June 8, 2007

One of the handouts distributed to the media during Friday’s draft workouts indicated that Georgia Tech freshman Thaddeus Young’s closest NBA comparison may be Boston Celtics All-Star Paul Pierce. After being told of that evaluation, Hornets coach Byron Scott nearly fell out of his chair as he spoke to a group of writers and reporters.

“No,” Scott corrected. “Paul Pierce is a scoring machine. Thaddeus has the potential to be very good. But Paul Pierce… I wouldn’t make that comparison, but that’s just me personally. I don’t think Thaddeus is at that level.”

New Orleans Times-Picayune beat writer Benjamin Hochman quickly offered another suggestion: “How about (former NBA 12th man) Paul Shirley?”

A laughing Scott responded: “Well, I would (rank) him over Paul Shirley! But not Paul Pierce.”

The second day of Hornets 2007 draft workouts was highlighted by the presence of Young, who opted to leave Georgia Tech after one season of college hoops. Most draft websites list Young as a lottery pick or no worse than a mid-first-rounder; several mock drafts predict that he will be the Hornets’ choice at No. 13 in the opening round.

Also on hand Friday were Arizona forward Marcus Williams, Virginia Tech guard Zabian Dowdell and Ohio State guard Ron Lewis, one of the key components of the Buckeyes’ run to the 2007 NCAA Tournament title round.

Though he is expected to remain in the draft, Young has not signed with an agent and says he is still considering returning to college. “I’ve gotten a lot of great feedback (from NBA teams),” Young said of one factor affecting his decision. “If I continue to get that, hopefully, I will stay in the draft.”

Comments from each of the four players on hand Friday, followed by remarks from Scott and Jeff Bower:

Thaddeus Young

Thaddeus Young, Georgia Tech forward
NBADraft.net projection: No. 13 pick to New Orleans

Q: How did the workout go today?
A: I think it went pretty well. We had some great guys out there. We all shot the ball well and went at each other. Great players, that’s what they do, they go at each other.

Q: You are originally from New Orleans. How exciting would it be to play for the NBA team there?
A: It’d be very exciting. I have a lot of family members who live in New Orleans. A lot of them moved (temporarily) right after the hurricane, but they came right back because of their love for the city.

Q: Which players do you compare yourself to in the NBA in terms of your style of play?
A: A lot of people say Paul Pierce, Tayshaun Prince or Shawn Marion. Right now, I’d probably have to say I have a little bit of Shawn Marion, but more of Tayshaun. I’m a decent defender right now, but I can get better.

Q: What do you know about the Hornets?
A: I’ve been watching them a lot. My family loves the Hornets. My brother is a really big Hornets fan. Part of why he moved back to New Orleans was because he wanted to be able to see the Hornets. [grins] My uncle Ken Carter is a suite owner (in New Orleans Arena). He’s been watching a lot of those guys, like Chris Paul, David West, Cedric Simmons, Tyson Chandler. I think the Hornets are a great team with a great point guard. I would love to play with Chris Paul. He’s definitely a true point guard.

I remember going to one Hornets game a couple years ago. I think it was LeBron’s rookie year, and he went nuts and had a big game. The whole gym was going crazy.

Q: What areas of your game are you trying to improve or prove to scouts that they aren’t weaknesses?
A: The main thing I’ve been working on is developing a nice stroke from the outside and getting a feel for the NBA three-pointer. Obviously I didn’t shoot the ball much at school, but I’m looking to show that I can do that. A lot of questions have been about whether I can (drive) right.

Q: Everyone is saying Greg Oden and Kevin Durant will go 1-2 in the draft. Which player would you take with the No. 3 pick?
A: If you’re going to base it off pre-draft camp, I’d have to say Al Horford. If you’re not going off the pre-draft, maybe Brandan Wright, because B Wright didn’t have a great pre-draft, but Al Horford did.

Q: Who is your draft sleeper, a guy who is not getting much publicity right now but has a chance to be a very solid player in the NBA?
A: There are a couple guys. Reyshawn Terry from North Carolina is a great player. Herbert Hill of Providence. These are guys who can slip into the first round if they have some very good workouts.

