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L.A. league paints smoggy picture
Updated: Thursday August 23, 2001 5:20 PM
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Like the smog that shrouds the City of Angels, it's often hard to tell what you're seeing at the Summer Pro League. Is Warriors rookie Jason Richardson really that good, or are the CBA castoffs guarding him just that bad? Did the NBA really change the rules to allow zone defenses, or are teams just waiting until training camp to begin playing them? Is that really rap star Snoop Dogg, wearing purple warmup pants, running the floor with Magic Johnson, or did I fall asleep with my "Doggy Style" CD on the headphones again? The SPL, held on the campus of Long Beach State, won't answer many questions for NBA fans, but it's fun to watch. It features 10 NBA teams, consisting mostly of rookies and free agents, as well as several independent teams comprised of NBA wannabes trying to get noticed. Lamar Odom, Baron Davis, Penny Hardaway, Bo Outlaw, Darius Miles and Rashard Lewis are among the NBA talents who have played this year. In addition, former players like Magic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar have dropped by, as well as qualified celebrities with game such as NFL stars Terrell Owens and Tony Gonzalez. With most of the big names just trying to stay in shape, the basketball is far from NBA quality. Still, it gives young players a chance to improve while enabling coaches and GMs to evaluate them for training camp spots. Hence, Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich, Kings head coach Rick Adelman and Sonics coach Nate McMillan all stopped by to take in action even though their assistants are coaching their respective clubs. Here are four things we noticed from a dozen games over three days:
Since the summer leagues are mostly for evaluation purposes, most teams plan to wait until training camp to put in their zone packages. Other than a few exceptions, such as in certain game situations, teams at the SPL were playing straight up man-to-man. "Right now the game looks the same to me," McMillan said. "I don't see anything different yet." The most noticeable difference has been the defensive 3-second violation. Officials have been told to watch for defenders standing in the lane, and they are calling it frequently. "It's ridiculous," one GM said. "They don't call three-seconds-in-the-lane on offense, but they call it every other time down court on defense." Richardson, the 6-foot-6 swingman out of Michigan State drafted fifth overall by the Warriors, dazzled the crowd with several highlight reel dunks, including a two-handed reverse Saturday night against the Clippers in which his head nearly hit the rim. "He can play," Odom says. "He's going to be real good." Through his first four games, Richardson was averaging 25.0 points, best among all rookies, and 8.3 rebounds. Sonics GM Rick Sund said he considered Richardson the best athlete of this year's rookie crop, and predicted he'd be "a better shooter than people think." Mavericks assistant Kiki Vandeweghe, who tutored Richardson on his stroke for two weeks prior to the draft, also said Richardson had the tools to be a very good shooter. Early indications are that it's going to take time for Chicago rookies Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry to make any significant impact. Neither player distinguished himself in early SPL action. Chandler averaged just 9.0 points on 37 percent shooting through his first three games, and looked nervous while playing in front of a local cheering section that hollered, "Shoot!" every time he touched the ball. Curry, meanwhile, managed to haul down just 3.7 rebounds over his first three games. While Chandler and Curry each made some great plays, more often they seemed tentative. They weren't alone, however. Chicago is experimenting with a new offense during the summer league, so even returning players like A.J. Guyton and Marcus Fizer are trying to find their way.
With his goatee, rat tail and purple sweatpants over his skinny frame, Snoop Dogg didn't look like much of a player when he took the floor Saturday as part of Magic Johnson's All-Stars. But after committing three fouls in the first three minutes, the Long Beach native settled down and showed he had a little game. He finished with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor in 21 minutes, including a nifty behind- the-head layup on a drive through the lane. Meanwhile, Snoop's more celebrated teammate didn't fare too badly himself. Looking as strong and fit as any 41-year-old, Magic posted a triple-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. This season marks the 10th anniversary of Magic's announcement that he had contracted the HIV virus, but the former Lakers great still plays in pickup games at UCLA each day. Marty Burns covers pro basketball for CNNSI.com. Click here to send Marty a question or comment.
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