ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, June 27, 1996 TAG: 9606270072
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
SOURCE: Associated Press
A draft dominated by underclassmen had a global look, too.
A record six foreign-born players were taken in the first round of the NBA draft Wednesday night, triple the previous mark for players born outside the United States.
The draft, which featured a record 36 eligible underclassmen, included five teenagers and only two seniors taken in the top 14. The first seven picks were underclassmen, two of the top 17 were high schoolers and 17 of the first 29 were underclassmen - seven more than the old record.
Milwaukee and Minnesota had the biggest trade of the night, swapping the fourth and fifth picks, Stephon Marbury and Ray Allen. The Timberwolves also sent a first-round pick in 1999 or 2000 to the Bucks.
Philadelphia, Toronto and Vancouver had plenty of trade offers for the first three picks, but all three ended up making safe choices.
The 76ers spent the first pick on Allen Iverson, a point guard from Georgetown with exceptional speed, leaping ability and scoring proficiency. He became the first guard drafted No.1 since Magic Johnson was picked by the Lakers in 1979. The 6-footer also supplanted former 76ers coach John Lucas as the shortest player ever picked first overall.
``It a very easy decision,'' general manager Brad Greenberg said. ``Allen Iverson is the most exciting player in college basketball and after a lot of research and investigations, it was very, very clear to us that the most talented player was Iverson.''
Toronto general manager Isiah Thomas flirted with the idea of choosing 19-year-old Abdur-Rahim, but he decided on Camby - the consensus college player of the year at Massachusetts.
``Isiah showed me that he's a man of his word,'' said Camby, who was told two weeks ago - before Abdur-Rahim re-entered the draft - that he would be picked second overall.
The Grizzlies, who wanted Abdur-Rahim badly, got him with the third pick. The 6-foot-10 forward from California, who changed his mind twice regarding whether he'd enter the draft, was the first freshman selected player of the year in the Pac-10.
Marbury and Allen, two of the nation's best guards, were selected at No.4 and No.5 and were traded for each other less than an hour later. They strode back on stage, swapped caps and smiled for the cameras again.
``I can't believe it,'' said Marbury, who left Georgia Tech after his freshman season. ``It happened so quick. I was with Milwaukee for like a minute.''
``Now I get to play with Kevin Garnett and it's a better situation,'' Marbury said. ``That's how you start a championship team - with a big man and a guard - like the Lakers did with Magic and Kareem.''
``I think Milwaukee got some kind of deal,'' said Allen, who left Connecticut after his junior year. ``I had an idea I was going to be traded because I hadn't even taken a trip to Minnesota.''
The youngest player picked was 17-year-old Kobe Bryant of Lower Merion High School outside Philadelphia, who went to Charlotte with the 13th pick.
``I'm an NBA player,'' said Bryant, marveling at his new job description. ``Now it's time to go in there and try to do some work.''
The Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Charlotte seemed to have the best luck in the first round. The Knicks took three players, including Syracuse forward John Wallace after he dropped to No.18, and the Cavs added a pair of international players to a lineup that needs size.
Aside from drafting Bryant, the Hornets also got Tony Delk of NCAA champion Kentucky, which had three players taken among the first 19 picks. The Wildcats are the sixth team to place three players in the first round of the draft.
The Boston Celtics, who were expected to draft a center after trading Eric Montross to Dallas last week, instead chose Kentucky's Antoine Walker with the sixth pick, going with perhaps the best all-around small forward available.
The Los Angeles Clippers made the first pick of a center with the seventh choice, selecting 6-foot-11 Lorenzen Wright of Memphis. The New Jersey Nets delighted their home fans by choosing Villanova shooting guard Kerry Kittles with the eighth pick.
The Dallas Mavericks chose Louisville forward Samaki Walker with pick No.9, and the Indiana Pacers took Mississippi State center Erick Dampier with the 10th pick.
After commissioner David Stern announced the Marbury-Allen trade, the Golden State Warriors took North Carolina State center Todd Fuller, Cleveland picked Wright State forward Vitaly Potapenko and Charlotte selected Bryant.
Then Sacramento took 18-year-old Predrag Stojakovic of Greece, Phoenix chose Santa Clara point guard Steve Nash, a native South African who was raised in Canada, and Charlotte grabbed Delk, a shooting guard from Kentucky. Portland followed by picking the second high schooler of the night, 7-footer Jermaine O'Neal of Eau Claire H.S. in Columbia, S.C.
That left New York with the next two picks, and Knicks fans who outnumbered Nets fans at the Meadowlands chanted, ``We Want Wallace.'' When Stern said Knicks selected Wallace, the biggest roar of the night was heard. New York used the 19th pick on Walter McCarty of Kentucky,
Cleveland used No.20 on Lithuanian center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the Knicks took Mississippi State forward Dontae Jones 21st and Vancouver chose Alabama center Roy Rogers.
Denver took center Efthimis Retzias of Greece, the Lakers picked Arkansas Little-Rock point guard Derek Fisher and Utah chose forward Martin Muursepp of Estonia, who was later traded to Miami for a future first-rounder.
Detroit drafted forward Jerome Williams of Georgetown at No.26, Orlando grabbed Indiana forward Brian Evans and Atlanta chose center Priest Lauderdale, a Chicago native who played last year in Greece.
The NBA champion Chicago Bulls closed the first round by taking center Travis Knight of Connecticut.
LENGTH: Long : 109 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. At 6-0, Hampton native Allen Iverson is the shortestby CNBplayer ever taken as the NBA's No.1 overall draft pick. Iverson also
is the first guard taken No. 1 since Magic Johnson in 1979. Graphic:
Charts. 1. NBA Draft New Jersey. color. 2. 1995 NBA draft. KEYWORDS: BASKETBALL