http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13125145p-13969380c.html
Petrie wants to cover all his bases in draft
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, June 25, 2005
Geoff Petrie believes in information-gathering.
So armed with one choice (No. 23 overall, the Michael Jordan pick, Petrie calls it), the Kings' president of basketball operations has brought in or seen in private workouts more than 40 players in preparation for Tuesday's draft. Petrie would like to find a hidden gem capable of an immediate impact. If he can't, he hopes to draft someone who can grow into an impact player.
"My thought is to leave no stone unturned," Petrie said. "We've brought in a lot of players, and where we're picking, you want to find somebody who can play."
Petrie has said the Kings need to upgrade their defense, athleticism and backcourt playmaking ability. However, he knows that's difficult with a low first-round choice.
Teams picking 10 to 15 places higher than the Kings speak of merely trying to find the best player available rather than looking to fill a specific need. And many of those teams are able to draw far more players for private workouts than the Kings.
"We tried to get all the players we thought would be in the top 30 to 40 players taken, from No. 1 on down," Petrie said. "But there are another 15 players or so we would have loved to get in starting with (7-footer Andrew) Bogut, but that just was not going to happen."
Bogut, the center from the University of Utah and Australia, is expected to be taken first overall by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Agents and front-office types agree that a setting where coaching staffs can interact with the players is valuable. But there are rules, written and unwritten, that influence just how much education can occur.
"The workouts are limited to four players at a time, and there only can be one-on-one or two-on-two situations," Petrie said. "So there are things you can't learn, because you don't see the five-on-five. We do a lot of shooting drills as well as a lot of dribbling, passing and cutting drills."
Agent Aaron Goodwin had six players work out for the Kings, including athletic 5-foot-9 guard Nate Robinson from Washington and perhaps the draft's best shooter, 6-1 Salim Stoudamire from Arizona. Goodwin said he likes his players to hold individual workouts.
"Teams not only can see you play, but they can see some intangibles," Goodwin said. "You can see a player as a person, firsthand. You can talk to him, take him out to dinner if you want to. How can that be a bad thing?"
Mark Bartelstein and Goodwin have become two of the most popular and successful agents. Bartelstein said he wants his players not only to participate in individual workouts but compete. One of the more recent trends with potential draftees is agents preventing their clients from competing against other players. They would rather have their clients participate only in one-on-none drills.
"I believe in the guys we represent," Bartelstein said, "and to me, it sends a terrible message if you don't want your guys to compete against others."
Bartelstein represents 6-9 New Mexico small forward Danny Granger, who has risen from perhaps a low first-round or second-round choice at the start of last season to maybe a high lottery choice. Granger and 6-8 Syracuse forward Hakim Warrick went one-on-one a few weeks ago, and the competition and intensity left many observers impressed.
"They went to war," Bartelstein said, "and I believe both players did themselves proud."
Kings prospects
Some of the players the Kings either have had in town for workouts or seen in combined private workouts with other teams:
Alex Acker - Pepperdine, SG, 6-foot-5, 190 lbs.
Will Bynum - Georgia Tech, PG, 6-0, 200
Mike Bell - Florida Atlantic, PF, 6-9, 210
Marquin Chandler - San Jose State, SF, 6-7, 220
Will Conroy - Washington, PG, 6-2, 190
John Cox - South Florida, G, 6-5, 210
Sharrod Ford - Clemson, PF, 6-9, 225
Francisco Garcia - Louisville, SG, 6-7 190
Ryan Gomes - Providence, PF, 6-7, 240
Danny Granger - New Mexico, SF, 6-9, 225
Quemont Greer - DePaul, SF/PF, 6-7, 245
Luther Head - Illinois, PG/SG, 6-3, 185
Julius Hodge - N.C. State, SG, 6-7, 205
Mindaugas Katelynas - Tenn.-Chattanooga, PF, 6-9, 230
Keith Langford - Kansas, SG, 6-4, 215
David Lee - Florida, PF, 6-9, 245
Ed McCants - Wis.-Milwaukee, G, 6-2, 185
CJ Miles - Skyline HS (Dallas), SG, 6-6, 207
Doron Perkins - Santa Clara, PG, 6-2, 200
Jameel Pugh - Sacramento State, SG, 6-4, 225
Filberto Rivera - UTEP, PG, 6-2, 175
Nate Robinson - Washington, PG, 5-9, 185
Salim Stoudamire - Arizona, PG/SG, 6-1, 190
Omar Thomas - UTEP, SG, 6-3, 205
Dijon Thompson - UCLA, SF, 6-7, 209
Hakim Warrick - Syracuse, SF/PF, 6-8, 215
Louis Williams - Gwinnett (Ga.) HS, SG, 6-1, 175
Petrie wants to cover all his bases in draft
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, June 25, 2005
Geoff Petrie believes in information-gathering.
