Pierce article, from Lawrence, Kansas paper

[STRAUSS@WCUVAX1.WCU.EDU]

Williams' emotions mixed
  over draft 

  Posted Thursday, June 25, 1998

  By Gary Bedore

  Journal-World Assistant Sports Editor

  Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams nodded his
  approval as Raef LaFrentz's name was called in
  Wednesday's NBA Draft.

  "I was really happy for Raef because he had in his mind
  he'd like to go to Denver," Williams said of the former
  Jayhawk forward, tabbed by the Denver Nuggets as the
  third overall pick in the 1998 Draft. "Very seldom do you
  get to pick where you want to go and it ends up you go
  there. But that's what Raef did."

  Williams' happiness turned to disbelief moments later
  as former KU forward Paul Pierce, regarded by analysts
  as a top five pick, slipped to the 10th overall pick of the
  Boston Celtics.

  "It really surprised me, but I also learned nothing should
  surprise you about the draft," Williams said. "Everybody
  I talked to said Paul would be in the top five and most
  people I talked to thought he could be in the top three.

  "I would have liked for him to have been taken earlier for
  the money aspect. From a viewpoint of where he'd fit in,
  he'll do very, very well. I think Boston is a great place.
  They run a (up-tempo) style he's comfortable with.

  "To be honest, after he didn't go in the top four or five,
  where I thought he would go, I sorta looked down the
  list and told the team (watching on TV in KU's
  basketball office) that Boston for sure would take him."

  Some analysts have called Pierce the best player in the
  draft. Others, however, believe he slipped because he
  doesn't handle the ball especially well and needs to find
  a role in the NBA as either a small forward or shooting
  guard. However, ESPN Sports Zone analyst Chris
  Monter said Wednesday the 6-7 Pierce is "the steal of
  the draft" for Boston.

  Pierce stood to make about $7 million over three years
  had he been tabbed fourth, behind LaFrentz who will
  make between $7.4 and $9.3 million over three years in
  Denver. As the 10th pick, Pierce will make between $4
  and $5 million over three years.

  "I've got to think that may be the best 10th pick made in
  a long, long time," Williams said.

  "People will in a few years look back and say how
  smart Rick Pitino and the Celtics were being able to get
  Paul Pierce as the 10th pick in the draft."

  Some famous No. 10 overall picks include the Lakers'
  Eddie Jones (1994) and Pistons' Lindsey Hunter (1993).
  Last year's No. 10 pick was the Bucks' Danny Fortson.

  As far as LaFrentz, Williams knows why the Nuggets
  grabbed him.

  "He'll do a great job. Dan (Issel) really appreciates the
  type of player he is," Williams said.

  KU senior Billy Thomas was not selected. Williams
  said Thomas would either land an NBA tryout or seek a
  job on a team in Europe. NBA tryout camps will not be
  held this year if there is a prolonged lockout.

   -- Gary Bedore's phone number is 832-7186. His e-mail
                   address is gbedore@ljworld.com
                                                           
                                                           



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====================================================================
Bob Strauss          "Duke of URL"               Cataloger
Hunter Library                                   Western Carolina U.
strauss@wcu.edu
====================================================================