The Journal Times Online - Racine, Wisconsin

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.