Marc Cofman On Walker Not Attending The BSL

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

Pitino says he's excited about Popeye getting back in shape,
Adrian Griffin, Tony Battie, but he doesn't know about Ron
or Toine...

      Boston Herald       

      Walker still in league of his own: C's captain won't join mates
      by Mark Cofman 
      Tuesday, July 27, 1999
      The Celtics opened their inaugural Shaw's Pro Summer League schedule last 
      night at UMass-Boston. Team captain Antoine Walker was not among those 
      suiting up for the host team.
      This is not an earth-shattering development in that established league 
      veterans rarely get involved in summer-league action. The rosters are made 
      up predominantly of rookies, journeymen and NBA wannabes.
      The occasional star will participate, but these exhibitions largely are a 
      more structured forum in which coaches and general managers can hold their 
      auditions.
      But Walker, before leaving town in May following the regular season, had 
      expressed a strong interest in returning to participate in the league, 
      which runs through Sunday. Scheduling conflicts notwithstanding, Walker 
      figured to be among those playing for the Celtics this week.
      ``It's a fun time and I'll get to see where I stand under the whistle,'' 
      Walker had said of the summer league the day after the Celtics completed 
      the lockout-shortened season with a disappointing 19-31 record. ``I think 
      a lot of guys try to shy away from that - they think they're too good to 
      play in that - but I want to play if things can get worked out.''
      Walker reiterated those comments to the Herald in early June during the 
      NBA predraft camp in his hometown Chicago. But the Celtics, who earlier 
      this month used contract players Paul Pierce, Tony Battie, Walter McCarty 
      and Vitaly Potapenko during a successful 8-0 run at the Fila Pro Summer 
      League in Long Beach, Calif., began play in their own summer league 
      tournament last night with McCarty and Battie aboard. Walker is not 
      expected here this week.
      ``I saw him about three weeks ago (at HealthPoint in Waltham) but I 
      haven't spoken to him since,'' Celtics coach Rick Pitino said last night 
      before his team's opener against the Washington Wizards.
      ``(At that time) he just told us he wasn't coming, that he'd be playing 
      and working out in Chicago,'' Pitino added.
      Asked if he was disappointed by Walker's decision to stay away, Pitino 
      remarked: ``The only thing I've decided to comment on is what I'm seeing. 
      I'm very excited by Paul Pierce. I'm very excited about Tony Battie's work 
      ethic.
      ``I'm very excited about how hard Popeye (Jones) has worked to get back in 
      shape. I'm very excited about (free-agent tryout) Adrian Griffin. And 
      Walter McCarty is also working very hard.
      ``All I'm going to comment on is what I see. As far as I know, (Ron) 
      Mercer and 'Toine could be in the greatest shape of their lives, but I 
      don't know that. I'll assume that they are and that they will be (at the 
      start of regular training camp). But right now I'm very excited about some 
      of the other players I have seen.''