| Point Guards Have Something To Prove in Chicago |
By Sean Deveny
Ivan Koljevic had a long day when he entered the country a few weeks ago. He started with a drive from Podgorica, Montenegro, to Belgrade, then hopped on a flight to Munich, where he changed planes for an eight-hour junket to New York. In all, he spent about 15 hours traveling, without sleep. When he landed at JFK, he knew exactly where he wanted to go -- the Sports Club/L.A. on 61st Street in Manhattan. Food? Sleep? Forget it. Koljevic needed to handle and shoot a basketball, if only for a half-hour. "I guess you could say he's a gym rat," says his agent, Marc Cornstein.
Koljevic will need all the work he can get because he has a tough task ahead of him this week -- he, along with a handful of other point guard hopefuls, must prove himself at the NBA's predraft camp in Chicago.
Point guard perhaps is the most interesting position in this draft because the statuses of the first five are set -- three are lottery picks, with Jameer Nelson on the fringe of the lottery and Sebastian Telfair just below him.
That means Chicago is critical for the rest of the top 10 point guards hoping to jump into the first round or secure a spot in the second. Plenty of teams have openings at the position, and, after talking with scouts and personnel executives, there is a sense of how the top point guards stack up. But the players' performances in Chicago could cause their stocks to rise or fall.
1. Shaun Livingston, 6-7, Peoria (Ill.) Central H.S. Thin body but uncanny passing skills and court vision. Status: Top five.
2. Devin Harris, 6-3, Wisconsin. Tough, athletic and can be an unstoppable scorer. Status: Lottery.
3. Ben Gordon, 6-2, Connecticut. Plays good defense and is a smart scorer; does a little of everything. Status: Lottery.
4. Jameer Nelson, 6-0, Saint Joseph's. Best college point guard in the bunch, but lack of height raises concerns about his ability to score in the NBA. Status: Late lottery.
5. Sebastian Telfair, 5-11, Lincoln H.S. (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Another great scorer and passer whose height worries teams. Status: Late teens.
6. Chris Duhon, 6-1, Duke. Excellent defender, smart playmaker. Ready to contribute now. Status: Late first round or early second.
7. Marcelo Huertas, 6-2, Brazil. Fast and athletic; has good instincts and upside but needs experience. Status: Late first round or early second.
8. Ivan Koljevic, 6-1, Serbia. Flashy ballhandler and tireless worker; reminiscent of Jason Williams. Status: Late first round or early second.
9. Roko-Leni Ukic, 6-5, Croatia. Quick but weak defensively and could pull out of the draft. Status: Late first round or early second.
10. Beno Udrih, 6-4, Slovenia. Big lefty is a steady, seasoned performer ready to contribute 10 to 15 minutes per game. Status: Second round.
Used courtesy of: The Sporting News |
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