THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 24, 1995 TAG: 9505240630
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
Gene Shue and the Philadelphia 76ers learned Sunday they would pick third in next month's NBA draft, after Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers.
Shue doesn't expect Joe Smith to be around.
``That would be a surprise,'' said Shue, the 76ers' director of player personnel. ``Quite a few people think Joe could be the No. 1 pick.''
In interviews conducted since Sunday's NBA draft lottery, several officials of other teams with top-five picks said they expect the Warriors to take Smith, a sophomore from Maryland. Other published reports have said the same.
The Warriors are not tipping their hand, other than to agree that Smith is one of four players - all sophomores - who are a cut above in this year's draft, to be held June 28 in Toronto. Smith, who attended Norfolk's Maury High School, is lumped in the lofty company of North Carolina's Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse and Alabama's Antonio McDyess.
``All four of those guys are very athletic,'' Golden State general manager Dave Twardzik said. ``I think if you were to ask 10 people in my position throughout the league who should be No. 1, you may get three or four different answers. There really is no clear-cut No. 1.''
Shue isn't so sure.
``I can't answer for Golden State,'' he said. ``But the feedback we get is Joe has been the player all year long people have talked about most. There are very few players who step right in and put up the numbers he has in college.''
Golden State director of playerpersonnel Ed Gregory said the Warriors would go after help at power forward, with an emphasis on a strong rebounder and defender. Smith would fit that profile, but so would Wallace and McDyess.
``I think Smith is definitely a pick that most people like, and I like him,'' Gregory said. ``He's a heck of a player and a heck of a prospect. There's no BS to his game; he plays hard and gets after it.''
Twardzik said once the decision is made, the Warriors will keep it to themselves until June 28.
``I doubt that will be real soon,'' Gregory said. ``We want to have them in and do background checks on them and talk to them. You want to get to know them as well as you can, because when you have the No. 1 pick, you're talking about an awful lot of money.''
For Glenn Robinson, being the top pick last year was worth a 10-year, $68.15 million deal. The top five players in last year's draft averaged $49.27 million over 9.4 years.
That doesn't count endorsement deals, like the one Smith is apparently close to signing. Len Elmore, who Smith hired as his agent last week, has traveled with Smith to Nike's headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., to negotiate a shoe and apparel deal for Smith. Elmore expects something to be finalized with Nike or another company soon.
Elmore said Smith has already purchased a Mercedes. Whoever drafts Smith will be expecting him to develop into a Rolls Royce.
The 6-foot-10, 220-pound Smith is projected as a power forward who eventually could play small forward if his ball-handling and outside shot improve.
``He could be an A.C. Green or Derrick McKey type, a forward able to play either spot,'' said John Nash, vice president and general manager of the Washington Bullets, who have the fourth pick. ``He needs to expand his game to play the small forward and bulk up to play power forward, and I'm sure he'll do both.''
Of the top five teams in the draft, the Bullets and 76ers need less help at forward than the others. But Twardzik said you take the best player available, ``even if it does duplicate your talent.''
Said Elmore: ``When you're in their position, you look for the best available player. General managers understand if you pass up on a guy who could be one of the top players in the next couple years, you could lose your job.''
There won't be much passing when it comes to Smith. ILLUSTRATION: PAUL AIKEN, Staff file color photo
Many think the Golden State Warriors will take Joe Smith with the
first pick.
by CNB