Marcus Williams

Marcus Williams, Arizona forward
NBADraft.net projection: No. 31 pick to Seattle

Q: First, as an Arizona Wildcat, do you foresee any problems if you’re drafted by a team whose head coach, Byron Scott, went to Arizona State?
A: Yeah, he gave me a little beef about that. When we first started the workout today, (Scott) said, ‘I’ll still shake your hand, even though you’re an Arizona guy.’ I got a laugh out of it. But you know, he’s a great coach and the organization is very good. It’s been through some rough times, not only with the relocation, but all of the injuries. I think the Hornets have a bright future and I would love to be a part of it.

Q: Which players do you compare yourself to in the NBA in terms of your style of play?
A: I try to emulate a lot of guys and take little things from everyone, all the talented players. Kobe, LeBron. I’m not as athletic as those guys, but I try to take little things they do really well, as far as how to get your shot off and keying in on defense. I want to expand my game.

Q: What do you know about the Hornets
A: I know a lot. I really keyed in on them after I decided to come out for the draft. Playing with Chris Paul would be great. I watch CP play all the time. And I have some family in New Orleans. With an up-tempo style like they have, I feel like I could really help at the defensive end with how long I am. I’m quick and can change the game at that end.

Q: What areas of your game are you trying to improve or prove to scouts that they aren’t weaknesses?
A: I think the biggest thing is scouts want to see me shoot the ball from the three-point line. They want to see me knock down the open shot. Playing the wing, that’s going to be important. I also want to be able to showcase that I can pass the ball, because that’s something people may not know that I have the ability to do, and really be a playmaker. Also I want to be a game-changer on defense and be able to stop some people.

Q: Everyone is saying Greg Oden and Kevin Durant will go 1-2 in the draft. Which player would you take with the No. 3 pick?
A: I really like Al Horford’s game. He’s a big beast. He’s pretty polished and I don’t think people know that he can knock down that 15-foot shot. He’ll surprise people. He’s got good footwork, and he’s always bringing that intensity at that forward spot.

Q: Who is your draft sleeper, a guy who is not getting much publicity right now but has a chance to be a very solid player in the NBA?
A: Aaron Brooks of Oregon. He’s so quick that he can get to anywhere he wants on the floor at any time. And he shoots the ball really well and gets after it defensively. He’s someone teams should look at. Jermareo Davidson of Alabama is another sleeper. Taurean Green of Florida had a really good Orlando camp. There’s a lot of guys. This draft will definitely be deep, and you may be able to make some nice picks in the late first round or early second round.

Zabian Dowdell

Zabian Dowdell, Virginia Tech guard
NBADraft.net projection: Undrafted

Q: Which players do you compare yourself to in the NBA in terms of your style of play?
A: I try to pattern my game after Chauncey Billups. I always like to say that I am left-handed Chauncey Billups [laughs], just because of the way he plays the game. He’s a physical guard, but at the same time, he really thinks the game and is a smart player. That’s something I really like.

Q: What do you know about the Hornets?
A: I’ve had a chance to watch them a lot, pretty much every time they’ve been on TV. I love watching NBA basketball, but I’ve actually been to a Hornets game in New Orleans. We took a class trip my sophomore year (in 2004-05) and went to a game, and got to see them up close.

Q: What areas of your game are you trying to improve or prove to scouts that they aren’t weaknesses?
A: I just want to show guys that I am a complete player and can do anything they want me to do. I can play a fast or slow tempo. When I’m in the gym working out, I try to work on every aspect of my game and eliminate all of the weaknesses.

Q: Everyone is saying Greg Oden and Kevin Durant will go 1-2 in the draft. Which player would you take with the No. 3 pick?
A: That’s a good question. There are some great names, so I’m not sure who I’d pick. I guess that’s why the GMs make the big money – to make those kinds of decisions. [grins]

Q: Who is your draft sleeper, a guy who is not getting much publicity right now but has a chance to be a very solid player in the NBA?
A: Chris Richard from Florida. He’s a very good player. I played with him in Orlando (pre-draft camp) and he made the game a lot easier for me. I think because he had Joakim Noah and Al Horford on his team at Florida, he gets overlooked, but he’s very good.

Ron Lewis

Ron Lewis, Ohio State guard
NBADraft.net projection: No. 59 pick to Phoenix

Q: You played at Ohio State in college. How do you think that prepared you for the NBA?
A: It helped a lot, playing in the Big Ten and playing in the NCAA Tournament. We had a great run in the tournament. Hopefully it can get me to the next level and prepared me for it.

