[USSKittyHawk]

With Pre-Draft camp concluding on Friday, the New York Knicks are already preparing individual workouts, the first of many starting June 5th.

According to Jonathan Supranowitz Vice President, Public Relations for the Knicks, New York will partner with the New Jersey Nets to conduct workouts next Tuesday at the the Knicks training center in Greenburgh, New York with the following prospects scheduled to appear:

-Derrick Byars (senior G/F, 6-7, 220, Vanderbilt)

-Sammy Mejia (senior G, 6-6, 195, DePaul)

-Demetris Nichols (senior forward, 6-8, 216, Syracuse)

-Curtis Sumpter (senior forward, 6-7, 225, Villanova)

Mejia, Nichols, and Sumpter all participated at the Pre-Draft camp in Orlando this past week, showing off their various skills to a number of NBA personnel who attended, including the Knicks Isiah Thomas, Glen Grunwald, Herb Williams, and Brendan Suhr. Lawrence Frank was also on hand and represented the New Jersey Nets in Orlando.

Mejia out of DePaul probably had one of the better performances at camp. At 6'6, Mejia averaged 14.1 points per game his senior year and showed he can play both backcourt positions and even the small forward position while at Pre-Draft camp. He sees the court exceptionally well and has a very smooth pull up jumper.

Nichols, a Syracuse product, admitted to Basketball News that he felt very comfortable in his first couple of days in Orlando. And his play showed it. In one full court scrimmage, Nichols scored 18 points and went 4 for 5 from three- point range. He had a great senior year under Jim Boeheim where Nichols averaged 18.9 points per game.

Sumpter drew lots attention as well, especially during first day drills where the 6'7 forward showcased impressive defensive skills to go with his aggressiveness in attacking the basket. In his last year at Villanova, Sumpter averaged 17.4 points per game.

Although Byars did not participate in Orlando's Pre-Draft camp, the scouting report on the 6'7 forward indicates he is an extremely versatile player who is equally athletic and shoots well from the perimeter. After starting his collegiate career at Virginia, Byars finished up at Vanderbilt where he averaged 17 points per game.

The Knicks have question marks both in the lowpost and with perimeter scoring and will try to answer them this season. The four players invited for workouts will provide help in both areas and should get a good hard look from Isiah Thomas and the rest of the Knicks brass on Tuesday.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_22180.shtml

[USSKittyHawk]

Following the second Knicks-Nets collective NBA Draft workout, New Jersey GM Ed Stefanski called Stephane Lasme “an interesting character” -- and the rail-thin forward is all of that. For starters, even while coming from a scant basketball background -- he’s originally from Gabon -- the 6-8 Lasme finished his senior season at UMass as one of only two players in the nation to rank in the Top 25 in three statistical categories.

The other guy? Consensus No. 1 pick, not to mention consensus future super-duper to end all super-duper-s, Greg Oden.

The real rouser is Lasme’s shot blocking (5.1 per game, second in the nation), a rare and unique skill much-needed by the Knicks. And the 215-pound Lasme -- no post monster, he -- was doing this as a FORWARD. “I just try to be where the ball is,” he said, extremely soft-spoken. “I’m HUNTING for it. I have a knack, I guess. It comes naturally. To tell you the truth, I never actually worked at it.”

Though Lasme was also an elite rebounder (9.5 pg., 20th in the nation) and field goal shooter (61.1 per cent, 13th) in college, he’s well aware that the rest of his game, still raw, must develop to a NBA level. “Obviously, I’ve got a lot of things to work on,” he smiled. “I need to improve my offensive game a little bit more, also my perimeter defense. I’ve got to knock down the mid-range shot and just improve my range. But I’m patient with it.”

Question is, will NBA teams be patient with a late-developing talent who’s already 24 years old? “I’m not too worried about that. My point is, so I’m a bit more mature than anybody else. Obviously, I know better what’s right and what’s wrong compared to the regular kids that come out of school.”

‘’I work hard,” he added. ‘’I can do anything. I will do anything you tell me to do. I don’t mind doing the dirty job. I think I got that across today.’’

Fellow big Brandon Wallace, a 6-9 forward out of South Carolina known mainly for his board work, was also elated with his workout. “Isiah Thomas told me ‘good job’, and that he liked what he saw,’’ he said, smile miles wide. “I think I showed some things that I can do that people may not have known about me previously.”

“Shooting and handling the ball,” added Wallace. “The system at school would not allow me to display those things. But I think I did pretty well today.”

“Renaldo (ex-teammate Balkman) is my best friend,” Wallace said. “He told me on the phone ‘don’t be nervous. And each time, just show them different things.’ So that’s what I did.”

As smallish point guards from even more smallish schools, the other two workout participants -- 5-11 DaShaun Wood from Wright State and Albany’s 6-1 Jamar Wilson – couldn’t help but be just a LITTLE nervous. “Playing in front of Isiah Thomas, who is my idol, and in the same gym Jason Kidd plays…” Wilson shook his head in wonderment. “That’s just unbelievable. That’s awesome.”

“Still, especially for guys like us from lesser known places, you’ve just got to grab hold of it when you get the opportunity. You’ve got to raise your game to another level. Really, that’s all you can do.”

http://www.nba.com/knicks/news/workouts_070606.html

[EwingStarksOakley94]

I think all of those guys with the exception of Byars will be available in round 2. Maybe Isiah should try to score a 2nd round pick somehow

[USSKittyHawk]

Day 3

To make the “Finest Four” even more interesting, 6-6 Rice guard Morris Almond has often been mentioned as a likely choice for the New York Knicks with the 23d pick. Ditto Duke’s Josh McRoberts for the Nets with the17th. Meanwhile Glen “Big Baby” Davis is one of the most unusual talents in the country -- and the fourth guy, versatile USC guard-forward Nick Young, only owns the best lottery potential of all of them.

