Jon Jennings input

["JLyell" <jlyell@concentric.net>]

In January's Celtic Monthly, Director of Basketball Operations Jon Jennings
comments on this years upcoming draft. His response to a question from CM:
Would you agree that a center is the Celtic's number one priority? His
answer. Jennings: Only if the quality of the player were there. Obviously
we need a center, but I wouldn't pass up a Keith Van Horn to draft a center
who didn't have Van Horn's level of ability. In response to another
question CM: Is there a Top Ten list of players emerging? His answer.
Jennings: Not a Top Ten list. It's very difficult right now to come up with
a list of players. There's Tim Duncan[Wake Forest] and Keith Van
Horn[Utah], but after that it's very difficult to say. What Jennings is
saying is that Boston will take Van Horn if we end up with the 2nd or 3rd
pick and he is right they should. He also mentions looking at Derek
Anderson, who I agree completely at taking with our 2nd round pick if he's
still there and of course if his knee is healthy. He's currently ranked at
#25 in the polls and could slip right into our hands with our second round
pick. Boston will take Duncan with the #1 pick and Van Horn if we end up
getting the #2 or #3 pick and if he's still available. Our 1st pick will be
either Duncan, Van Horn or Mercer. All three will have an impact. To
respect opinions on Van Horn's talent level I can only dispute with those
of you who feel that he cannot play. He is very quick with his first step,
can run the floor and of course shoot the lights out and also pass and
rebound. What more do you want from a guy who also is very court smart,
always draws a double team(something Boston needs in a player badly) and
reads the floor extremely well. Van Horn is already getting Bird like
comparison's from other college coaches and I can still remember Bird
running down the court and it was always so weird because it looked like he
was running in slow motion, yet he would always get the rebound when you
need it, make the pass when you needed it, and hit the shot when you needed
it and I am telling you from someone who watched Bird play all of his
college games on TV that Van Horn is going to be the closest player to a
Larry Bird then we've seen in a long, long time. If we get Van Horn with
our 1st first round pick we should seriously look at Jamison(or then a
center if he's not available)with our next and Anderson with our 1st second
round pick. One way or another and I do respect everyone's opinion's here,
but you cannot put anyone ahead of Van Horn based on Van Horn's conference
or foot speed, because Boston would be a great place for Van Horn to shine.
He is a perfect player with a complete basketball mind to excell in
Beantown. I'm only glad that Jennings is a part of running the show and
don't think for one
minute that Bird himself hasn't noticed a younger Larry in Van Horn too.
Boston will do the right thing come draft day and we will turn things
around, it's what all of us really want....