the Queen City's impact on the league is far reaching.
Fourteen former University of Cincinnati, Xavier University or Cincinnati prep players are on NBA rosters today, the first day of the 2004-05 season. Expand the radius to schools such as University of Kentucky or Ohio State University, and the names of 30 former players in the region are sewn onto the back of NBA uniforms.
Some are in the same place, such as Wally Szczerbiak in Minnesota, David West in New Orleans and Ruben Patterson in Portland. Others, such as Kenyon Martin, who signed with the Denver Nuggets as a free agent, changed addresses in the offseason. Brandon Hunter and Keith Bogans switched teams Monday when Hunter was traded from Charlotte to Orlando in exchange for Bogans. It is Hunter's third team since Charlotte selected the former Celtics player in the June expansion draft.
There are some surprises such as Erik Daniels going undrafted but making the team in Sacramento and letdowns such as Jamal Mashburn having to miss the entire season in New Orleans because of a knee injury.
But in Memphis, James Poseyhas recovered from his preseason foot injury and is expected to be a floor leader for the Grizzlies. They are hoping for the same in Detroit from Tayshaun Prince as the Pistons make a run to repeat as NBA Champions.
The rookies who survived the cut are Daniels, Lionel Chalmers with the Los Angeles Clippers and Romain Sato in San Antonio. Tony Bobbitt was waived by the Lakers on Monday.
Local players in the NBA
