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The Woelfel World of Sports
May 2008
Saturday May 31, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 1:19AM CST on May 31, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL
ORLANDO, Fla. – In an interview with The Journal Times three weeks ago, new Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond said it was his desire to shore up the small forward position.
Hammond will seriously begin addressing that situation soon. At Friday’s NBA pre-draft camp, two of the best small forwards in the June NBA draft – Donte Greene of Syracuse and Joe Alexander of West Virginia – both confirmed they’ll be working out for the Bucks on June 8.
Greene entered the draft after playing one season at Syracuse, where he averaged 17.7 points (fourth in the Big East) and 7.2 rebounds (second in the Big East) a game.
Greene, who was measured at the camp on Friday at 6-9 ½ with shoes and 6-9 without shoes, is projected to be chosen anywhere between the seventh and 14th picks. The Bucks have the eighth overall selection.
“Milwaukee will be my first workout,’’ Greene said. “I’m pretty excited about it. I’m looking forward to showing people what I can do.’’
Greene, who earned all-Big East Conference second-team honors, is an explosive scorer with excellent range. He said he’s tried to pattern his game after two NBA standouts.
“It’s a little bit of Tracy McGrady and a little bit of Rashard Lewis,’’ said Greene, who was born in Munich, Germany and moved to the United States when he was three.
Alexander was also born in a foreign country, Taiwan, and has lived in various places. From age 10 to 16, Alexander and his family lived in Beijing, China, where he learned to speak Mandarin.
Alexander said he would welcome the opportunity to join the Bucks and converse in Mandarin with power forward Yi Jianlian, who hails from China.
“Yi and I would be tight,’’ Alexander said.
Alexander played three seasons at West Virginia and steadily improved each season. He averaged 16.9 points and 6.3 rebounds as a junior and has seen his draft stock soar.
Once considered a mid-to-late first-round pick, some NBA officials now project Alexander being a lottery selection.
Alexander, who shot 47 percent from the field last season, struggled with his perimeter shooting during drills Friday in front of a cordon of NBA general managers, coaches and player personnel people.
But Alexander also showed there are few more athletic players in the draft by exhibiting his remarkable leaping ability with several highlight film dunks.
Alexander, who was measured at 6-9 with shoes and 6-8 without shoes, will also work out for the New York Knicks, who have the sixth overall pick.
Besides becoming a teammate of Yi’s, Alexander said he would like playing for Bucks coach Scott Skiles. Alexander played for Bobby Huggins at West Virginia and credited the hard-driving Huggins for his development.
“I love playing for demanding coaches; I think I thrive under them because they bring the best out of me,’’ said Alexander who then smiled and said, “Go tell Scott Skiles that I want to play for him.’’
Butch finishes on high note
Wisconsin power forward Brian Butch played well in his final game, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds in 21 minutes.
While Butch struggled with his shooting in the previous two games, he said he was generally pleased by his showing.
“I wish I would have made more shots but, overall, I thought things went pretty well,’’ said Butch, who was measured at 6-11 in shoes and 6-10 out of them.
Butch, who led his Appleton West High School team to the state championship game his senior season and played a key role in helping Wisconsin become one of the best teams in the nation the last two years, helped his camp team go 3-0.
“That’s all I care about: winning,’’ said Butch, an all-Big Ten Conference first-team selection as a senior. “That’s what I’ve been all about and will continue to be all about.’’
Butch, by the way, is also one of the smartest players in the draft. He earned his master’s degree in life sciences communication from Wisconsin, getting an “A’’ in all five of the courses he took last semester.
Friday May 30, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 12:39AM CST on May 30, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL
ORLANDO, Fla. - At last year’s NBA pre-draft camp, I asked Joakim Noah if he was going to work out for the Milwaukee Bucks.
No sooner had I finished my question, a pained look came over Noah’s face. The former University of Florida star, whom the Bucks had on their short list with the sixth overall pick at the time, then brusquely responded, “I’m not going there.’’
And he didn’t.
The Bucks passed on drafting Noah and chose another forward instead, Yi Jianlian. Noah wound up being taken three picks later by the Chicago Bulls.
At Thursday’s pre-draft camp, I posed the same question to UCLA power forward Kevin Love as I did Noah and asked him if had any apprehensions about playing for the Bucks, who have the eighth overall pick and who definitely have him on their radar screen.
After all, Love has lived his entire life on the West Coast, attending Lake Oswego (Ore.) High School and then UCLA.
But unlike Noah, who fairly bristled at the mere suggestion of playing in Milwaukee, the 6-foot-10, 252-pound Love smiled and said, “I’ll come to Milwaukee. I love Milwaukee.
