THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 4, 1994 TAG: 9410040550
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
Nate Higgs, a three-time all-CIAA forward from Elizabeth City State, has signed a free agent contract with the Seattle SuperSonics.
Higgs turned down offers from Charlotte, Milwaukee and Miami to sign with the Supersonics, according to his agent, Wayne Souza of Virginia Beach.
``The best basketball opportunity was Seattle,'' Souza said. ``Seattle also came through with the best economic deal.''
Terms of the contract were not disclosed. Higgs could not be reached Monday.
Higgs, a 6-foot-7 forward, was the CIAA player of the year in 1993, and an all-conference pick in 1992 and 1994. He averaged 22.5 points and 8.6 rebounds last season.
Higgs was considered one of the best small-college NBA prospects in the country, but his stock dropped after a poor showing in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in April.
Higgs began redeeming himself shortly after. He signed with the Miami Tropics of the United States Basketball League, and his play there earned him an invitation to the Charlotte Hornets rookie and free agent camp in July.
Higgs survived two cuts in Charlotte and played for the Hornets in the Rocky Mountain Review in Salt Lake City. He then spent a week playing for the Sonics in a team ``retreat'' in Las Vegas last month.
Seattle opens training camp Friday. The Sonics had the NBA's best regular-season record last season, and are expected to have just one roster spot available.
``They really need someone to run the floor at the three (small forward) position,'' Souza said.
Higgs, a tremendous leaper, is considered to have NBA ability, but scouts have said he needs to improve his ballhandling and shooting skills.
Also attempting to beat the odds when camps open Friday will be former Virginia player Cornel Parker, who signed a free agent contract with Golden State last week.
Parker, a Norfolk native known as a defensive stopper, was cut from camps in Boston and Portland this summer, but made it through a rookie and free agent camp with Golden State.
``I'm just hoping this is the place for me,'' Parker said from his hotel room in Oakland Monday night.
Like Seattle, though, Golden State is expected to have just one spot available, and most of its players have guaranteed contracts. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Former U.Va. forward Cornel Parker will try to land a roster spot
with Golden State.
by CNB