So armed with one choice (No. 23 overall, the Michael Jordan pick, Petrie calls it), the Kings' president of basketball operations has brought in or seen in private workouts more than 40 players in preparation for Tuesday's draft. Petrie would like to find a hidden gem capable of an immediate impact. If he can't, he hopes to draft someone who can grow into an impact player.
"My thought is to leave no stone unturned," Petrie said. "We've brought in a lot of players, and where we're picking, you want to find somebody who can play."
Petrie has said the Kings need to upgrade their defense, athleticism and backcourt playmaking ability. However, he knows that's difficult with a low first-round choice.
Teams picking 10 to 15 places higher than the Kings speak of merely trying to find the best player available rather than looking to fill a specific need. And many of those teams are able to draw far more players for private workouts than the Kings.
"We tried to get all the players we thought would be in the top 30 to 40 players taken, from No. 1 on down," Petrie said. "But there are another 15 players or so we would have loved to get in starting with (7-footer Andrew) Bogut, but that just was not going to happen."
Bogut, the center from the University of Utah and Australia, is expected to be taken first overall by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Agents and front-office types agree that a setting where coaching staffs can interact with the players is valuable. But there are rules, written and unwritten, that influence just how much education can occur.
"The workouts are limited to four players at a time, and there only can be one-on-one or two-on-two situations," Petrie said. "So there are things you can't learn, because you don't see the five-on-five. We do a lot of shooting drills as well as a lot of dribbling, passing and cutting drills."
Agent Aaron Goodwin had six players work out for the Kings, including athletic 5-foot-9 guard Nate Robinson from Washington and perhaps the draft's best shooter, 6-1 Salim Stoudamire from Arizona. Goodwin said he likes his players to hold individual workouts.
"Teams not only can see you play, but they can see some intangibles," Goodwin said. "You can see a player as a person, firsthand. You can talk to him, take him out to dinner if you want to. How can that be a bad thing?"
Mark Bartelstein and Goodwin have become two of the most popular and successful agents. Bartelstein said he wants his players not only to participate in individual workouts but compete. One of the more recent trends with potential draftees is agents preventing their clients from competing against other players. They would rather have their clients participate only in one-on-none drills.
"I believe in the guys we represent," Bartelstein said, "and to me, it sends a terrible message if you don't want your guys to compete against others."
Bartelstein represents 6-9 New Mexico small forward Danny Granger, who has risen from perhaps a low first-round or second-round choice at the start of last season to maybe a high lottery choice. Granger and 6-8 Syracuse forward Hakim Warrick went one-on-one a few weeks ago, and the competition and intensity left many observers impressed.
"They went to war," Bartelstein said, "and I believe both players did themselves proud."
Kings prospects
Some of the players the Kings either have had in town for workouts or seen in combined private workouts with other teams:
Alex Acker - Pepperdine, SG, 6-foot-5, 190 lbs.
Will Bynum - Georgia Tech, PG, 6-0, 200
Mike Bell - Florida Atlantic, PF, 6-9, 210
Marquin Chandler - San Jose State, SF, 6-7, 220
Will Conroy - Washington, PG, 6-2, 190
John Cox - South Florida, G, 6-5, 210
Sharrod Ford - Clemson, PF, 6-9, 225
Francisco Garcia - Louisville, SG, 6-7 190
Ryan Gomes - Providence, PF, 6-7, 240
Danny Granger - New Mexico, SF, 6-9, 225
Quemont Greer - DePaul, SF/PF, 6-7, 245
Luther Head - Illinois, PG/SG, 6-3, 185
Julius Hodge - N.C. State, SG, 6-7, 205
Mindaugas Katelynas - Tenn.-Chattanooga, PF, 6-9, 230
Keith Langford - Kansas, SG, 6-4, 215
David Lee - Florida, PF, 6-9, 245
Ed McCants - Wis.-Milwaukee, G, 6-2, 185
CJ Miles - Skyline HS (Dallas), SG, 6-6, 207
Doron Perkins - Santa Clara, PG, 6-2, 200
Jameel Pugh - Sacramento State, SG, 6-4, 225
Filberto Rivera - UTEP, PG, 6-2, 175
Nate Robinson - Washington, PG, 5-9, 185
Salim Stoudamire - Arizona, PG/SG, 6-1, 190
Omar Thomas - UTEP, SG, 6-3, 205
Dijon Thompson - UCLA, SF, 6-7, 209
Hakim Warrick - Syracuse, SF/PF, 6-8, 215
Louis Williams - Gwinnett (Ga.) HS, SG, 6-1, 175
