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by
Jeff Smith
jeffsmith@wk.net
Collegehoopsnet Interview with Ricky Minard and
agent Michael Whitaker
 Ohio
Valley Conference product, Ricky Minard from Mansfield, Ohio comes into the
2004 NBA draft after ending his career as
Morehead State’s all-time leading
scorer with 2,381 points. The three-time 1st-team All-OVC
selection ranks 11th on MSU’s all-time rebound list and second on
MSU’s all-time assist list. He led MSU in scoring all four years and in
rebounding his last three years. He now ranks fourth on the Ohio Valley
Conference’s all-time scoring list. Minard is the only player in MSU and OVC
history to surpass 2,300 points, 700 rebounds and 200 assists in a career.
His jersey has been retired and hangs in MSU’s Johnson Arena.
Minard
briefly entertained entering the NBA draft after a successful junior
campaign in which he was named the 2002-03 OVC Player of the Year and was
the nation’s 12th-highest scorer. After being one of 55 players
invited to Chicaco, Illinois for the NBA pre-draft camp, Minard returned to
Morehead for his senior season.
I was
fortunate enough to catch up with Minard and agent Michael Whitaker for a
telephone interview in what has been a hectic stretch of workouts.
CHN:
Mr. Whitaker, in CHN’s initial request for this interview, you replied by
email that Ricky had a great workout for the Atlanta Hawks against high
stock players such as Kirk Snyder, Luke Jackson
and high school phenom J.R. Smith. Any additional comments on Ricky’s
workouts and your take on where he stands as far as the draft?
Michael
Whitaker:
Nick Anderson said he had
heard that Dominique Wilkins (Hawks vice-president) was impressed with
Ricky’s toughness and chest-to-chest mentality and his defensive presence,
that a lot of team’s might not have been aware of.
I’ve been told
he could go at 14th. To be honest with you it really looks like
he has a chance to go anywhere from 18 through 29, but I think he still has
a chance to move up further with the Chicago pre-draft coming up. I think
if he has the kind of camp that he had last year, especially when you
consider that he did that on one leg because he hurt his ankle the first day
of the camp and he gutted it out. A lot of the teams told me last year that
he just impressed them so much. I just feel like this year going in there
healthy, he will do a lot more than he did last year at Chicago.
We’ve sent
each team about eight tapes on Ricky and normally agents only send out about
two. But, we understand because he is coming from a smaller conference,
sometimes they haven’t seen him a lot in competition. A lot of the teams
hadn’t watched all the tapes and after having watched him workout in person,
they said they were going to watch those tapes.
Indiana was
one of the teams that watched all of the tapes and they were so impressed
that they wanted Larry Bird to come and watch Ricky. Normally the
vice-presidents don’t come to the camps and Ricky had 24 points, went
10-for-11 from the field and 2-for-2 from three-point range and Larry Bird
said he had seen enough. As a matter of fact he left after that and I told
Ricky that’s what he needed to do in camp to verify what he did in the OVC
for four years.
Ricky’s been
having so many great workouts and a lot of team’s have apologized for not
being aware of Ricky after they watched him work out. I’ve been very
persistent with these teams about Ricky, with lots of phone calls and
sending them tapes. They’ve told Ricky he was lucky to have an agent do
that for him and that most agents weren’t so insistent, but these teams need
to know about Ricky Minard.
We’ve been
working very hard, having started on April 27. Tomorrow (May 27) he works
out for the Hornets. He has Boston on June 1 and June 2, then the Knicks on
June 3 and the Indiana Pacers on June 4. Ricky is probably the only guy who
has had three stretches of four straight workouts in four different cities.
A lot of agents wouldn’t let their clients work out that much, but when I
call Ricky and say this team wants you on this day he says, “that’s fun.”
And I say, “Ricky, that’s four teams in four cities in four days, he says,
“hey, this is my life, my dream and this is what I have to do.” These teams
are just amazed by the way he has been working day after day and still comes
in and works out like it’s his last chance. I’m amazed that he can maintain
that high level of intensity. I try to spread it out, but these teams want
you in there with the guys that they are considering. So you really don’t
have any control over what days the workouts are going to be on unless you
are a top-five pick and can pull some weight. Ricky hasn’t been complaining
at all and he’s been producing.