“Any city that I’m going to will be my new favorite city and I’m going to try and embrace it as best as possible.’’
So Love wouldn’t have any problems relocating to Milwaukee?
“What’s wrong with Milwaukee?’’ Love shot back defiantly. “I’d love it there. It would be great.’’
Love said he's not only receptive to residing in Milwaukee, but he believes he would fit in quite nicely with the Bucks’ other young frontcourt players.
“I used to watch (Andrew) Bogut in college and I know Yi (Jianlian) is there, too,’’ Love said. “I feel like I could play alongside them as well.
“I think Milwaukee would be a great place for me.’’
Bucks will work out Taylor
Having grown up in Milwaukee and having attended Marshall High School, Mike Taylor said it would be a “dream come true’’ if the Bucks chose him in the June 26th draft.
Taylor, a 6-foot-2 combo guard, certainly didn’t hurt his chances of that occurring with his second straight stellar performance at the pre-draft camp.
After scoring 17 points in a game Wednesday, Taylor totaled a game-high 24 points, connecting on 8-of-12 field-goal attempts, in a game Thursday night.
Taylor, who is ultra quick and highly athletic – he said he has a 40-inch vertical jump – said he will work out for approximately 12 teams during the next two weeks. One of them is the Bucks.
Besides being a Bucks fan, Taylor said there’s another significant reason why he wants to play for his hometown NBA team.
“It would be great for my mother,’’ Taylor said of Carolyn Taylor. “I don’t think she’s seen me play in person since I was in high school.’’
Porter in hunt for Suns’ job
Former Bucks head coach and current Detroit Pistons assistant coach Terry Porter is seriously being considered for the vacant Phoenix Suns head coaching position.
“I talked to him once already and he was impressive,’’ Suns GM Steve Kerr told me. “I plan to talk to him again when they (the Pistons) have a break in the playoffs. I don’t want to be a distraction for them.’’
Dynamic duo
Arizona guard Jerryd Bayless figures to be one of the top seven players taken in the draft, but he isn’t offended by those who claim forward Michael Beasley of Kansas State and point guard Derrick Rose of Memphis are a cut above the rest of the 2008 draft class.
“Derrick is exceptional,’’ Bayless said. “Michael? I don’t know what to say about him. He’s a freak out there on the court.’’
Big Dick Bennett fan
While Dean Demopoulos is now the lead assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers, he was an assistant coach for John Chaney at Temple University from 1983-1999.
During that span, Temple played Wisconsin on several occasions and Demopoulos was, to say the least, duly impressed with then Badgers coach Dick Bennett.
“He is one of the best defensive coaches of all time,’’ Demopoulos said. “His concepts and attention to detail would transfer into any level, into any place, into any era.
“In my opinion, Dick Bennett is a Hall of Fame coach.’’
Bucks reunion
Bucks coach Scott Skiles and his former Bucks teammate, Jerry “Ice’’ Reynolds, exchanged pleasantries at the pre-draft camp.
Skiles and Reynolds, who spent the 1986 season together in Milwaukee, also were teammates with the Orlando Magic.
On Dec. 30, 1990, in a game against Denver, Skiles set an NBA record with 30 assists, thanks to Reynolds.
“I scored the basket that gave Scott his 30th assist,’’ said Reynolds, who laughed and added, “so he owes me.’’
Reynolds is the associate head coach at Webber International University -- an NAIA Division II school in Lake Wales, Fla. – but is hoping to land an NBA job as a coach or scout.
Bonus shots
Asked whether the Bucks would re-sign forward Ersan Ilyasova, who spent this season playing for FC Barcelona in Spain, Bucks general manager John Hammond said, “It’s a consideration.’’ … Former Wisconsin standout power forward Brian Butch had a game not too remember Thursday night. Generally a good shooter, Butch made only 3-of-12 field-goal attempts. … There isn’t a draft prospect with a better grasp of NBA history than Love. In fact, Love said he chose to wear No. 42 at UCLA because of Connie Hawkins. … Louisiana State forward Anthony Randolph is the only player among the top 10 projected picks who said with certainty that he had a workout scheduled with the Bucks. Randolph, by the way, is just 18 years old. He was told by an NBA official that he is the youngest player in the draft. … Indiana University guard Eric Gordon doesn’t expect to be donning a Bucks’ uni next season, believing he will be drafted in the fourth-through-seventh pick range.
Thursday May 29, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 1:23AM CST on May 29, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL
ORLANDO, Fla. – There have been some former Milwaukee Bucks’ head coaches who have had little, if any, interest in the NBA draft.
