Re: Las Vegas Sun on Marcus Banks

["Dan Forant" <dforant1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

1st he's 6'2 now 6'1. In reality is he 5'11?

DanF

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Way Of The Ray" <wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <celtics@xxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2003 8:38 AM
Subject: Las Vegas Sun on Marcus Banks


> 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.