Ben Pepper !!!! Must Read

[Bos3332@aol.com]

You are mistaken to disparage the Cs 1997 no. 2 pick, Ben Pepper. I just 
got the April 1, 1999 issue of ASIA-PACIFIC BASKETBALL QUARTERLY and 
there is a cover story on Pepper, who was named the 1998-99 Asia-Pacific 
basketball Player of the Year. Upset after not making the Australian team 
for the world basketball championships last year, Pepper hired the top 
physical trainer in Australia and has worked out extensively on his hoops 
game. He has been working with former NBA player Spencer Haywood.(Prior 
to 1998 Pepper was more interested in pursuing a carrer as a professional 
tennis player. He was ranked third in the under 21 category in 
Australia.) Pepper now stands 7'2 in his barefeet, weights 290 lbs., and 
has a 38" vertical leap. He is currently playing for the Melbourne Flying 
Eagles in the Australian National League and is averaging a 
league-leading 34.7 points per game, a league-leading 21.3 rebounds per 
game, and a league-leading 8.1 blocks per game. Melbourne's record in 
52-4. In addition, Pepper is an incredible second in the league in 
assists and steals. According to Andrew Gaze, the Aussie who played a bit 
in the NBA and starred on Seton Hall's 1989 Final 4 team, Pepper is 
"going to be every bit as good as Hakeem Olajuwon. He already is better 
than Shaq or David Robinson" Apparently Pepper refuses to play for the 
Celtics (or any other NBA team) unless he is the highest paid player on 
the team. Ironically, it seems that Pepper is not especially selfish, as 
he donates one-half of all his earnings to the Big Brothers Clubs of 
Australia. Pepper was raised in a Melbourne orphanage.  Any truth.-Tony
Bob McChesney