Las Vegas Sun on Marcus Banks

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here's what we know: If the Celtics take banks at 16, NO
Pavlovic or Carbakapa at 20.

June 24, 2003 

Banks to catch draft at home

UNLV star could go to Sonics or Celts
By Steve Guiremand 
<steveg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
LAS VEGAS SUN

You won't find Marcus Banks nervously sitting by a phone and biting his
fingernails when the NBA Draft begins on Thursday night.

Far from it, in fact.

A 6-foot-1 point guard who starred at UNLV each of the past two seasons
after prepping at Cimarron-Memorial High School, Banks will be hanging
out with about 300 of his closest friends and fans at a North Las Vegas
establishment called Kerry's Sports Pub and Grille.

It's his party and you're welcome to it.

"Get there early," Banks warned. "It's a day my folks (Arthur and
Sabrina Banks) and I kind of wanted to give back to the city of Las
Vegas. We wanted to invite everyone to watch the draft with us there and
also thank them for all their support over the years."

The NBA Draft begins at 4 p.m. and Banks figures to have his named
called sometime in the middle of the first round, perhaps as high as the
14th pick by the point guard-hungry Seattle SuperSonics. If Seattle
passes, he is expected to go to the Boston Celtics with the 16th pick.

Rumors of a Banks-to-Celtics deal have been floating around the NBA
since Banks skipped the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago this month with
what was called a strained hip muscle. Fueling those rumors was the fact
Banks traveled to just one team -- Boston -- for an individual workout
for new Celtics GM Danny Ainge before shutting down.

Other NBA teams, however, have watched Banks during the season and also
during workouts the past two months at St. Monica High School in Santa
Monica, Calif., where SFX Sports Group clients including T.J. Ford,
Jason Gardner, Derrick Zimmerman and Jamal Crawford have also been
working out.

"There's all kinds of rumors flying around out there," Banks chuckled
when asked if he already had loaded up on his Boston Celtics garb.
"According to my agent (Mike Higgins), there's a pretty good chance I
could be picked in that range. But I'm not making any predictions
because anything can still happen. We're just waiting to see what
happens."

The Boston Globe, after surveying three NBA general managers, predicted
that Banks could go to the Celtics with the 20th pick of the draft.

"He had a very good workout there," the Globe quoted one Eastern
Conference general manager. "They liked his strength. He's explosive. He
has a Robert Pack type of body."

But other sources familiar with the draft expect Banks to go to the
Celtics, who have two first round picks, with their 16th selection
because Phoenix, which picks 17th, may also have its eyes on Banks.

"It doesn't really matter who picks me," Banks said. "I just want to get
a chance to show what I can do in the NBA."

Banks, who averaged 20.3 points and 2.8 steals per game for the Rebels
last season en route to Mountain West Conference co-defensive player of
the year honors, said the hip that forced him out of the Chicago
Pre-Draft Camp is 100 percent again.

"I was disappointed in a way that I couldn't go (to Chicago) and show
what I could do, but I wasn't 100 percent at the time," he said. "It's a
situation that just happened. I made a sudden turn and I felt something.
If I wasn't 100 percent, I wasn't going to go there. But I'm fine now.
I'm working out and working on my shooting."

And waiting for Thursday night.

"Yeah, it is a little nerve-wracking waiting to see where you're going
to be playing next season," Banks said. "But I believe good things come
to those who wait. I'm excited more than anything."

Banks had one request for a reporter before hanging up the phone after a
recent conversation.

"Do me a favor will you?" he said. "Please give accolades to the people
at UNLV like Coach (Charlie Spoonhour), Carol Harter, John Robinson,
Coach (David) Rice. They're a great organization over there that I've
really been proud to be a part of especially having grown up in Las
Vegas. Without a doubt, I owe them and that school and this town a whole
lot for what is going to happen on Thursday night. Please make sure you
mention that."

Consider it done, Marcus.