06/23/00
By Don Burke
STAFF WRITER
Second in a series previewing this year's NBA draft. Today: Shooting guards.
At times, Courtney Alexander has shown himself to be a bit of a knucklehead.
And that is a concern for some NBA teams. Just not enough to scare them away from the former Fresno State star.
Alexander's attitude has been described as suspect. He was dismissed from the University of Virginia after a dispute with his girlfriend and he was held out of a game during his junior season at Fresno State because of his attitude.
But what has never been suspect is his ability to put the ball in the basket. Alexander, who was the nation's top scorer at 24.8, is expected to be the first shooting guard selected in the NBA draft Wednesday.
"He's incredible," Fresno State coach Jerry Tarkanian said. "He's more than just a great shooter. He may be the best player I have ever coached."
And Tarkanian, who spent much of his coaching life trying to keep the UNLV program one step ahead of the sheriff, has had his share of great college players.
Most scouts believe that Alexander, who played his first two college seasons at Virginia before transferring to Fresno State and becoming that school's first basketball All-American, will be among the top 10 picks -- just ahead of DerMarr Johnson, Kenyon Martin's teammate at Cincinnati, and A.J. Guyton of Indiana.
In recent weeks, the 6-8 Johnson has talked about wanting to play point guard in the NBA while the 6-1 Guyton, recognized as the best pure shooter available in the draft, will be forced to play the point in the pros after having been an off-guard for the Hoosiers.
"Alexander and Johnson are No. 1 and No. 2 or No. 2 and No. 1," said one NBA scout. "You can make an argument for either one of them."
According to Boston Celtics general manager Chris Wallace, the delineation between the two may be a little more pronounced.
"(Alexander) is the most offensively gifted and athletic (shooting) guard prospect in the draft," Wallace said. "He can create a shot off the dribble, get in the lane and make things happen."
High school phenom DeShawn Stevenson, Lavar Postell of St. John's and Ohio State's Michael Redd, whose stock has fallen in recent weeks, also will get consideration on draft day.
Alexander, who was a 46 percent field-goal shooter for the Bulldogs last season, twice led the Western Athletic Conference in scoring and was twice named WAC Player of the Year. Not even WAC-alum Keith Van Horn can make that claim. Alexander is an outstanding one-on-one player who can get his shot off against anyone. The knocks against him, however, are that he often takes bad shots and doesn't play defense.
"If Courtney could play defense, he would be drafted No. 1," said Indiana Pacers scout Nedjeljko Ostarcevic. "There is a difference between knowing how to play defense and wanting to play defense. He's going to find that out in a hurry."
Johnson, who played just one season and averaged 12.6 points for the Bearcats, believes no one has seen all that he can do on the basketball court. Scouts say the game comes too easy to him that, at times, he doesn't appear to be working hard.
His size will pose problems for other shooting guards and he's versatile and athletic enough to slide into the front court at times, like a Jalen Rose.
"A lot of it didn't show at Cincinnati, but with me being able to pass the ball so well, I think they may end up sticking me at the point eventually," Johnson said. "I'm comfortable in any role I'm stuck with, but I would have liked to do more. But if a team doesn't need me to do more then that's fine."
"He has great athleticism for a man his size," Nets general manager John Nash said. "He probably will have the ability to play two positions. ... To have a two-guard with that size is a major advantage. But like a lot of the young players, he will need to develop some strength." <<<<<<