Fort Featured

[j.hironaka@unesco.org]

It took four weeks for any Boston columnist to bother coming up with a
feature profile on Danny Fortson, and the kid deflects attention onto
Antoine Walker instead. The Fort recalls watching Antoine play as a
point guard back in his AAU days, something that should not come as a
surprise to list-members.

Joe

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Fortson wants Walker to stay put
                  by Mark Cofman

                  Wednesday, September 1, 1999

                  Since being traded to the Celtics in early August,
Danny Fortson has kept tabs on every move his new team makes. He's even
kept tabs on one move the Celtics haven't made. At least not yet.

                  Fortson has heard the on-again, off-again trade rumors
concerning Antoine Walker. And while the third-year power forward isn't
trying to tell anyone in the Celtics front office how to run their
business, he says he hopes the team decides to keep its captain.

                  ``Antoine Walker is one of those rare guys who can do
anything on a basketball court,'' Fortson said yesterday. ``He's so
talented, and he hasn't even come close to reaching his potential in
this league yet. People forget he's 23 years old.''

                  So is Fortson. Add Tony Battie, 23, Vitaly Potapenko,
24, and Eric Williams, 27, to the mix and the Celtics have the makings
of an up-and-coming frontcourt rotation. That's how Fortson sees it.

                  ``I think that's a frontcourt with versatility,
athleticism and the potential to get much better with time,'' said
Fortson, acquired with  Williams and Eric Washington in the Aug. 3 deal
that sent Ron Mercer, Popeye Jones and Dwayne Schintzius to Denver.
``The way it looks now, Antoine would be playing more small forward than
(power  forward).''

                  Fortson's arrival all but assures that. The former
Cincinnati All-American established himself as one of the NBA's best
young power forwards last season, finishing fourth in the league in
rebounding. His rough-and-tumble style is an ideal complement to
Battie's shot-blocking, finesse game at power forward. Both can spell
Potapenko in the middle.

                  As for Walker, who logged much of his playing time
last season at  power forward, Fortson figures the shift to small
forward will better  suit his multiple skills.

                  ``I've been watching Antoine play since ninth grade
when we competed in AAU tournaments,'' said Fortson, who grew up in
Pittsburgh. ``The first time I saw him play, he was the point guard. A
kid that big running the offense. It was pretty amazing.

                  ``Antoine can play anywhere on the court and (small
forward) is one of those positions that combines so many different
skills. He could do some serious damage there.''

                  Provided he's still around. Rumors of Walker's
departure have quieted down considerably since the sign-and-trade period
began on Aug. 1. Including Fortson, the Celtics added six new players
the first week of  August. Walker survived that storm and now appears a
good bet to be returning for his fourth season with the Celtics.

                  ``They were building this team around Antoine when
they signed him  (in January),'' said Fortson. ``He's still a big part
of the Celtics future. I hope it stays that way. I know I'm looking
forward to playing with him.''