LaFrentz first Big 12 player taken in draft

Click here for more on this story

Posted: Wednesday June 24, 1998 11:34 PM

LaFrentz averaged 19.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game his senior season in Kansas (AP)

Raef LaFrentz, a first-team All-American who led Kansas to four undefeated seasons in Allen Field House, was the first of five Big 12 area players taken in the first round of Wednesday's NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-11, 235-pound power forward was a surprise selection as the third pick by the Denver Nuggets. Five picks later, the Philadelphia 76ers took freshman phenom Larry Hughes, Saint Louis University's 6-foot-5 shooting guard who played only one year before declaring for the draft.

LaFrentz, who averaged 19.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game his senior season, was expected to go anywhere from the sixth to eighth pick.

"It will be great to stay in Big 12 territory," LaFrentz said. "I'm just excited to be in the NBA and very happy to be taken by the Nuggets."

The feeling seemed to be mutual.

"He's got some skills that some of the other guys don't have," said Nuggets general manager Dan Issel said. "He's a 7-footer who can shoot the ball. We measured him, and he's 6-11 3/4 in his stocking feet. Nobody talks about his rebounding, but if he had played in enough games, he would have been the third-leading rebounder in the nation last year."

Issel said the Nuggets hope to use LaFrentz occasionally at center, "where we think he's going to create some tremendous mismatches if he can go out 15 to 18 feet and hit a jump shot."

Issel said his decision to draft LaFrentz was partly influenced by a remark from University of Colorado coach Ricardo Patton, whose teams faced Kansas in the Big 12.

"I talked to Ricardo about the two, and he felt there was no comparison," Issel said. "He felt that Raef was going to be a much better professional basketball player than Paul."

Hughes, a skinny 19-year-old, averaged 20.9 points per game, was the second-leading scorer among the nation's freshmen last season and led Saint Louis to an NCAA tournament berth.

After a longer wait than expected, 6-foot-7 Kansas junior Paul Pierce, labeled by some as the best all-around player in the NBA draft, was taken No. 10 by the Boston Celtics.

"It's a little disappointing, but that's the way things go in the draft," said Pierce, who left Kansas after a junior season in which he averaged 20.4 points. "Boston is a great situation, they have great players. I think it's a playoff team that can really build."

Celtics coach Rick Pitino was pleased to find Pierce available.

"No matter what scenario we went over, we never expected to get Paul Pierce," Pitino said. "If you can get someone who can run, score and rebound from the small forward position, he fits us to a T."

Kansas coach Roy Williams didn't understand why Pierce went so low in the draft.

"I'm really surprised, but nothing in the NBA should surprise me now," he said. "Years from now everybody's going to look back and say how smart Rick Pitino was."

"This young man is exactly what we need," Pitino said. "He's a scorer. I'm going to sleep with a big smile on my face."

The Los Angeles Clippers took Baylor forward Brian Skinner with the 22nd pick in the first round and Denver took Nebraska point guard Tyronn Lue at No. 23.

Related information
Stories
Pitino stunned, thrilled to get Pierce Toronto sends Jamison to Warriors for Carter, cash Pistons find backcourt help in Wells 1998 NBA Draft Board
Multimedia
Raef LaFrentz on joining the NBA   • Start(4.3M .MOV) Click here for the latest audio and video
Search our site	Watch CNN/SI on cable 24 hours a day
	Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call 1-888-53-CNNSI.