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Nellie interview

I just heard about 20 minutes of pure Nellie on Dallas radio.  I do
like him and admire his willingness to appear on morning, afternoon,
anytime talk shows.  He even calls in if they're talking about the
Mavs.  Well, the subject was Nowitski.  He said that only Dallas and
Boston knew about him--enough to make a decision, anyway.  Pitino had
rented a gym in Italy and worked him out.  Then, he decided to try and
keep him under wraps.  That may have worked but Donnie Nelson coached
the kid in a San Antonio All-Star game and had Nellie sneak in to see
the private practices.  Both Dallas and Boston believed N. might very
well stay in Europe for one or two years, but both were ready to draft
him.  Dallas had us covered, however.  Nellie had a deal with Toronto
at #4 if Boston tried to sneak down.  And rumors that Ro$$ Perot, Jr.
would have prevented a Nowitski only draft were overdone, ala
Nellie.  So, Nellie pulled the twofer deal with the Bucks, getting
the kid and Nash; now, the kid has decided to come this year.

It all worked out for Nellie.  He is convinced Boston would have
taken the kid at #10; he even said he would have taken him if he had
#1.  So, Nellie is sold on the guy.

I still think that Nellie and Chris Matthews, our guy, have a sense
that they can pull a fast one on everyone else.  And that can blow up
in your face quickly.  Dallas is still a two bit franchise.  Yes, they
have lots of money and Nellie is a big time NBA man, but this kid is
going to have to learn the ropes alongside Bradley and a bunch of
other oft-injured big men.
I think it could work, but I think they got carried away.  Picture
this:  a seven foot, two inch, shot blocking phenom who can run the
floor and has a nice, soft jumper is discovered in the Ukraine.  He is
kept under wraps and suddenly announced to the world as the top choice
in the next draft--only to find out that he is Shawn Bradley's younger
brother.  I'm glad we got Paul Pierce.

Cheers to those who suffered through this whole piece.  

Gene