Just a heads up the Brandon Jennings and Eric Maynor have their interviews up on Pacers.com
Both had pretty good interviews. I don't know why, but Maynor reminds me of Billups whenever I see him. Not saying he's the next Billups, but there's just something about him that reminds me of Chauncey
http://my.nba.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5800027233
Both had pretty good interviews. I don't know why, but Maynor reminds me of Billups whenever I see him. Not saying he's the next Billups, but there's just something about him that reminds me of Chauncey
http://my.nba.com/thread.jspa?threadID=5800027233
Thirty-six players down, six more to go.
Do we have any better idea of who the Pacers are going to draft than before the workouts began?
We might. But I don't.
One of the players widely projected to the Pacers at No. 13, Brandon Jennings, worked out today, which no doubt will fuel even more speculation he's their guy.
If you're into such things, Jennings did appear to drop something of a hint.
Asked what range of teams he was working out for, Jennings said, "four through eight."
Catching himself before the obvious follow-up question could be asked, Jennings quickly added, "I worked out here just in case. You never know what's going to happen in the draft.
"I just wanted to show the Pacers if they're looking for a point guard and I'm still on the board, I would like to be taken."
Many experts believe that's exactly where they're looking. Jennings isn't one to disagree.
"They're saying they are looking for a point guard," he said. "So, hopefully, we'll see what happens."
Quick bio: Jennings was the national high school player of the year in 2007-08, averaging 35.5 points, 6.8 assists and 3.2 steals at Oak Hill Academy. He signed with Arizona but encountered admissions difficulties and opted to take the unprecedented step of turning pro in Europe instead, signing with Lottomatica Roma (Italy).
(Quick aside: one of his teammates was none other than The Llama himself, Primoz Brezec, who averaged 9.4 points and 4.4 rebounds)
Modest stats in Italy not a deterrent
He posted modest statistics (7.6 points, 1.6 assists) in 16 Euroleague games but scouts weren't deterred because his team had other quality point guards (including former hot prospect Sani Becirovic) and the coach played a tightly controlled system that did not allow his open-court talents to flourish.
Larry Bird generally doesn't get too excited about teen-aged prospects but Jennings' European experience, including the adjustment to a new culture, makes him more advanced than most 19-year-olds.
I'm still not sure he'd fit with the Pacers because he seems a younger version of T.J. Ford, but Jennings is one of the most intriguing prospects in this draft because of his freakish athleticism and knack for the spectacular.
"A lot of the things I learned were off the court," Jennings said. "I learned how to take care of my responsibilities, do things on time, be a responsible adult.
"You really don't know how good you have it until you step out of your boundaries and go to a different country or live in a different place. I'm really thankful I'm an American."
Maynor believes he's "NBA-ready"
The other top point guard to visit Thursday was Eric Maynor of Virginia Commonwealth, who offered an interesting contrast to Jennings in that he is a proven four-year college performer who carried his program to national prominence.
He has the requisite size (6-3, although a slender 165) and resume. The two-time Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year was a big-game standout, scoring 21 against UCLA in the NCAA Tournament this past March and hitting the game-winning jumper to beat Duke in the first round his sophomore year.
"I'm mature and I'm ready," he said. "I'm NBA-ready. I think, coming out of school four years, I learned a lot."
In the weeks since, though he has fared well in workouts, he hasn't exactly enjoyed the grueling process.
"It's a dream of mine to play in the NBA," he said, "but one thing that's not a dream to do is ride in small planes and go from city to city and as soon as you get off (the plane), you've got to go work out.
"But that's the price you've got to pay if you want to be a pro."
Hansbrough, Henderson in Friday
Two ACC standouts headline the final workout of the week Friday in Conseco Fieldhouse, as North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough and Duke's Gerald Henderson will be evaluated by the Pacers' basketball staff.
Hansbrough, who averaged 20.7 points and 8.1 rebounds for the national champions, has been climbing draft boards after exhibiting surprising athleticism in workouts. The 6-4 Henderson, who averaged 16.5 points for the Blue Devils, has been a popular mock-draft projection for the Pacers at No. 13.