They believed that their job was to coach and that it was up to the player personnel people to bring in the necessary talent.
New Bucks coach Scott Skiles doesn’t adhere to that philosophy. Skiles said he’s been actively involved in the draft process and has studied film of several potential draft prospects.
Not that Skiles really had to go to the movies.
“I watch college basketball games all the time,’’ Skiles said. “So I know these guys.’’
The Bucks have the eighth overall pick and Skiles acknowledged there were some prospects who have intrigued him, although he wasn’t about to publicly divulge them.
But while Skiles may want a certain player, he realizes he might not get him – unless Bucks general manager John Hammond is in agreement.
“I understand the hierarchy of management,’’ Skiles said. “We’ll roll up our sleeves and work together on this. But when push comes to shove, John will pull the trigger.’’
Nitty-gritty time
The Bucks are expected to start working out potential draft picks late next week.
While Bucks officials have been coy about whom they’ll work out at their training facility in St. Francis, it’s generally assumed forwards Anthony Randolph of Louisiana State and Kevin Love of UCLA and guards Eric Gordon of Indiana and Russell Westbrook of UCLA will be among them.
There have been some whispers the Bucks are keenly interested in the highly-skilled and highly-motivated Love – even though they already have two talented young power forwards on their roster in Yi Jianlian and Charlie Villanueva.
The Bucks are apparently enamored with Love’s mental and physical toughness.
Climbing the charts
Two players whose stock is seemingly on the rise are Italian forward Danilo Gallinari and Westbrook.
While it’s been generally assumed that Seattle, with the fourth overall pick, will take combo guard Jerryd Bayless of Arizona, there are some NBA officials who claim the Sonics will instead opt for Westbrook.
As for Gallinari, it’s no secret the Knicks, who have the sixth pick, have him on their short list.
But the offensively-gifted Gallinari might not be on the board when the Knicks draft because Memphis, which has the fifth pick, is also enamored with him.
If Memphis took Gallinari, there is speculation the Knicks would then take Gordon.
Who’s No. 3?
So, which player will be drafted after point guard Derrick Rose of Memphis and power forward Michael Beasley of Kansas State?
According to several NBA officials, the Minnesota Timberwolves covet Stanford center Brook Lopez. One problem: some NBA insiders claim Lopez is balking at working out for the T-Wolves.
Mixed results
Wisconsin power forward Brian Butch had an inconsistent showing in his first game Wednesday at the Milk House at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.
Butch scored 10 points, but shot only 4-of-11 from the field. He was just 1-for-5 on 3-point attempts. However, Butch did grab six rebounds.
Butch’s teammate, Mike Taylor, turned in one of the best performances of the day.
Taylor, a former Milwaukee Marshall High School standout who played for the Idaho Stampedes in the D-League this season, totaled 17 points, hitting 6-of-10 shots. Taylor did have five turnovers, though, and just one assist.
Bonus shots
Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle told me that ex-Bucks coach Terry Stotts will be one of his assistant coaches, although an official announcement has yet to be made. … Ex-Bucks assistant coach Brian James is coaching one of the six teams at the pre-draft camp. … The only active NBA player seen at the pre-draft camp was Calvin Booth, who had a cup of coffee with the Bucks and now is on the 76ers roster. Booth is a true basketball junkie and seemingly knows the pros and cons of every player in the draft. … “Let’s Make a Deal’’: How about the Clippers, who need a point guard, trade Corey Maggette to the Raptors, who need a small forward, for T.J. Ford? Tuesday May 27, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 3:51PM CST on May 27, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL Hart’s recorded nine stolen bases this season Friday May 23, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 9:13PM CST on May 23, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL Two former Wisconsin high school basketball stars are hoping to take a big step next week toward realizing their dreams of playing in the NBA. Both Brian Butch, a two-time state prep player of the year from Appleton West High School, and Mike Taylor, a former Milwaukee City Conference Player of the Year from Milwaukee Marshall High School, said they have both accepted invitations to compete in the NBA’s pre-draft camp in Orlando, Fla. The camp begins Tuesday night and runs through Saturday. Approximately 64 draft prospects are chosen by NBA officials for the camp, which draws general managers, coaches and player personnel officials from each team. The 6-foot-11, 235-pound Butch was the University of Wisconsin’s leading scorer (12.4 points) and leading rebounder (6.6) last season. Butch helped the Badgers compile a 16-2 Big Ten Conference and 31-5 overall record. In preparation for the pre-draft camp, Butch has been working out the last two weeks in Atlanta. "I’m in the best shape of my life,’’ Butch said Friday. "I’m looking forward to going to Orlando.’’ Taylor is a lightning quick 6-2 combo guard who played one season at Iowa State where he was the Cyclones’ Most Valuable Player after averaging 16 points and 4.5 assists. After some off-court issues, Taylor was expelled from Iowa State and played last season in the NBA’s D-League with the Idaho Stampedes. Taylor helped the Stampedes win the D-League championship by scoring 27 points, making 7-of-10 3-point attempts. Taylor has been preparing for the pre-draft camp by working out in Sacramento with several other players, including current Golden State forward Matt Barnes and California power forward Ryan Anderson, who could be a late first-round draft selection. The NBA draft will be held June 26. Tuesday May 20, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 10:55PM CST on May 20, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL
The NBA Draft Lottery is history and the selection order for the 2008 draft is set — for now. Rest assured, there are going to be a slew of changes before the June 26th draft. Several teams have already been fervorishly working the phones, laying the groundwork for potential trades. One of those teams is the Milwaukee Bucks. In the last week, several officials from both the Eastern and Western Conferences acknowledged the Bucks have been gauging the interest other teams may have in some of their players. The most notable one is All-Star shooting guard Michael Redd. Redd is unquestionably the Bucks’ best player, the one who would bring back the most in a trade. However, while Redd is one of the most prolific scorers in the league, some teams are reluctant to take on his sizable contract. Redd will make $15.78 million and $17.04M over the next two years, respectively. What’s more, Redd has a player option for $18.30M for the 2010-2011 season. Besides Redd, Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva is drawing more than a passing interest from other teams. Several teams are intrigued with Villanueva’s potential, especially considering he is only 23. In a recent interview with The Journal Times, Bucks general manager John Hammond said the one position he would like to "address’’ is small forward. Desmond Mason and Bobby Simmons are the Bucks’ current small forwards and both are coming off pedestrian seasons. Hammond could find a potentially good forward in the draft with the team’s eighth overall pick. There is also increasing speculation small forward Ersan Ilyasova, whom the Bucks selected in the second round of the 2005 draft and who spent this season playing for FC Barcelona in Spain, will return to the Bucks next season. Hammond could also acquire a veteran small forward via a trade. There are a surprising glut of talented small forwards who could be dealt, including Denver’s Carmelo Anthony, Miami’s Shawn Marion, the Clippers Corey Maggette, Sacramento’s Ron Artest, Washington’s Antawn Jamison and Chicago’s Andres Nocioni. But back to the draft. Here’s how the lottery picks could shake out — for now: 1. Chicago — Derrick Rose, Memphis. point guard. 2. Miami — Michael Beasley, Kansas State. power forward. 3. Minnesota — Brook Lopez, Stanford. center. 4. Seattle — Jerryd Bayless, Arizona. guard. 5. Memphis — O.J. Mayo, Southern California. shooting guard. 6. New York — Eric Gordon, Indiana. shooting guard, 7. L.A. Clippers — Russell Westbrook, UCLA, combo guard. 8. Milwaukee — Anthony Randolph, Louisiana State. forward. 9. Charlotte — Kevin Love, UCLA. power forward. 10. New Jersey — Danilo Gallinari, Italy, small forward. 11. Indiana — D.J. Augustin, Texas, point guard. 12. Sacramento — Darrell Arthur, Kansas, power forward. 13. Portland — Donte Greene, Syracuse, small forward. 14. Golden State — Chase Budinger, Arizona, small forward. Sunday May 18, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 5:51PM CST on May 18, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL
What has happened to Rickie Weeks?
Rest assured there are many officials in the Milwaukee Brewers’ organization asking the same question.
After all, three years ago, it looked like Weeks was going to be a star, a major star. He seemingly had the whole package, especially from an offensive standout.
But that was three years ago. Today, the future of the 25-year-old Weeks looks anything but bright.
After batting a feeble .235 last season, Weeks is batting a pathetic .193 this season.
And he isn’t shown any concrete signs of turning it around, either.
In his last 28 at-bats, Weeks has only five hits – a .178 average. He hasn’t gotten an extra-base hit in the last eight games. He hasn’t hit a home run since May 7.
Even more disturbing, Weeks has struck out five times in the last five games.
Removing Weeks from the starting lineup would probably be too drastic of a measure.
But removing Weeks from the top of the batting order and dropping him to the bottom of it isn’t.
Tuesday May 13, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 2:38PM CST on May 13, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL
While Milwaukee Bucks fans are eagerly looking forward to next Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery, the same can’t be said for John Hammond.
The new Bucks general manager isn’t exactly elated about making the flight to Secaucus, N.J., for the nationally-televised event.
