NEWSLETTER #20 - 2005-06 HISTORY SAYS TO STAY IN SCHOOL By GREG HANSEN www.abqtrib.com 3. Have you ever been compared to Trevor Ariza? Ariza and Williams are almost identical in physical With nothing else to do but turn on the dimension. Both are about 6-8 and 200 pounds. Ariza air conditioning and wait for another played one season at UCLA, 2003-04, and averaged college basketball season, I have 11.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and shot .426 afield. In his voluntarily done the research critical season at Arizona, Williams averaged 13.2 points, to anyone considering a jump to the 4.7 rebounds and shot .453 afield. NBA draft. Ariza shocked the Bruins by declaring for the draft. This is the manifesto for Arizona's He was selected No. 43 overall by the Knicks and Marcus Williams. later traded to Orlando, a throw-in of the Steve Francis deal. Ariza has played in just 57 of a possible 1. How to know if your math does not work. 164 games in his NBA career, averaging 4.1 points - There are 60 draft slots. As of Sunday, 47 when he does get off the bench (every third game). underclassmen from the USA and Europe had His contract, at $641,000, expires at the end of this entered. On Monday, five more entered, including season. He is then a free agent. He already has two from George Washington and two from Texas. been discarded as a non-prospect, his skills having That makes 52. This includes players from Cal State- never developed, a career sub going year to year, Fullerton, Liberty, Jackson State and Rice. Obviously, trying to find a new club. Perhaps he'll be in Turkey not everyone is thinking clearly. next year. Not included are about 20 seniors, mortal locks to be 4. Do you remember Blake Stepp?. drafted, from Villanova's Randy Foye to Marquette's When Gonzaga and Arizona played an epic double- Steve Novak. Most projections put Novak at about overtime game in the 2003 NCAA tournament, Stepp, No. 40 in the draft. Ask yourself: Am I a better the Zags point guard, was the best player on the prospect than Steve Novak? At Marquette this court. He was fabulous. He had NBA size (6-4) and season, Novak made 121 three-pointers (that's 91 instincts for the game that would not quit. He played more than Williams made at Arizona this year), hit in 124 college games and yet was not drafted until 76-of-78 free throws and averaged 17.5 points per No. 58 overall. He did not make it in the NBA. game. Novak is 6 feet 11 inches. He has shooting range to 24 feet and can score inside when 5. Arizona leads the world in second-round draft necessary. He turns 22 before the draft. He is a man. picks that stick. Fourteen of Lute Olson's players have been second- 2. Do I play a position of need? round draft picks. Twelve of them got immediately to If you are a center, a power forward or a point guard, the NBA. The two who did not - Joe Blair and Mike your value is the same as a left-handed pitcher in Wright - have become wealthy playing in the top baseball. The NBA needs you. It will give you several Euroleague. Both played fully through their junior chances to fail. If you are a small forward, you are seasons; Blair played half of his senior year. part of a bottomless supply. Ask yourself this: Can I get a shot off against Richard Jefferson? Can I play There's a connection between Olson's 14 second- successful defense against Richard Jefferson? If you round picks and maturity. All but Gilbert Arenas answered "yes" to either question, you need to get played at least three years of college basketball. All sober. had earned their basketball degrees from the School Xavier University - Men's Basketball - 3800 Victory Parkway - Cintas Center - Cincinnati, OH 45207 - (513) 745-3417 - (887) WE ARE XU HISTORY SAYS TO STAY CP3 ON A MISSION of Lute, fully prepared for the NBA. The following 11 Hornets get Paul, get better, and other second-rounders all had better college careers and teams get stung were more physically developed than Marcus Sunday, April 30, 2006 - Plain Dealer Reporter Williams: Tom Tolbert, Jud Buechler, Steve Kerr, Sean Rooks, Ben Davis, Reggie Geary, Miles Simon, Point guard Chris Paul fell to the fourth pick in the A.J. Bramlett, Loren Woods, Luke Walton and Salim 2005 NBA Draft, and those three unfortunate teams Stoudamire. picking earlier -- Milwaukee, Atlanta and Utah -- were not aware of Paul's mission. And you're telling me Marcus Williams will be a first- round draft pick now? "I joined the [New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets] wanting to win more than 18 games [the Hornets won 6. The Tyler Hansbrough factor. 18 the previous season], and I wanted to become When Arizona lost 86-69 at North Carolina in late Rookie of the Year," Paul said. January, Hansbrough, a Tar Heels freshman forward, produced game highs in points (21) and rebounds "Winning Rookie of the Year would mean so much, (11). Hansbrough scored 40 points in a game against but I'd trade that in for making the playoffs," Paul said. Georgia Tech. "It really bothered me that we didn't make the playoffs because we had such a great season. We were more And yet he called a news conference to announce he than capable." would return to North Carolina. "I think it is best for me to come back and be with my teammates again," Hansbrough said then. "The NBA is definitely a goal of mine, but right now, I am enjoying college and feel I can improve in every phase of my game." 7. The Luke Walton factor. At Arizona, Walton was the consummate college ballplayer. He was smart, physical, versatile and the quintessential teammate. The knock on him was that he was not quick. He was taken No. 32 overall and, because he was so prepared, projected as someone who'll be in the NBA for 10 to 12 years. Imagine a young player such as Marcus Williams, playing an NBA position opposite Walton, trying to get to the hoop. The bruises would not heal for months. Williams has so much to gain by playing another year of college basketball, including 15 pounds, that the FOR INFORMATION: thought of him becoming the next Ndudi Ebi makes CALL 513-745-3417 OR me ill. E-MAIL: [email protected] Xavier University - Men's Basketball - 3800 Victory Parkway - Cintas Center - Cincinnati, OH 45207 - (513) 745-3417 - (887) WE ARE XU A player's character plays a big part of teamwork, success By RANDY RORRER Staff Writer Football teams should be built with men of character not men who are characters. The NFL Draft will take place this afternoon, and it seems like every year a player's stock falls because of concerns about his character. NFL teams spend millions of dollars scouting and evaluating college players. Teams grade players on many aspects. Size, speed, smarts and character are the main components taken into consideration. Take the New England Patriots -- who have won three of the last five Super Bowls. The Pats find selfless players who are solid citizens and they win championships. They prove year after year that you don't necessarily have to have the most talent or the most superstars. You need to treat football like it's a team sport. Football may exemplify teamwork more than any other sport. A star running back or quarterback are worthless without an offensive line blocking. A beautiful 50-yard spiraling pass is wasted if there's not a competent receiver on the other end to snare it. You find players who are willing to put the team goals ahead of personal achievements by drafting players with character. This draft's poster child for poor character may be Marcus Vick, the younger brother of star quarterback Michael Vick. Marcus Vick has talent. He's fast, and he has a strong arm. He also has a rap sheet almost as long as the hair protruding from Willie's ear. Who wants either of those? When was the last time you heard anybody say a bad word about Teddy Bruschi, Troy Polamalu or Marcus Stroud? The last time I checked, those guys make a habit of spending a week in the off-season in Hawaii (at the Pro Bowl) not jail. If you want to build a winner, start with guys that act like winners. [email protected] Xavier University - Men's Basketball - 3800 Victory Parkway - Cintas Center - Cincinnati, OH 45207 - (513) 745-3417 - (887) WE ARE XU.