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Mookie's replacement
Hawks take Jason Terry with No. 10 pick
Posted: Thursday July 01, 1999 03:07 AM
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Terry is the only player in Arizona history with 1,000 points and 200 steals in his career.
AP |
ATLANTA (AP) -- The Atlanta Hawks didn't waste any time getting
someone to replace Mookie Blaylock.
The Hawks used the 10th pick in Wednesday's NBA draft -- acquired
just 24 hours earlier in a trade that sent Blaylock to Golden State
-- to select Arizona guard Jason Terry.
Atlanta, which had three other first-round picks, chose forward
Cal Bowdler of Old Dominion at No. 17 and local favorites Dion
Glover of Georgia Tech (20th) and Jumaine Jones of Georgia (27th).
Jones, however, won't be playing in Atlanta. He was dealt to the
Philadelphia 76ers for a future first-round pick shortly after his
name was called.
The 6-foot-2, 172-pound Terry averaged 21.9 points per game last
season and was named a first-team All-American. He is the only
player in Arizona history with 1,000 points and 200 steals in his
career.
| CNN/SI On-Site |
| NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer questions Golden State's pre-draft trade |
Obviously Golden State wanted to get more experience in their backcourt by bringing in Mookie Blaylock. But at the same time they got a bit older.
They gave up on a young talent like Jason Terry, who's considered exceptional. You have to look at it from that standpoint, saying 'Why did they do this?'
Even though they have such a young squad, why bring in someone so old and give away two quality players and along with a pick like Terry? You've got to question that.
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"We wanted to get more athletic, we wanted to get quicker and
we wanted to shoot better," Hawks general manager Pete Babcock
said. "We felt he would help us in all three ways."
Coach Lenny Wilkens said Terry would battle veterans Anthony
Johnson and Bimbo Coles for a starting role in the backcourt.
"Jason plays an up-tempo game," Wilkens said. "Certainly,
he'll have good support around him."
The Hawks went into the draft with four first-round picks and a
chance to rebuild an aging team that was swept by the New York
Knicks in the second round of the playoffs.
Until Tuesday, the highest of those picks was No. 17, making it
unlikely Atlanta would be able to land someone who could start
right away. So the Hawks worked out the deal with Golden State,
sending Blaylock and their 21st pick to the Warriors for the 10th
selection, Coles and forward Duane Ferrell.
The draft was deep in point guards, but the Hawks never had a
chance at Maryland's Steve Francis and UCLA's Baron Davis, chosen
with the second and third picks by Vancouver and Charlotte,
respectively.
It appeared that Utah's Andre Miller might slip to the Hawks,
but he was chosen by Cleveland at No. 8. A surprisingly large
turnout of 1,800, watching the draft from the atrium of CNN Center,
let out a collective groan when Miller's name was called by
commissioner David Stern.
Two picks later, the groans turned to cheers when Stern revealed
the Hawks were taking Terry, a lightning-quick player who should
add spark to a woeful offense that ranked next-to-last in scoring
(86.3 points per game).
Terry was a key reserve when Arizona won the 1997 national
championship, but he had to wait until his final season to move
into the Wildcats' starting lineup. His path was blocked by future
NBA players Mike Bibby, Michael Dickerson and Miles Simon.
"I had to wait my turn," Terry said from Washington's MCI
Center, where the draft was held. "I followed behind three great
players. They taught me everything I know."
Well, everything except his numerous superstitions. Terry's
pre-game ritual includes sleeping in his uniform the night before
and buying chicken fingers but not eating them. He also wears five
pairs of socks on the court.
In Washington, Terry pulled up the legs of his pants to reveal
that he wore two pair of socks to the draft: a dark pair that
covered his lucky white socks with the word 'Cats' written down
the side.
"I slept in my suit," he joked.
The crowd at CNN Center booed lustily when the little-known
Bowdler was taken by the Hawks. The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 14.7
points per game as a senior and led the Colonial Athletic
Association in both rebounding and blocked shots (2.85).
"Typical," one fan grumbled, mindful of past first-round flops
like Rumeal Robinson, Priest Lauderdale and Doug Edwards.
Babcock said Bowdler can play both center and strong forward,
giving the Hawks more flexibility on the bench. The general manager
shrugged when asked about the fans' negative reaction.
"We could announce we were taking Michael Jordan," Babcock
said, "and I wouldn't be surprised if we were booed."
The mood turned again when Glover, who didn't play at all last
season because of a knee injury, gave the Hawks' draft a local
flavor. The 6-5 guard was the third-leading freshman scorer in the
nation in 1997-98, but he tore ligaments in his left knee at the
first practice of his sophomore season.
Babcock advised Glover to remain at Tech for another year, but
the player decided he was ready for the NBA. The Hawks aren't
expecting him to make an immediate contribution.
During his one season at Tech, Glover showed tremendous
athleticism but the need for a more consistent jump shot. Though he
didn't work out for the Hawks prior to the draft, several doctors
said his knee was sound.
"He's a terrific athlete and we're going to be patient with
him," Babcock said. "We'll get him as healthy as he can get."
Atlanta's second-rounder was 6-6 forward-guard Roberto
Bergersen, who averaged 22.2 points at Boise State. He was the 52nd
pick overall.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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