Q: You made a few big shots in the NCAA Tournament. Do those shots still run through your mind from time to time?
A: Definitely. Every time I think about clutch shots and last-second shots, I will always think back to those moments that I had. It gives me a lot of confidence.

Q: Which players do you compare yourself to in the NBA in terms of your style of play?
A: Raja Bell. He comes in and plays great defense on the other team’s best player every night. And he knocks down open shots. If you can get a player who can do both of those things, your team is going to be good.

Q: What do you know about the Hornets?
A: I know they’re a team that has great chemistry and a great group they’re bringing together. They had a lot of players hurt during the season, but with all of those people coming back next season, that’s going to be something to look forward to.

Q: What would it be like to play with Chris Paul?
A: It would mean great things. He’s a terrific player who knows how to score and how to get his teammates the ball. With a great guard coming in who can shoot the ball, it would do a lot of things for him and the team. It would be a great chemistry.

Q: What areas of your game are you trying to improve or prove to scouts that they aren’t weaknesses?
A: I’m working on fine-tuning things, like my ballhandling. I’m still trying to (improve) my jump shot, and do the little things on defense. I’m working on people skills, because you always have to have people skills when you go into a different atmosphere.

Q: Everyone is saying Greg Oden and Kevin Durant will go 1-2 in the draft. Which player would you take with the No. 3 pick?
A: I’m not sure. It’s up to Atlanta. It might be Mike Conley [Lewis’ teammate at Ohio State]. We’ve got a great chance to have a lot of guys (from OSU) picked in the draft. It’s great to see people succeed.

Q: Who is your draft sleeper, a guy who is not getting much publicity right now but has a chance to be a very solid player in the NBA?
A: One person I noticed in Orlando (pre-draft camp) was Jared Jordan from Marist. He was a very good point guard. I had never heard of him or seen him before, but he knows how to play the game, and he knows how to get his teammates involved. Just a really good player.

Byron Scott
(on Thaddeus Young’s chances to be in an NBA rotation in 2007-08)
“I don’t know. It will be interesting. I don’t know if he would be ready. The one thing I like about him and saw about him on the court was that he is a very fast learner. He has a great basketball IQ and a good feel for the game. Can he accelerate the process as far as his learning curve? Probably so. It would just be a matter of time.

“Chris Paul was ready from Day 1 (as a rookie). I don’t think Thaddeus is there yet. But a year from now, I think he can be a special player.”

(on Young’s NBA position)
“Small forward is his spot. He’s got the long arms and is 6-foot-8. For our team, he would definitely be a three.”

(on the Hornets’ situation at small forward)
“That position, without Desmond Mason, is still a pretty good position for us, with Peja (Stojakovic) and Rasual (Butler). We’ve got to take a look at guys like Thaddeus, because he is young, he is athletic, and he impressed me more today than (on) the three or four tapes I’ve seen of him.

“If we can’t sign Mase, my first thing is probably moving Peja back to (small forward). But basically you still need (to add) a three or a two. A lot of it depends on whether we feel comfortable on whether we can re-sign Mase.”

(on Peja Stojakovic’s new look and status)
“He cut (most) of his hair off, so I don’t know what that means. Not (as short as) mine, but low. Kind of like Dirk (Nowitzki) when he cuts his hair. Peja said he felt great, was going to take a week off or so, and then start working out again. I trust him to do that and that he’ll come into (training) camp in great shape. He was disappointed in the way the season ended, not only for himself but for the team in general. He knew he could’ve been a big factor in the season. I know he’ll come back ready to play.”

Jeff Bower
(on Young’s workout)
“It confirmed a number of things. We knew how athletic he was. The fact that he tested so well at the Orlando pre-draft camp was another confirming factor. The thing that was great was his personality and makeup. Those are things that will make up for his inexperience. He’s an extremely bright young man with a plan in place that includes hard work and studying players who are currently in the league.”

(on which players Young compares to currently in the NBA)
“His game has yet to be defined as to who he’ll be like or how he’ll play. He possesses good skills and outstanding athletic ability. I think eventually he will have a game that is effective posting up or facing the basket. Speed makes him a powerful player filling the lane in transition.”