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**Coatesvillain** · 07-03-2007, 04:31 AM

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Thaddeus Young is still smiling -- he likely hasn't stopped grinning since being selected with the No. 12 pick by the Sixers in Thursday's NBA draft.

Although he's still upbeat and overjoyed to start his NBA career, reality set in early Monday.

"I basically woke up this morning and said, "Yup,another day at work,' " Young said.

"But I love this game, I love my teammates, I love my coaches and I love this city. Everybody's been treating me very good and I hope to come out and show a lot of people what I can do, play hard and get the city what it deserves."

Although he's been in Philadelphia for less than a week, the likeable Young already has a pulse on the city's sports scene. On Sunday, he threw out the first pitch before the Phillies-Mets game at Citizens Bank Park.

A day later, he suited up with his new teammates -- fellow first-rounder Jason Smith, and second rounders Derrick Byars and Herbert Hill -- for the first of a double dip of practices at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

"Day One was pretty intense," said Young, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward who played one season at Georgia Tech.

"It's a lot quicker, a lot more athletic people, but you just have to adjust to it," said the 7-foot Smith, who spent three seasons at Colorado State. "It's just a learning experience right now, you're just trying to get into things and it's all brand new -- and the coaches understand that."

The rookie foursome were joined by five, young returning Sixers -- Rodney Carney, Bobby Jones, Lou Williams, Louis Amundson -- along with Edin Bavcic, a 2006 draft pick who played overseas last year, and five summer league free agent invitees. Shavlik Randolph was also in the gym, but was held out of scrimmaging as he's still recovering from a broken ankle suffered in November.

"I think it's great intensity -- we're all competing for a spot on the team, basically," Smith said.

Two days earlier, when the Sixers new draft picks were officially introduced, Smith, selected with the 20th pick in the draft and then traded to the Sixers, said he had the talent and work ethic to start right away.

He repeated that sentiment on Monday.

"I think that's any goal for any guy out there," said Smith, who could be a possibility due to the Sixers lack of a true power forward. "(Anyone) wants to become a starter, and that's definitely my (goal) as well."

Although it's difficult to make starting five predictions in July, Smith could have a better chance than Young due to the latter's youth and the team's depth at the small forward position.

"Even though he is a little bit further from Louis (Williams), he's not that much further -- he still has a lot to learn," Sixers head coach Maurice Cheeks said, comparing Young to Williams, who was drafted out of high school.

Young, who called himself a fast learner and a great listener, doesn't need a crash course on playing in Philadelphia. Current Georgia Tech head coach Paul Hewitt spent five years as an assistant at Villanova in the 90s.

"He was just saying it's a great city and everyone's gonna love you, but they're gonna be hard on you,"Young recalled.

So can he handle a few boos?

"I can take criticism, it's not a big deal," Young said. "Criticism is what I thrive off of. As long as I'm getting criticism I'm gonna keep going and keep going and working on what everyone thinks I need to work on."

There's also a chance Young, who turned 19 on June 21, may keep growing. He said he's grown an inch or two in the last year and hopes to become as tall as his 6-foot-11 father, Felton.

"I hope to get up to at least 6-11 and be a Dirk Nowitzki type player, but I play defense," Young said, before revealing a sheepish grin when he realized he just took a shot at the reigning NBA MVP.

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Slizeezyc · 07-03-2007, 10:48 AM

I enjoy this part:

There's also a chance Young, who turned 19 on June 21, may keep growing. He said he's grown an inch or two in the last year and hopes to become as tall as his 6-foot-11 father, Felton.

"I hope to get up to at least 6-11 and be a Dirk Nowitzki type player, but I play defense," Young said, before revealing a sheepish grin when he realized he just took a shot at the reigning NBA MVP.