“I don’t know what to say about it,’’ Hammond said. “I don’t want to go there. I don’t like being in the lottery.’’
Hammond will be one of two Bucks’ representatives who’ll attend the Draft Lottery, which will finalize the selection order for the June 26 NBA draft.
Hammond will be on stage for the televised portion of the Draft Lottery. The other Bucks’ representative, who will be in the backroom for the actual lottery drawing, will be Jon Horst, the team's newly-hired director of basketball operations. Horst, like Hammond, worked for the Detroit Pistons before joining the Bucks.
The Bucks will go into the Draft Lottery with the seventh overall selection. That is based on their 26-56 regular-season record.
Naturally, the Bucks are hoping Lady Luck looks down on them as favorably as she did during the 2005 Draft Lottery. That’s when the Bucks entered the Draft Lottery with the six overall pick but beat amazing odds to get the No. 1 overall selection. They then selected center Andrew Bogut.
But the Bucks’ odds of landing the top pick in the upcoming Draft Lottery are even longer than in 2005. They have a mere 4.3 percent chance of securing the top pick.
Forward Michael Beasley of Kansas and guard Derrick Rose of Memphis are the consensus top two players in this draft.
So far, Hammond is the only general manager who will represent his team on stage at the Draft Lottery.
Three players have already been designated to represent their teams on stage: Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat, Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies and Kevin Durant of the Seattle SuperSonics.
In the past, many Draft Lottery representatives have brought along their “lucky’’ charms. Hammond intends to bring just himself.
Asked if was superstitious and would bring anything with him to the Draft Lottery, Hammond said, “I’m not even going to go there.’’
The Draft Lottery begins at 6:30 p.m., Racine time, and will be televised by ESPN.
Interesting draft prospect
Wisconsin center/power forward Brian Butch of Appleton isn’t the only state-raised player hoping to be drafted.
Mike Taylor, who played at Milwaukee Marshall High School, is also drawing interest from NBA teams.
Taylor played one season at Iowa State and was chosen the Cyclones’ Most Valuable Player after averaging 16 points and 4.5 assists.
But he was expelled last summer after failing to meet academic requirements and after having been arrested twice: once for vandalizing an on-campus apartment building and then for shoplifting an $11 box of cold medicine.
Taylor, a 6-foot-2 combo guard, then hooked up with the Idaho Stampedes and helped them win the NBA’s D-League championship this season.
In the D-League title game against Austin, Taylor scored 27 points. He made 7-of-10 3-pointers.
“He’s very athletic and he’s very fast,’’ said Jeff Rutter, an assistant coach at Iowa State who was once the head coach at UW-Parkside. “He’s a very good player.’’
Rutter said he believes Taylor has become a better person as well. Rutter said he recently ran into Taylor and came away impressed.
“I detected a more mature person,’’ Rutter said of Taylor. “He’s really grown up.’’
Bill Neff, Taylor’s agent, said several teams have already contacted him about potential workouts. Neff is convinced Taylor will be drafted, most likely in the second round.
If Taylor is drafted, he would become the first one chosen from the D-League.
Can you say monopoly?
Superagents Arn Tellem and Bill Duffy could conceivably represent five of the top 10 players in the draft.
The Tellem management group represents center Brook Lopez of Stanford, forward Anthony Randolph of Louisiana State and point guard Derrick Rose of Memphis.
The Duffy management group represents shooting guard O.J. Mayo of Southern Cal and could possibly represent UCLA center Kevin Love.
Joel Bell represents Kansas State forward Michael Beasley, who is expected to be either the first or second selection in the draft.
Thursday May 1, 2008
Posted by: gwoelfel at 6:16PM CST on May 1, 2008
BY GERY WOELFEL
Doug Melvin’s patience has to be running out. After all, how much longer can the Milwaukee Brewers general manager tolerate Derrick Turnbow’s act. Turnbow has been, in one word, horrible. Tuesday, against the Cubs, Turnbow was torched again. He pitched 2/3 of an inning and gave up six runs, all earned, while surrendering four walks. This season, Turnbow has pitched six innings. His ERA is a gruesome 15.63. It’s time for the Brewers to trade Turnbow, although it’s unlikely any team would want him and his $3.2 million salary. If the Brewers can’t swing a deal, they should simply release him. Instead of wasting a roster spot on Turnbow, the Brewers should bring up someone from their Class AAA team, the Nashville Sounds. Veteran Joe Dillon would be a prime candidate. So would the ever-versatile Vinny Rottino. Turnbow has had more than his share of opportunities to prove his worth to the Brewers and hasn’t delivered. Melvin knows that all too well. |
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