SportsGroove Workout Watch: Guards Make Bid During Wiz Session
Ron Bailey, Publisher
Page 1
Guard heavy session boasts several of the best backcourt players in this year's NBA draft.
June 18, 2009 - With the fifth pick in the June 25th National Basketball Association Draft, as well as its first selection in the second round, the Washington Wizards have been charged with the detail of due diligence; the team's braintrust, led by General Manager Ernie Grunfield and the team's coach, Flip Saunders, must make sure this opportunity is not squandered, that players that can help if not immediately in the future are chosen.
Tuesday could be dubbed 'Guard Day' at the Verizon Center, as four talented backcourt guys participated in a workout - Stephen Curry, Jonny Flynn, Brandon Jennings and A.J. Price, of Davidson, Syracuse, Lottomatica Virtus Roma (Italy), and UConn, respectively. Joining them were forwards Brandon Costner (NC State) and Raymon Sykes (Clemson).
The Wizards typically allow the last 15 or 20 minutes of these workouts - in which possible draft picks or free agent training camp invitees are evaluated - to be seen by media. Afterwhich, most players are made available for interviews.
First off, the workout ranking. Overall, Jonny Flynn probably was the best overall performer (judged albeit by a truncated viewing), showing not only excellent point guard instincts in three on three drills/games, but also the ability to hit jumpers and get to the rim. Second was Curry, who did sink shots (though as he tired that seemed to diminish somewhat) and even pounded the rim after executing a change of pace move.
6'2", 190 pound A.J. Price dropped 14.7 points, 4.7 assists and 3.5 rebounds a game last year as a UConn Huskey. (Photo property of Curant.com)
Price, the only college senior in the crew - Flynn is a sophmore, Curry a junior - was solid, showing he likely would be a second round pick, free agent acquistion, or headed for international ball immediately. The other three backcourt guys are first round locks.
"It was a good barometer, a good guage where I'm at" said Price, a young man that fought through both on and off the court calamity during school, of the workout. "Those guys are all fortunate enough to be mentioned in the lottery, so it was good to workout against them".
Where is the Amytiville, NY product slotted to be chosen? "It's really up in the air. We have alot of teams interested. Some of them are in tough situations where their picks are at, and where other's are...All I can do is go out and show teams that I'm able to play at this level, and hope for the best", he maturely noted.
Price said "Definitely, I shot the ball well here in drills and during games" when asked if he performed well for the Wizards. He also believed a prior workout in Detriot was fruitful. Miami is next on tap, followed by Denver and then the Lakers. Minnestoa, Sacramento, and Cleveland have all previously been visited.
Curry, on the other hand, has only been to a handful of sessions, including New York previously, and Sacramento scheduled last weekend. There have been many scheduling conflicts with Stephen, since he's taking classes at Davidson now - the young guy is six classes away from his degree.
Stephen Curry accounted for 28.6 points, 5.6 assists and 4.4 caroms each game last year while with Davidson last season. He measures 6'3" and 185 pounds (Photo property of NY Daily News)
Of the D.C. visit, he noted " I think it was one of the toughest ones...Usually they push you and then you have a few waterbreaks in between. Here we had to sneak water breaks...Flip likes to get up and down, and that's why I think they scheduled the workout like that". Overall, he opined "I think I did pretty well. Shot the ball well".
That's not suprising, since he's known widely as a player that can tickle the twine from long distance. Last year at Davidson, instead of predominately running off screens for shots, Curry patted the rock a lot as a point guard, including both setting up others and getting his shot. The experience, was important, as he sees himself an NBA 'one', and playing point in 2008-2009 afforded him an opporutunity to see "a lot of different defensive strategies, a lot of different looks", which "is the way its going to be in the NBA next year". For the record, Curry now considers himself "A point guard that can play the two (shooting guard)", and is firm in his 6'3" height.
He's also a smart player, a trait he believes to be central to any personal, future NBA success. "It's definitely important, you have to pick up things quickly" said the native of Charlotte, NC. "Even to have some of that knowledge already instilled in how you play is good.
"I grew up around basketball, watching my Dad play (Dell Curry, a now retired 15 year NBA veteran)...So I pick up things very easily. Knowing where to be without the coaches having to tell you, so that helps a lot".
One aspect of the game, guarding NBA lead guards, is something Curry believes will be aided by his basketball intelligence: "I didn't have to guard the point guard much in college, so it's just a matter of me getting out there and doing it. I can speculate on if I can stay in front of a guy, (if) I can pressure him. But I compete hard. I have too much fight on defense to just let a guy go by me everytime. Once I get out there and play against the best point guards and the quickest point guards I can adjust".