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Junior college transfer Nailon has given Texas Christian a much-needed boost
inside.
(Bob Rosato)
| Lee Nailon,
Texas Christian
Class: Junior
Position:
Forward
Height: 6'9"
Weight: 225
DOB: Feb. 22,
1975
Hometown: South Bend,
Ind.
High
School: Clay
Vital Stats:
24.7 points per game, 8.9 rebounds, 55.4% field goals
by David
Seigerman
On the same night that coach Billy Tubbs won his 500th
game, Lee Nailon set a TCU record with a 53-point
performance against Mississippi Valley State. Apparently,
Tubbs's system still
works.
After turning Oklahoma into a perennial offensive
juggernaut, Tubbs is doing the same at TCU, thanks largely
to Nailon's productivity. The forward finished the regular
season ranked second in the nation in scoring at 25.3
points per game and was among the WAC leaders in field-goal
percentage (55.5) and rebounding (8.9). Consequently, the
Horned Frogs led the nation in scoring, earning in the
process their first national ranking and NCAA Tournament
berth since
1987.
"We run the same offense I ran at Oklahoma and 'run'
is the right word," says Tubbs, who hasn't had a team
ranked lower than 11th in scoring offense in 16
years.
Tubbs was anxious to plug Nailon into a system that had
already proven southpaw-friendly for Wayman Tisdale and
Stacey King at Oklahoma. Nailon was coming off a season at
Butler County
(Kan.) Community College during which he averaged 20.2 points and
7.4 rebounds, and he took Tubbs's fast-paced approach in
full
stride.
"I just thought I would come in and be a good player
this first year and next year I would probably step
up," says Nailon, who combined with guard Mike Jones
to become the first teammates in WAC history to finish as
the league's top two scorers. "But it happened so fast
for me that this year is like my senior year." He has
yet to announce whether he plans to skip that senior year
for a chance to turn pro, but he recently told the
Fort Worth
Star-Telegram that he believes his game is ready for the NBA.
Nailon's departure might be hastened by accusations that he
assaulted a girlfriend in a dorm room. On Jan. 14, Nailon
pleaded no contest to the charge, received a one-year
deferred sentence and was ordered to attend anger-control
counseling.
"I just wanted to get it over with so my teammates
wouldn't be thinking, What's going to happen to Lee during
the tournament or when this case is still going
on?" Nailon says. "I just told coach it would be best if I
just get it over with and go on from
there."
Tubbs is hoping he can count on his latest leading
man.
Other Spotlights
March 12: Brian Earl, Princeton
March 11: Tyrone Weeks, Massachusetts
March 10: Brett Robisch, Oklahoma St.
March 9: Larry Hughes, Saint Louis
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