CHN:
Ricky, obviously playing at Morehead in the OVC limits even the better
players’ exposure. You signed early in you high school career with Morehead
and I know it was easier with your high school teammate, Marquis Sykes,
being at Morehead. In hindsight, would it have helped Ricky Minard to have
signed later and with a high-major college? I mean, it’s evident you had
the skills to be an impact player in any conference.
Ricky Minard:
You know, I wouldn’t change a thing if given
the chance. I had a great career at Morehead and in the OVC and was very
fortunate that God gave me the ability and skill to have a successful career
there.
CHN:
Does watching former Austin Peay Governor, and OVC great, Trenton Hassell
having a nice season starting with Minnesota boost your confidence that you
are ready to play and enjoy the same level of success at the NBA level?
Minard:
Yeah it does really. I had a chance to play as
a freshman against Trenton and it really motivates me to see him succeed as
a player in the league, coming from the Ohio Valley and knowing I played and
competed with him
CHN:
After your junior season at Morehead, you were one of 55 college players
invited to Chicago, Illinois for the NBA pre-draft camp. Obviously that
experience helped you mature, not only as a player, but as a person. What
are your feelings on that experience?
Minard:
It really did help me mature as a person and
player. I got to see the talent level there and where I needed to be as a
player to succeed in the NBA. It motivated me to develop myself into a more
complete player and was a terrific experience.
CHN:
What areas/aspects of your game have improved during your senior year after
having withdrawn your name last season and returning to Morehead?
Minard:
Distributing the basketball and involving my
teammates more and using my talents to help my team succeed. My decision
making skills are much better as well.
CHN:
Did
the injury situation at Morehead this season and its affect of you playing
some point guard, a position many feel you will have to play at the next
level, help your game become even more complete as a combo guard and somehow
help prepare you to play the point in the NBA?
Minard:
The injury situation really wasn‘t a big factor
for me. The offense more or less ran through me much of the time and I
already was used to bringing the ball up the court and involving my
teammates, so it wasn‘t really an issue.
CHN:
With some sleeper guards from last year at Portsmouth having successful
rookie seasons in the NBA, did your 17 points per game average and having
two huge scoring games at the PIT really raise your draft stock?
Minard:
Yeah, a lot of eyes got opened by my game at
Portsmouth. A lot of scouts and personnel from NBA teams got a first-hand
look at my abilities and the responses were positive.
CHN:
How
do you feel you rate, after some workouts for NBA teams, in comparison to
say Luke Jackson, Kirk Snyder, Dorell Wright and Andre Igoudala?
Minard:
I’d say my game in on par with those guys and I
compare about evenly. Other than the fact that I play at 6-4 where those
guys play at around 6-6.
CHN:
What is the feeling you are getting from the NBA teams as to their reactions
to your workouts thus far?
Minard:
The reactions have been very positive so far.
Several teams have really raised their interest level in me and I feel my
status has really improved. I think my performances so far have really
raised my draft status to some that otherwise might not have been aware of
my abilities.
CHN:
Is
their a current NBA player that you compare your game to and why?
Minard:
No, I’m my own player and I don’t compare
myself to those guys who have already proven themselves and are there. I can
only do what my God given abilities will let me to show them that I am ready
to play at that level.
CHN:
Morehead coach Kyle Macy played seven seasons in the NBA and undoubtedly
still has connections. Has coach Macy been involved in your draft
preparation?
Minard:
Coach Macy hasn’t really been involved with my
draft process, but you know he’s been busy interviewing for potential
coaching jobs and things. Besides, I have an agent who is doing a terrific
job touting my game and I haven’t really needed coach to be that involved.
CHN:
Hypothetically, if the NBA doesn’t pan out, what is next for Ricky Minard?
Minard:
I guess if I don’t make the NBA it is off to
Europe to showcase my talents.
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