Summer League player bios

[Thndrblt31@aol.com]

http://www.nba.com/Celtics/shaws_roster_000710.html


Celtics Set Roster for Summer League

The Boston Celtics announced on July 9 that its top draft selections from 
each of the past two seasons, Jerome Moiso and Kris Clack, as well as current 
roster player Tony Battie, are tentatively set to play for the Celtics when 
the 2000 Shaw's Pro Summer League tips off on July 17 at Umass-Boston. 

But that is not all, as the Celtics organization has added an intriguing mix 
of veterans to its roster, which is headlined by former Duke University and 
Sacramento Kings point guard Bobby Hurley. In addition, former University of 
North Carolina center Kevin Salvadori and former University of Pittsburgh big 
man, Mark Blount, will wear the Green and White when the Celtics take the 
floor at UMass-Boston from July 17 through July 24. 

With Danny Fortson, Doug Overton and Pervis Ellison carrying free agent 
status, as well as the uncertainty of Greg Minor's injury, the Celtics may 
have as many as four open spots on their roster. In addition, the nine other 
teams slated to compete will also be looking fill holes in their rosters. 
Thus, the players performing at the Shaw's Pro Summer League 2000 are not 
just playing for pride, but for a place in the NBA. 

There is no question the league has unearthed NBA talent. Last year, for 
instance, the Celtics signed Adrian Griffin after his outstanding 
performances in the Summer League. Griffin went on to win the NBA's Co-Rookie 
of the Month Award for November. In addition, the SuperSonics used the Shaw's 
Pro Summer League to test players like Rashard Lewis, Rueben Patterson and 
Shammond Williams, while the Pacers gave significant playing time to Austin 
Croshere. All went on to produce for their teams during the regular season. 

"What we are looking for are between the cracks guys," said Celtics General 
Manager Chris Wallace. "We have a clear history of making calculated gambles 
on guys from this league. The Shaw's Pro Summer League is a very important 
part of the development of the Boston Celtics for a number of reasons. One is 
to give more training and experience to some of our roster players. Secondly, 
we use it to audition noteworthy free agents so that we will hopefully come 
up with another Adrian Griffin. And lastly, we are not just obligated to the 
players on our roster. We are always watching the players on the other nine 
teams." 

The Players 

Here are the players tentatively set to represent the Boston Celtics at the 
2000 Shaw's Pro Summer League. 

Note: Rosters are subject to change 

Jerome Allen, 6-4, 190 lbs., 1/28/73, Penn '95
A point guard who spent his college career at The University of Pennsylvania 
(1992-95). Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves as 2nd round pick, 49th 
overall, of the 1995 NBA Draft. He then spent a portion of the 1996-97 with 
the Denver Nuggets. Has played the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons in France with 
Limoges CSP before signing with Ulker Istanbul (Turkey) before the 1999-00 
season. He was named to the All-Ivy League team in 1994-95 and played for the 
USA National Team during the 1994 Goodwill Games. 

Tony Battie, 6-11, 240 lbs., 2/11/76, Texas Tech '98
Battie is poised for a break out year for the Celtics. Since posting a strong 
finish to the 1999-00 campaign for the Celtics, he has used the summer to add 
strength to his 6-11 frame. Battie used the Shaw's Pro Summer League last 
year to develop his body and game, and plans to do the same this year. 

"Tony made huge strides last year with his off-season work outs, especially 
in last year's Shaw's Pro Summer League," said Wallace. "He is eager to 
participate again, as well as to go out and play against its wide range of 
talent." 

Roberto Bergersen, 6-6, 200 lbs., 1/6/76, Boise St. '99
NBA teams spotted this shooting guard at last year's FILA Pro Summer League. 
At 6-6, he causes match-up problems for defenders. Bergersen graduated from 
Boise State in 1999 and went onto play for the Idaho Stampede of the CBA 
during the 1999-00 campaign, averaging 16.5 points. 

Mark Blount, 6-10, 235 lbs., 11/30/75, Pittsburgh '97
Blount possesses what almost all NBA teams are looking for - height. The 6-10 
center was originally drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round 
of the 1997 NBA Draft after leaving the University of Pittsburgh after just 
two seasons. He has since gone on to play for both the Sioux Falls Skyforce 
of the CBA (1997-98) and the Baltimore Bay Runners (1999-00) of the IBL. 
Scouts feel that he has developed to the point where he may be ready for the 
NBA. 

