Herald: Either Moiso, Olumide, Dooling, or Claxton

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

Celts consider prospects
by Mark Cofman 
Monday, June 26, 2000

http://www.bostonherald.com/sport/basketball/cs06262000.htm

Other than the re-signing of swingman Adrian Griffin and the
front-office addition of C.M. Newton, little with the Celtics has
changed in the two months since they finished the season with a 35-47
record.

They are a weak defensive team. They're in desperate need of a
frontcourt stopper, preferably one who can block shots. They could use a
backup point guard with size. And the addition of a talented shooting
guard would allow them to shift Paul Pierce back to small forward on a
full-time basis.

All of this leads to an obvious question. When the Celtics exercise the
11th overall pick in the NBA draft on Wednesday night, will they
consider their most glaring weaknesses or select the proverbial best
player available?

``That's always the million dollar question,'' head scout Leo Papile
said after the Celtics auditioned prospective draft picks yesterday at
HealthPoint. ``From my perspective, you can't afford to overlook talent.

``If you look at the history of this league, passing up talent (to fill
a void) will hurt you in the long run.''

History's most dramatic example of that point is Michael Jordan.

After Houston selected Hakeem Olajuwon with the first overall pick in
1984, Portland passed on Jordan and drafted center Sam Bowie to address
its need for a big man. Hindsight doesn't get more painful than that.

Papile, busy with Celtics coach Rick Pitino and general manager Chris
Wallace in recent weeks evaluating talent and mapping a draft strategy,
knows the prospective Class of 2000 as well as anyone in the business.

As longtime coach of the BABC team, Papile has observed many of the
NBA's incoming players in AAU tournaments since their early teens.

At the same time, Papile and Wallace have monitored the often-mysterious
international field closely. Unlike earlier forecasts from most NBA
insiders of a weak field, Papile believes the combination of overseas
entries with the best of the domestic crop has made this a good draft.

The Celtics, for one, are now intrigued with their previously ho-hum
lottery position.

``I'd give it a B-plus,'' said Papile, using drafts in recent history as
his standard. ``The stock in this draft has gone up drastically since
April. I think a lot of (NBA player personnel executives) have a
different perspective on the draft now that they've seen some of these
players for themselves.''

Papile was referring to the extensive round of auditions and interviews
conducted by NBA teams on prospective draft picks over the past month.

For their part, the Celtics worked out about 15 players, inviting four
back for second auditions.

Those getting a second look were UCLA senior center Jerome Moiso,
Missouri sophomore point guard Keyon Dooling, Hofstra senior point guard
Craig Claxton and power forward Olumide Oyedeji, a 19-year-old Nigerian
who has played in Germany the past two years after beginning his pro
career in Moscow in 1998.

Barring a trade that alters their draft position, the Celtics are a
decent bet to be fitting one of those four players for a new uniform
after Wednesday.

Quentin Richardson, a sophomore shooting guard from DePaul, is another
possibility if the Celtics decide to address their more pressing needs
through free agency or trades later this summer.

Given that the shooting guard and small forward spots are
interchangeable for the most part in Pitino's system, Papile views the
players making up those positions collectively as the draft's deepest
group.

On a singular basis, he rates the power forward slot as having the
greatest quality of depth.

To nobody's surprise, the pickings are slim this season at center.

Fab 5 point guards

Below is a capsule look at the top point guards in the draft. Tomorrow,
the Herald turns its attention to the frontcourt.

1. KEYON DOOLING

Year, School: Sophomore, Missouri.

Vital statistics: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds.

Profile: Raised his stock by leading the United States Junior National
Team to the silver and gold medals the past two years. Outstanding
defender with good size and strength for his position. Has greatly
improved his outside shot, hitting 59 3-pointers last season.

2. JAMAL CRAWFORD

Year, School: Freshman, Missouri.

Vital statistics: 6-6, 190.

Profile: Performed extremely well at the Chicago pre-draft camp. Led
Michigan in scoring last season. Has the ability to play either
backcourt slot, an especially inviting asset considering his size and
athleticism.

3. CRAIG CLAXTON

Year, School: Senior, Hofstra

Vital Statistics: 5-11, 180

Profile: America East's Player of the Year last season. Also won the
award as a sophomore. A top-notch penetrator who has developed into an
outside scoring threat during his four-year collegiate career.

4. MATEEN CLEAVES

Year, School: Senior, Michigan State

Vital Statistics: 6-2, 195

Profile: Running the offense for the NCAA national champion Spartans,
combined talent with outstanding leadership skills and a relentless will
to win. A clever ball-handler with great court vision and the ability to
get inside, his stock rose markedly during Michigan State's postseason
march.

5. ERICK BARKLEY

Year, School: Sophomore, St. John's

Vital Statistics: 6-0, 185

Profile: Outstanding quickness and ball-handling skills. Takes care of
the ball, as his stellar assist-to-turnover rate suggests. A hard-nosed
defender who can score or create for his teammates.