“I try to do it all,” smiled Young who excels in the nowadays rare mid-range game and really knows how to get his own shot. “I’m a real student of the game in all areas of the court. I watch players like Kobe, D. Wade, and Michael Jordan -- players who really know how to play the game -- and study what they do, hard.”

McRoberts is a power guy with innate aggression, the type both teams currently need, “though I like to play both inside and out,” he said. “Whatever is necessary, whatever my team asks me to do, I feel I’m capable of doing.“

“I’ve known Isiah Thomas ever since he’s been in Indiana,” added the intense 6-10 power source. “Great guy. He said I did well today. I’d love to be another one of the young talents he’s gathered on the Knicks. I think they are a team that’s about to break out. And I’d love to help them do it.”

The 6-8 Big Baby, who displayed absolutely awesome quickness, leaping ability, and overall athletic skills at a beyond-burly 320 pounds a year ago, now weighs in circa 280. “I’m still Big Baby,” he assured everyone within ear-sight with a big smile. “Just a smaller version. I lost all the weight to be the best player I can be. I feel even quicker. My vertical’s higher. It was actually weird at first. I had to get used to jumping higher and being quicker. But it all came together real fast.”

”I’m a better player now. Whatever team picks me, they’ll know right away they got someone who has a passion to play and a passion to win,’’ added Davis. “Fans can sense that passion in me. Also, I’m a mismatch guy. You put a ‘three’ on me, I’ll post up. Put a big guy on me, I’ll go around him.”

“Yeah, I talked to Isiah today,” smiled Davis. “About life. The popcorn business. Not so much about basketball.”

Almond’s thinking not just about basketball these days, but basketball New York Style. ‘’Sure, I’m aware of what people are writing,” he said. “It would be so-o-o-o exciting. Hey, it’s the Mecca -- and I know I’d be a good fit, playing off of Eddy Curry, playing off of a Number One option to space the floor and make things easier for everybody to win.”

A good fit? The pure-shooting Almond (26.4 ppg, on 48.3 per cent shooting from the floor, including a ridiculous 45.6 per cent on treys) even LOOKS like Allan Houston. “I get that every day,” he laughs. “A career like his, that wouldn’t be bad. To be honest, he IS the best comparison to my game in terms of shooting ability and size.’’

On the other hand, Nick Young has the… “Initials, dude,” he laughs. “They’re NY! Tell me I wouldn’t be the perfect fit! You know I would be.”

www.nyknicks.com

[USSKittyHawk]

Day 4

Facially and cornrows-wise, Jared Dudley could easily be mistaken for Carmelo Anthony. “Now if I could play anything like him, I’d be fine,” the personable ACC Player of the Year smiled following his NBA Draft workout at the Madison Square Garden Training Center on Friday.

Well, Dudley may not be Carmelo, but he’s awfully good. “He’s a basketball player, one of those guys who could step in and play in a NBA game today,” Nets GM Ed Stefanski said. “A lot of kids at the high end of this draft are not ready to be put into a NBA basketball game right now. Jared Dudley is -- and to me, that’s the ultimate compliment.”

Ironically, it’s also Dudley’s ultimate problem. The 6-7 Boston College forward is not a player who jumps out of the gym, or is super-quick, super-athletic, or super-anything. He’s “just” Mr. Intangibles, the ultimate teammate, team player, and winner.

But, NBA-wise, how do you quantify that?

“There’s no doubt, with my basketball I.Q. I try to makeup for my relative lack of athletic ability,” Dudley admitted. “But, since the end of the season, I did drop close to15 pounds. And I’m showing in these workouts that I can shoot the ball extremely well.’’

“What I try to do is just fit into any system, I don’t care what it is,” added Dudley. “Come in, play with a lot of energy, be ready to do whatever to win. My niche at first at B. C. was to be the junkyard dog, and that was fine. Then in my senior year I was the go-to guy, but even then I was doing all the intangibles. And that’s how I’d help a NBA team.”

It’s impressive that North Carolina swinger Reyshawn Terry is even in a position to earn a spot to help a NBA team. The 6-8 senior was pretty much lost last season on a team chock-full of freshman superstars. But he’s an athlete -- and a strong performance at the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando even has people talking possible first round.

“I felt like as a senior, blending in and playing within the system is what I had to do,” said Terry. “Me not being able to score as much enabled me to show my overall skills, my rebounding and stuff. I think it actually helped me overall. I did become a better player, just doing everything, all the small things, and play basketball from another perspective.’’

“So this postseason, and these workouts, have to be my time,” added Terry. “Coming from the ACC, I feel I’m ready. Your basketball I.Q. must be high to play there. And Coach (Roy) Williams, he makes you see the game from a higher perspective which makes it easier to play.”

“He made you see things on the floor that you wouldn’t have seen your own.”

With his hustle and never-ending arms, the lanky Terry is probably ready to provide a NBA caliber defensive presence right now. Even more so for Dudley. Ignore a player with credentials at your peril: “Remember, there was another extremely intelligent, intangibles-filled ACC Player of the Year just a few years ago who wasn’t selected until the very end of the first round,’’ Stefanski said. “His name was Josh Howard.”

www.nyknicks.com

[shakespeare]

I am intrigued by Dudley. Not that I want him on the Knicks but if they got rid of Nate then I would love to have Jared.

Morris Almond seems to be the consensus amongst Knickerbocker fans

[alphaorange]

Dudley is a forward, not a guard.