Elie a perfect role player

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Posted: Friday June 25, 1999 02:33 PM

Elie scored 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting in Game 4. AP

Tom Heitz, Turner Sports

Mario's not that super

It's no secret that Mario Elie is the perfect role player for the San Antonio Spurs. He knows who to pick up on the defensive end. He knows where the open man is on the offensive end. And he knows where the television cameras are on both ends.

There's a thick line between being emotional and being obnoxious and Elie seems to cross it after every one of his baskets during the NBA Finals (that would be at least 15 times).

With his constant facial gyrations and hand gestures aimed into the cameras, Elie appears more like a contestant on Press Your Luck than a nine-year veteran playing in his third Finals. We're still waiting for him to blurt out, "Big money and no Whammies!"

"Mario was never that way when he first came into the league," a former teammate told me. "It seems that since he's been in San Antonio, he's done more of the yelling and fist-pumping."

Even Pacers' President Donnie Walsh has jumped on the Elie bandwagon, telling NBC/TNT's Peter Vecsey, "He's my MVP. They don't win without Mario's toughness and emotion." What? Mario Elie as MVP?

I guess Walsh also feels that M.L. Carr -- not Larry Bird -- was the real MVP of those great Boston Celtic teams of the mid-eighties.

I don't want to take anything away from Elie (actually, I do), but the bottom line is the Spurs are winning because they have more talent then the Knicks. Elie is a nice role player who's come to believe that his put-on enthusiasm is vital to getting the Spurs pumped during games. That might have been the case during a February game in Cleveland, but this is the NBA Finals. If you can't get up for the NBA Finals then...well, you know the rest.

Chicago eyeing Odom

With Toni Kukoc considering a return to Europe once his contract is up at the end of next season, the Bulls are contemplating choosing Rhode Island's Lamar Odom with the first pick in Wednesday's NBA Draft (7 PM, TNT). The slender Odom, with his ability to drive, rebound and pass, possesses skills similar to Kukoc's and the 19 year-old's talent would be hard for Krause to pass on.

"The Bulls would start Odom at the three and move Kukoc to the four next season," a league insider said. "The Bulls aren't making the playoffs next year anyway, so they won't get hurt too bad with matchups since they won't be pressured to win." And though Odom is not the shooter that Kukoc is, NBA Director of Scouting, Marty Blake calls Odom "the best all-around player in the draft."

Kukoc, who'll be 31 when the season starts next season, could sign for around $4 million a season with a Greek club and not have to pay taxes on his earnings. That would be similar to getting $8 million a year in US dollars. In addition, the Bulls lost more games last season (37) than they had in the past two seasons combined (33). And all the losing has apparently taken its toll on Kukoc.

Maggette's talent special to coach K

Though he was dead-set against Corey Maggette turning pro after only season, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski still thinks the 6-7 swingman will eventually become a great pro. "The best thing about Corey is that he has incredible athletic ability," Krzyzewski told Turner Sports. "He has a chance to be outstanding."

Although he averaged fewer than twenty minutes a game this past season, Maggette felt he was good enough to play in the NBA and went against Krzyzewski's wishes that he stay in Durham at least one more season. "Maggette feels that he's best the player on the court, regardless of who he's playing against," one Duke assistant said. Maggette's athletic ability and quiet confidence are the main reasons why he'll be one of the top ten players picked on Wednesday.

Krzyzewski says that Maggette's smooth transition and immediate success in the NBA will be contingent on the quality of the organization that picks him. "If I drafted Corey Maggette, I'd get him signed right away and I'd start working with him fundamentally," the coach said. "Hopefully, he'll be motivated to be motivated."

Glover a fit for Hawks

No team was happier than the Atlanta Hawks with Dion Glover's decision to keep himself in the Draft and not return to Georgia Tech. The Hawks, who have four picks in the first round, will almost certainly take the 6-5 sophomore should he still be on the board when they pick at either 17, 20, 21 or 27.

Glover, who missed this past year recovering from ACL surgery, is exactly what the Hawks' franchise needs as they prepare to move into Philips Arena next season. Glover, a sophomore, is highly athletic and his slashing style will be a welcome addition to a Hawks' team that finished second-to-last in the NBA in scoring. Had Glover not blown out his knee during the Yellow Jackets' opening practice on October 24, he would have easily been one of the top ten players picked in this year's draft.

Now the Hawks, which are scheduled to meet with Glover on Friday, are in prime position to take the shooting guard earlier than expected. The team doctor has already given Glover a physical and the Hawks claim he's fine.

The Hawks and their fans (however few they may be) desperately need a player like Glover.

Tom Heitz has been involved with Turner Sports production for four years, and currently provides behind-the-scenes analysis for the NBA on TNT.

 

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