Kris Clack, 6-5, 235 lbs., 7/6/77, Texas '99
Clack was drafted 55th overall out of the University of Texas in the 1999 NBA 
Draft. Although the Celtics did not have a roster spot for him last year, the 
coaching staff feels Klack has a future in the NBA. 

"Unfortunately, we didn't have a roster spot for Kris last year," said 
Celtics Director of Player Personnel Leo Papile. "He went to the IBL this 
year by design and he performed well for San Diego Stingrays this past year. 
He is definitely a guy we will be looking at." 

At 6-5, 235-pounds, Klack has the potential to create mismatches at both the 
guard and forward positions. After posting impressive numbers (11.5 ppg, 4.4 
rpg) for the Stingrays in 1999-00, Papile and the rest of the Celtics staff 
feel that a year of seasoning has better prepared Klack for the rigors of the 
NBA. 

Rodney Elliott, 6-8, 235 lbs., 3/4/76, Maryland '98
A 6-8 power forward out of Maryland University (1994-98) who spent the 
1999-00 season with the Baltimore Bay Runners of the IBL. In 53 appearances 
for the club, he averaged 14.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.8 
steals in 33.8 minutes. 

After graduating college, Elliott was signed by Athlon Leper in Belgium. 
During the 1998-99 campaign, he averaged 18.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 
assists and 1.8 steals in 26 games for the club. 

As a senior at Maryland University, Elliott earned Third Team All-Atlantic 
Coast Conference and Second Team All-ACC Tournament selections. He was also 
only one of eight Maryland players to have played in four consecutive NCAA 
Tournaments. 

James Forrest, 6-8, 240 lbs., 1972, Georgia Tech '95
Forrest, a 6-8 wide-body, had an outstanding career while at Georgia Tech and 
has since made a name for himself on the European circuit. Although Forrest 
in known for his bullish play underneath the basket, he does have the ability 
to step back and hit a 15-foor jumper. He was named to First Team All-ACC 
while at Tech for two straight years (1994 and 1995), and then was drafted by 
the Omaha Racers in the 1995 CBA Draft. He signed on with the Los Angeles 
Lakers before the 1997-98 season, but was released after the preseason. 
Forrest went on to have stints in Spain (C.B. Huelva), Israel (Hapoel Eilat), 
Italy (Olimpia Basket Pistoia) and Venezuela (Cocodrilos de Caracas) before 
landing with his current club, Iraklio OAA Kritis in Greece. He averaged just 
over 22 points and 11 rebounds per game in the 1999-00 campaign. 

Bobby Hurley, 6-0, 165 lbs., 6/28/71, Duke '93
Few players have ever had the impact on the college game than Hurley did. 
While at Duke University, he led the Blue Devils to a pair of national titles 
and finished as the NCAA's all-time leader in assists (1,076). He was a 
two-time All-American selection and garnered ESPN's college basketball's 
Player of the Year Award in 1993. He was selected seventh overall in the 1993 
NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings and seemed poised to make a mark on the pro 
game. But a promising NBA career was halted just 19 games into his rookie 
year when he was involved in an auto accident that forced him endure eight 
hours of surgery to repair a torn trachea, multiple rib fractures, a 
fractured left shoulder, and a compression fracture in the mid portion of his 
back. He did return to play in 223 games for the Kings from 1994-95 through 
1997-98, and in 27 games for the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1997-98. He never 
averaged more than 4.2 points per game over that stretch. 

"Bobby is attempting to make a comeback to the NBA after a year away from the 
game," said Wallace. "Largely due to his auto accident, his career did not go 
the way he had expected. We are anxious to see what Bobby can do at the 
Shaw's Pro Summer League." 

Bobby Martin, 6-9, 235 lbs., 8/18/69, Pittsburgh '91
Martin is a 6-9 center out of the University of Pittsburgh (1987-91) who 
spent the 1999-00 season with the Quad City Thunder of the CBA. In 18 games, 
he averaged 9.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.6 steals in 24.3 
minutes. 

Martin was originally drafted by the Quad City Thunder in the 1991 CBA Draft. 
He played three seasons with the club before moving to Spain and signing with 
CB Murcia for two years. During the 1996-97 campaign, he signed with Taugres 
Vitoria. He spent the 1997-98 season playing for Tuborg Spor Kulubu Izmir in 
Turkey. In 1998, he moved back to Spain to play with Real Madrid, before 
heading back to the team he began his career with, the Quad City Thunder, to 
play the 1999-00 season. 

