THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 16, 1995 TAG: 9509160398
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
The NBA has apparently resolved its labor problems in time to save the season, but not in time to salvage the hoop dreams of a pair of local prospects.
Old Dominion's Petey Sessoms and Norfolk State's Corey Williams, unsure of when the lockout would end and not guaranteed a spot on an NBA roster, opted last month to take the sure money and play overseas this year.
``I didn't want to wait on the lockout because you never knew when it would end,'' Williams said from Izmir, Turkey, where he is playing in the Turkish A League.
Sessoms signed to play in Israel, according to his lawyer, Robert Williams. Sessoms could not be reached for comment.
Neither Williams nor Sessoms was drafted, but both played well in the league's pre-draft camp in Chicago, and would have received invitations to try out as free agents.
Sessoms was invited to play for Boston and Sacramento in league-sponsored summer leagues in New York and Salt Lake City, Robert Williams said. But those leagues were canceled because of the lockout.
Williams also received some free agent invitations, according to his agent, Andy Miller.
``But they were not willing to guarantee money up front, and we were not willing to take a chance,'' Miller said.
In a normal year, Sessoms and Williams would have attended one or more free-agent camps in July. Depending on their performance, they might have received invitations to a team's training camp in October.
Williams and Sessoms both signed one-year contracts, and can try out as free agents next year.
Another local player who still hopes to get an NBA shot this year is former Booker T. Washington star Michael Evans.
If, as expected, the NBA lifts its lockout next week, teams will have about two weeks to put together abbreviated rookie and free agent camps before regular training camps open Oct. 6. Evans hopes to be at one of them.
``I'm not worried about money, I'm just trying to get a foot in the door,'' Evans said.
Evans, who played just one year of college basketball, has been splitting his time between Norfolk and Philadelphia, where he has been working out with members of the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers, in search of a point guard, have expressed the most interest in Evans, who is nevertheless considered a long shot to make a team this season.
Evans said he's tired of waiting for the lockout to be lifted, and is ready to play. He's not picky about where.
``I'm waiting for anything. The CBA, anything,'' Evans said. ILLUSTRATION: Former Booker T. star Michael Evans, not signed, hopes to be
invited to one of the NBA free-agent camps.
by CNB