The Waiting Game
June 27, 2006 04:52 PM | General
June 27, 2006
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – His last personal workout completed, all that’s left for Kevin Pittsnogle to do is to go back home to Martinsburg and wait until Wednesday night for the NBA draft.
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| Center Kevin Pittsnogle has worked out for 15 NBA teams in preparation for Wednesday night's NBA draft.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo |
The 6-foot-11-inch center worked out for the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday, completing a flurry of workouts with four different teams during the last six days. Pittsnogle auditioned for Dallas on Monday, New Jersey last weekend and New York last Thursday.
“It was our original intention to do a number of workouts in the 15 range,” said Dan Tobin, Pittsnogle’s agent. “We accomplished that.”
Projections are all over the place for Pittsnogle, who averaged 19.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for the Mountaineers as a senior. Some draft experts, like Sports Illustrated’s Ian Thomsen, has Pittsnogle going as high as the 29th pick in the first round to New York. Others, like ESPN.com’s Chad Ford, rates Pittsnogle a late second round pick. Others believe he may slip through the draft altogether.
Some have compared Pittsnogle to former North Carolina standout Sam Perkins and current Dallas Mavericks all-star center Dirk Nowitzki.
“It’s kind of weird,” Pittsnogle was quoted in the Dallas Morning News on Monday. “You look at us (Nowitzki) and you’d think I would take after him. But he’s so far ahead of what I am. I look more at a guy like (Mehmet) Okur from Utah instead.
“Maybe when I get a little better, I can start looking at Dirk.”
Tobin has been happy with the response his client has received so far.
“I’m pleased for a couple of reasons: he interviews well and he’s got a very good basketball IQ,” said Tobin. “The other thing is these teams have all measured him at 6-10 ½ barefoot. He’s got excellent size. Many times what will happen is a player will be listed at 6-9 or 6-8 and all of the sudden they’re 6-6 when they get measured.”
Like all players Pittsnogle isn’t without his deficiencies. Detractors say he will have a tough time guarding physical post players and will have trouble rebounding in the NBA. Tobin concedes all NBA prospects have flaws – even the lottery picks.
“You’ve got to look at the glass being half full and see how high you can get it,” Tobin reasoned.
In addition to his outstanding shooting, another factor in Pittsnogle’s favor is his age. The senior just turned 21.
“They know that,” Tobin said. “These teams have all the statistics and so forth on these players."
Tobin points out that many times players picked late in the first round or early in the second round often out-perform those taken in the top 10. Gilbert Arenas and Michael Redd, both NBA all-stars, were second-round picks.
“You can go back and look at any of the last 15 drafts and you’re going to see some guys taken in the lottery that weren’t as good as some of the guys taken in the second round,” Tobin said. “You just don’t know. It’s important what you do when you get there. That will ultimately determine your NBA career.”
Tobin believes Pittsnogle’s best basketball is ahead of him.
“I think Kevin is only going to get better,” said Tobin. “He’s going to have a fine NBA career. That shooting is something so unique. I think he will add other elements and improve in other areas of the game as well.”
Pittsnogle and Mountaineer teammate Mike Gansey are looking to snap an eight-year draft drought for West Virginia University. The last WVU player selected was forward Gordon Malone, who went in the second round (44th) overall to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The last Mountaineer to play in the NBA was guard Lowes Moore with the San Diego Clippers in 1983.
The NBA draft begins at 7 pm and will be televised by ESPN.
