Re: No to Van Horn: Thoughts on the big men

[bis@world.std.com (Adi Inbar)]

Kerry Kee <kkee@highground.com> writes:
> >Our own mistake in '94.  Bird wanted Eddie Jones.  The Celtics brass
> >was hellbent on getting a center.  Eddie Jones is and all-star, Eric
> >Montross isn't even good enough to start on a bad team.

Let me amend this part.  New Jersey is actually pathetic enough to
start Montross.  He was benched in Dallas.

> My recollection was that Bird endorsed taking the Big-Man (Montross).
> Are you saying he really wanted Jones but went along with the party line
> in public?  

As I remember it, Eddie Jones was Bird's first pick, and he endorsed
Montross as the best *center* available - which was arguably a good
assessment, considering that the other choices were Yinka Dare, Carlos
Rogers, Cliff Rozier, Eric Mobley...okay, Jim McIlvane might turn out
to be an effective niche player, but can you imagine drafting him with
a lottery pick?