Also due in are Cedric Jackson (Cleveland State), Kevin Rogers (Baylor), Anthony Smith (Liberty) and Scott VanderMeer (Illinois-Chicago).
Do we have any better idea of who the Pacers are going to draft than before the workouts began?
We might. But I don't.
One of the players widely projected to the Pacers at No. 13, Brandon Jennings, worked out today, which no doubt will fuel even more speculation he's their guy.
If you're into such things, Jennings did appear to drop something of a hint.
Asked what range of teams he was working out for, Jennings said, "four through eight."
Catching himself before the obvious follow-up question could be asked, Jennings quickly added, "I worked out here just in case. You never know what's going to happen in the draft.
"I just wanted to show the Pacers if they're looking for a point guard and I'm still on the board, I would like to be taken."
Many experts believe that's exactly where they're looking. Jennings isn't one to disagree.
"They're saying they are looking for a point guard," he said. "So, hopefully, we'll see what happens."
Quick bio: Jennings was the national high school player of the year in 2007-08, averaging 35.5 points, 6.8 assists and 3.2 steals at Oak Hill Academy. He signed with Arizona but encountered admissions difficulties and opted to take the unprecedented step of turning pro in Europe instead, signing with Lottomatica Roma (Italy).
(Quick aside: one of his teammates was none other than The Llama himself, Primoz Brezec, who averaged 9.4 points and 4.4 rebounds)
Modest stats in Italy not a deterrent
He posted modest statistics (7.6 points, 1.6 assists) in 16 Euroleague games but scouts weren't deterred because his team had other quality point guards (including former hot prospect Sani Becirovic) and the coach played a tightly controlled system that did not allow his open-court talents to flourish.
Larry Bird generally doesn't get too excited about teen-aged prospects but Jennings' European experience, including the adjustment to a new culture, makes him more advanced than most 19-year-olds.
I'm still not sure he'd fit with the Pacers because he seems a younger version of T.J. Ford, but Jennings is one of the most intriguing prospects in this draft because of his freakish athleticism and knack for the spectacular.
"A lot of the things I learned were off the court," Jennings said. "I learned how to take care of my responsibilities, do things on time, be a responsible adult.
"You really don't know how good you have it until you step out of your boundaries and go to a different country or live in a different place. I'm really thankful I'm an American."
Maynor believes he's "NBA-ready"
The other top point guard to visit Thursday was Eric Maynor of Virginia Commonwealth, who offered an interesting contrast to Jennings in that he is a proven four-year college performer who carried his program to national prominence.
He has the requisite size (6-3, although a slender 165) and resume. The two-time Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year was a big-game standout, scoring 21 against UCLA in the NCAA Tournament this past March and hitting the game-winning jumper to beat Duke in the first round his sophomore year.
"I'm mature and I'm ready," he said. "I'm NBA-ready. I think, coming out of school four years, I learned a lot."
In the weeks since, though he has fared well in workouts, he hasn't exactly enjoyed the grueling process.
"It's a dream of mine to play in the NBA," he said, "but one thing that's not a dream to do is ride in small planes and go from city to city and as soon as you get off (the plane), you've got to go work out.
"But that's the price you've got to pay if you want to be a pro."
Hansbrough, Henderson in Friday
Two ACC standouts headline the final workout of the week Friday in Conseco Fieldhouse, as North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough and Duke's Gerald Henderson will be evaluated by the Pacers' basketball staff.
Hansbrough, who averaged 20.7 points and 8.1 rebounds for the national champions, has been climbing draft boards after exhibiting surprising athleticism in workouts. The 6-4 Henderson, who averaged 16.5 points for the Blue Devils, has been a popular mock-draft projection for the Pacers at No. 13.
Also due in are Cedric Jackson (Cleveland State), Kevin Rogers (Baylor), Anthony Smith (Liberty) and Scott VanderMeer (Illinois-Chicago).
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