THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 7, 1995 TAG: 9506070614
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHICAGO LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
It looked like the first day of tryouts anywhere. Seventy players were split into six groups, each presided over by a middle-aged man with a whistle. The sound of sneakers chirping on hardwood filled the gym.
Except of course it wasn't just any tryout. It was the first day of tryouts for the best league in the world - the first evening of workouts for the NBA's pre-draft camp.
The camp is held here at the Moody Bible Institute, near downtown. Moody must have one heckuva intramural program, because its pristine gym is large enough to accommodate three full-court games at once, played east to west.
Above the gym is a catwalk-like track that serves as a convenient scoping point for the scores of NBA scouts, coaches and general managers who have assembled here for a final look at six-dozen hopefuls before the June 28 NBA draft.
For the most part, these are the same NBA movers and shakers who come to Portsmouth each year for the first stop on the pre-draft tour, the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.
But the atmosphere here is much different than Portsmouth. For one thing, a large sign on the door to the gym says ``NBA credentials only.''
``No spectators,'' said former Norfolk State star Corey Williams, who also played in Portsmouth. ``It's all business.''
For Williams and the two other Hampton Roads players here - former Booker T. Washington star Michael Evans and former Old Dominion star Petey Sessoms - Tuesday was time to get down to business.
The trio, which arrived Sunday, spent most of the first two days doing nothing but eating, sleeping and saying ``Aaah.''
``We come in here and set up a hospital,'' said Marty Blake, the NBA's director of scouting. ``Every team brings in its doctor, physical therapist and trainer. ``And the players bring all their medical records.''
Chicago is the final stop on the preseason tour, but it's not the most elite stop. That honor belongs to the second leg, the Desert Classic in Phoenix.
In fact, at a press conference Monday, eight premier college players spent most of their time explaining why they won't be playing here.
``That's their problem,'' snaps Blake, who's concerned with the mostly second-rounders who are here.
``Where's Burrough? Did Junior go home?'' Blake asked an assistant Tuesday night, referring to the Virginia forward. ``Who's missing?''
Burrough was gone, concerned that playing on a sore ankle would hurt his prospects. So was Virginia's Corey Alexander. And UCLA guard Tyus Edney, who re-injured his wrist in the workout.
So why have Chicago at all, when the top players aren't here and the best of the rest have been seen at Phoenix?
``The coaches haven't seen them. The assistant coaches haven't seen them,'' Blake explains. ``Plus you've got the undergrads coming out.''
But if most coaches are like Golden State's Rick Adelman, they aren't expecting to be overwhelmed.
``Seen the No. 1 pick?'' a Portland scout asked Adelman, whose team holds the top pick in the draft.
``I hope not,'' replied Adelman. by CNB