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Picking over the '98 NBA Draft
Posted: Tuesday June 23, 1998 04:17 PM
CNN/SI NBA analyst Bob Hill, the former coach of the Indiana Pacers and the
San Antonio Spurs, got
together with a few NBA scouts and came up with this mock draft,
exclusively for CNNSI.com.
1. Los
Angeles Clippers
Michael
Olowokandi, 7-foot-1 center, Pacific -- This player has an enormous
upside. He runs the 40 in 4.5 seconds, he has a 7-8 wingspan, he's
intelligent, he's a great kid, he has a wonderful work ethic. The downside
is he's not a great shot blocker and he hasn't played very much. But he's a
player who can overcome the lack of experience, and you can teach him to be
a better shot blocker. He should be an awfully good NBA player.
2. Vancouver
Grizzlies
Mike Bibby,
6-2 guard, Arizona -- He's the prototypical point guard. He has a great
basketball IQ. A great competitor, and an excellent shooter. He's not a
great defender, and not a great athlete. You'd like him to be 6-7 (not
6-2), but he'll be a player.
3. Denver
Nuggets
Paul
Pierce, 6-7 forward, Kansas -- Pierce is very skilled with the ball.
He's a very good shooter. And he can get to the basket or the foul line. He
probably can play two positions. The questions are: Is he tough enough? And
can he guard a 2 guard?
4. Toronto
Raptors
Vince
Carter, 6-7 guard, North Carolina -- He's a good size for a shooting
guard, a good, sometimes streaky shooter and a capable defender. He can
play the small forward in a catchup situation. He's very athletic, and he's
from a great program -- not many North Carolina guys fail. He's shown very
well in workouts.
5. Golden
State Warriors
Antawn
Jamison, 6-9 forward, North Carolina-- I'm a big fan of his. He's a
superb athlete, can really run. He's very active. He has a great first
jump, and a great second jump, too. He's not a great shooter, but he can
score. There's a lot of character there, too. I think he's going to be very
good.
6. Dallas
Mavericks
Larry
Hughes, 6-5 guard, St. Louis -- He's probably going to be a point
guard. He's an adequate shooter, a good scorer and a very willing defender.
He can guard a 1, 2 or 3. He's a multi-position player with a great
attitude. But he's very young -- he only played one year at St. Louis -- so
his learning curve is going to be pretty steep.
7. Sacramento
Kings
Robert
Traylor, 6-8 forward, Michigan -- He's lost a lot of weight, which was
a must for him. He's very skilled, has very good footwork and good hands.
He can score. The question with him is will he commit to losing weight and
keeping it off. He's a 4, maybe a 3, but he's definitely a forward. He
won't be anything more than that.
8.
Philadelphia 76ers
Raef
LaFrentz, 6-11 forward, Kansas -- I really like this player. He can
pass the ball, he's skilled with his moves, he has terrific footwork, he
has a post-up game. He can play the 4 or 5. The question is how tough he
is, and I think that's borne from the fact his school never got very far in
the NCAA Tournament. But I think he's going to be very good.
9. Milwaukee
Bucks
Michael
Doleac, 6-11 center, Utah -- He's a big, great-big, raw-boned guy. He's
still fairly mechanical offensively. He gets up and down the floor OK. He
's not afraid to hit you, and he'll set great screens. He'll also get his
fair share of rebounds. He can play some 4, too, depending on who's on the
floor.
10. Boston
Celtics
Dirk
Nowitzki, 6-10 forward, Germany -- He's not the fastest player out
there, but he's not the slowest. He has a big body, and he's big-boned. A
good frame. You look at him and say "He's just a basketball player. The
Lord put him on the Earth just to play basketball." He might be -- might be
-- the best player in the draft.
11. Detroit
Pistons
Pat
Garrity, 6-9 forward, Notre Dame
12. Orlando
Magic
Jason
Williams, 6-1 guard, Florida
13. Orlando
Magic
Nazr
Mohammed, 6-10 forward, Kentucky
14. Houston
Rockets
Michael
Dickerson, 6-5 forward, Arizona
Denver may covet a player with multiple talents like Kansas' Paul Pierce (AP) | |
15. Orlando
Magic
Keon Clark, 6-11 F-C, Nevada Las-Vegas
16. Houston
Rockets
Rashard
Lewis, 6-10 forward, Alief Elsik High (Houston)
17. Houston
Rockets
Bryce Drew,
6-3 guard, Valparaiso
19. Milwaukee
Bucks
Radoslav Nesterovic, 7-0 center, Kinder Bolgna (Italy)
20. Atlanta
Hawks
Matt
Harpring, 6-8 forward, Georgia Tech
21. Charlotte
Hornets
Brian
Skinner, 6-10 forward, Baylor
22. Los
Angeles Clippers
J.R.
Henderson, 6-9 forward, UCLA
23. Denver
Nuggets
Shammond
Williams, 6-3 guard, North Carolina
24. San
Antonio Spurs
Tyronn Lue,
6-0 guard, Nebraska
25. Indiana
Pacers
Mirsad
Turkcan, 6-9 forward, Efes Pilsen (Turkey)
26. Los
Angeles Lakers
-- a surprise point guard?
27. Seattle
Sonics
Ruben
Patterson, 6-6 forward, Cincinnati
28. Chicago
Bulls
Vladimir
Stepania, 6-11 center, Olympija Ljubljuna (Slovenia)
29. Utah
Jazz
Miles Simon, 6-5 G-F, Arizona
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