Crap, Part II

[peter delevett <pdelevett@amcity.com>]

Crap, man. I guess this means no way the Nugs will part with Clark, not
without getting a bunch in return. Why didn't Pitino try to get in on this
before the Magic completed the trade? Does he feel Battie is as good as Clark?


AIR FORCE ACADEMY -- The sights and sounds of     
                   the early workouts of Denver Nuggets training        
                   camp this year have included more oohs and
                   aahs than usual.

                   Some of that is because the workouts are open to the
                   public.
   
                   Some is because of Antonio McDyess and his famous 42-inch
                   vertical leap.
                   But a surprising number of jaws have been dropping because
                   of Keon Clark.

                   Clark's vertical is not what McDyess' is -- Nuggets
                   director of scouting Kim Hughes thinks his former employer,
                   the Bucks, measured it at 28 inches before the draft last
                   June -- but his wingspan and quickness are something else.
                   Almost everyone trying to get off a shot within 10 feet of
                   the basket in the early scrimmages has heard that sick
                   sound of the shot being slapped away from behind before it
                   even takes flight.

                   "His upside's fantastic," Hughes said of the 6-foot-11,
                   rail-thin shot blocker from Nevada-Las Vegas. "I think he
                   has the willingness to learn. I think he's a driven kid.
                   He's got a few weaknesses, but I think the future and the
                   innate talent he has overshadows any of those doubts."