Silas Mills, 6-7, 205 lbs., 9/5/72, Utah St. '96
A 6-7, 205-pound forward, Mills spent the last two seasons with the Yakima 
Sun Kings of the CBA. In 56 games during the 1999-00 campaign, he averaged 
18.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 33 minutes. The 
Yakima Sun Kings won the 1999-00 CBA Championship and Mills was voted the 
playoffÝs MVP. 

After graduating from Utah State in 1996, Mills made his pro debut during the 
1996-97 season with BC Kalev Tallin in Estonia. He also spent that summer 
playing for the Atlantic City Seagulls of the USBL. During the 1997-98 
season, he played for the Magic City Snowbears of the IBA and Mobiline in the 
Philippines. 

Jerome Moiso, 6-10, 235 lbs., 6/15/78, UCLA '00
The Celtics used their number one draft choice to select Moiso, who had 
completed an outstanding two-year career at collegiate powerhouse UCLA. Mosio 
led the Bruins in both rebounds (7.6 rpg) and blocks (1.7 bpg) and finished 
second on the team in scoring with a 13.0 ppg average in the 1999-00 season. 
Not only will the Shaw's Pro Summer League give Boston fans a chance to see 
the top-pick in action for the first time, but Celtics coaches feel that the 
competition will prepare Mosio for his rookie year. 

"The Summer League will allow Jerome to become indoctrinated into the Celtics 
style of basketball," said Wallace. "It will give him first-hand knowledge of 
what NBA games and practices are like. It will also give him a better feel 
for the rules of the NBA." 

Damian Owens, 6-6, 215 lbs., 9/21/76, West Virginia '98
Owens is a 6-6, 215-pound forward out of West Virginia who most recently 
played for the Connecticut Pride of the CBA. During the 1998-99 season, he 
made an impressive debut, averaging 10.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists 
and 1.6 steals in 43 regular season games. He was named to the 1999 CBA 
All-Rookie Team and competed in the 2000 CBA All-Star Game. Owens has also 
played for Virtus Ragusa in Italy, and participated in the Portland 
Trailblazers training camp. During his college career at West Virginia, Owens 
ranked among his school's top 10 in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and 
blocks. 

Kevin Salvadori, 7-0, 230 lbs., 12/30/70, North Carolina '94
Salvadori has what some scouts call "an NBA pedigree". After graduating from 
the University of North Carolina in 1994, he went on to play for the Florida 
Sharks in the USBL in 1995-96. His performances for the Florida franchise 
earned him a spot on the Sacramento Kings, which he held for two seasons 
(1996-97 and 1997-98). Now, the seven-footer is set to re-emerge in the NBA. 

David Vanterpool, 6-5, 200 lbs., 3/31/73, St. Bonaventure '95
A 6-5, 200-pound guard, Vanterpool spent the 1999-00 season playing for the 
CBA Champion Yakima Sun Kings. In 55 appearances, he averaged 13.1 points, 
6.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.1 steals in 29.9 minutes. 

After graduating from St. Bonaventure University in 1995, Vanterpool was 
drafted as a fifth round selection by the Quad City Thunder in the 1995 CBA 
Draft. He went on to play for Modena of Italy's A-2 League and spent the 
1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons playing for the Jilin Tigers in China. 

Kenny Williams, 6-9, 205 lbs., 6/9/69, Elizabeth City St. '90
After graduating from Elizabeth City State in 1990, Williams was selected by 
the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the 1990 NBA Draft. He played with 
the Pacers until the end of the 1994-95 season, when he landed a spot 
overseas with the Italian club Pallacanestro Forli. He played with the 
Italian club until the end of the 1996-97 season, when he transferred to 
Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel. The 6-9 forward has been with Hapoel Jerusalem 
ever since and averaged 20.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season for 
the club. 

You can buy your tickets for the 2000 Shaw's Pro Summer League at the 
FleetCenter Box Office, at Ticketmaster outlets (781/508-931-2222) and online 
at www.ticketmaster.com. The price of each ticket is $8.00. This includes 
admission to one session (two to three games) and entry into all Fandemonium 
activities. If you have any questions regarding the Shaw's Pro Summer League 
or would like more information, please contact the Boston Celtics Sales 
Office at 617-523-3030. If you are a season ticket holder, please contact the 
Boston Celtics Sales Office to receive your tickets. 

Check celtics.com in coming days for further announcements for the 2000 
Shaw's Pro Summer League.