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By
Shawn Siegel
collegehoopsnet@aol.com
2002 ABCD Camp Day One: Highlight Player Quotes
On NBA Draft pick Travis Outlaw
"Another name that you need to know is Travis Outlaw, who has signed
with Mississippi State. The 6-9 leaper, who has more than a great
last name, can jump out the building. The [Bergen] Record noted a dunk he had
yesterday that brought out the oohs and ahhs, but he topped that one
today with a 3/4 court alley-oop that was just gorgeous. Outlaw looks
like Julius Hodges of N.C. State, but jumps more like Julius Erving,
and in one stretch he had 4 power dunks in about 3 minutes of game
action."
On Illinois star Shaun Livingston
"This kid, who has very skinny limbs and a big head, but a silky
smooth game, is going to be a big time player. He was being
strongly watched by the big schools, like Duke and Carolina, and his
play certainly warrants the attention.
"Livingston has tremendous
handle and vision for a guy 6'6" and he mixes in a shot that's
extremely awkward looking yet effective. Look for him to be one of
the premier players at next year's ABCD Camp."
On Syracuse recruit Darryl Watkins:
"At 6-11, he's definitely a defensive presence and knows how to score
in the post. His biggest highlight play was an off the backboard
alley-oop that he threw down on the break. The dunk actually brought
out a few 'oohs and ahhs' from the usually sedated crowd. It seemed
like the Paterson Catholic star wasn't in the game 100%. More than
once he had to be prodded by his teammates to step up his game."
On UCONN recruit Charlie Villanueva
"Pelzman had Villanueva ranked as the top prospect in camp
followed by Kendrick Perkins. This is a nice honor for Villanueva,
although one that I don't think is deserving."
"Sure, he can dunk over anyone in camp ... but I never saw him
shoot the ball or handle particularly well. It seemed to me that
everyday time he had the ball on the break or in the half-court, he
dribbled to the right every time."
On Arizona recruit Mustafa Shakur:
"From [Mustafa] Shakur you get
great passing, defense, and guard rebounding. Being 6'4", he can
slough down and pick up rebounds that he turns into one man fast
breaks. In this respect, he's very similar to Jason Kidd."
On NBA
Draft pick James Lang:
"James Lang is a 6-10 monster from
Alabama, who is built more like an
offensive lineman. While James appears to be out of shape at first
glance, he can hustle down the court faster than most big-men will
ever dream. His footwork is great, and he pulled a sweet baseline
spin move to get by his man in the post. But, while he's quick, he's
also very strong and loves to throw around his body. While some other
players like Kendrick Perkins and Darryl Watkins are better known big
guys, he was my favorite player to watch, and a name you should look
out for in the future."
More on Arizona recruit Mustafa Shakur
"I'd have him [ranked] second [in camp] behind Kendrick Perkins. Shakur, whose easily the
premier point guard in the country right now, is good at just about
everything. Yesterday, he even hit back to back three's, just to keep
the defense honest. He's only an average shooter, and the form on his
shot isn't particularly strong and could use some work."
On DePaul recruit Sammy Mejia
"In the game I watched Mejia, his team absolutely dominated and it
became a bit of a joke. However, I liked Mejia because he didn't
get caught up in trying to go one-on-one every play, and instead
just played his usual game. Mejia is very comfortable with the ball
and looked very smooth leading the fast break. Not bad skills for a
guys who is 6'7"
On NJ star Earl (J.R.) Smith:
"One
of these guys is Earl Smith, the 6'6" star out of Lakewood H.S.,
who was second in the camp in scoring." "I heard
the coaching staff at one mid-major school, which will remain
nameless, go on about how they thought they had Smith locked up to be
recruited, but were disappointed he played so well because it will
probably push him to an elite school instead.
On Pittsburg recruit Chris Taft:
"The 6'9" Chris Wilcox look alike from New York City had a nice effort as his
team destroyed its opponent. Taft pulled down every rebound in site, and
dunked the ball repeatedly. His team put on a dunk fest, and scored 89
points, which is extremely high for the camp."
On Kansas recruit Omar Wilkes:
"Omar Wilkes, son of former NBA star Jamaal Wilkes, was also teamed
with [Art] Bowers. Like Bowers, he does most of his damage by exploiting great body
control and balance. More than once, he was able to make acrobatic
plays on the break to get the hoop and the foul. He just needs to
get a bit stronger and quicker, and he'll become a special player."
On Syracuse recruit Terrence Roberts
"The St. Anthony [NJ] star played much better than when I
watched him on day one. While he still played soft and does a lot of
moaning and walking, he dominated the space around the basket. If he was
as active on all ends of the court as was in the paint, he'll become quite a
player" "Every once in awhile he's prone to very poor decision
making, such as when he decided to beat three defenders on a fast break by
dribbling right down the middle of the lane and getting the ball swatted away.
He also tends to always dribble to the left, and the rare occasions he goes
right don't work out so well."
..Continue to highlighted
2003 Quotes (Howard, JR Smith, more..)
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