Friday's Charlotte Bobcats' pre-draft workout was devoted to the second round.
None of the four players invited to the session has even a remote shot of being picked in the first round of the June26 draft, much less climbing to No.9 overall, where the Bobcats pick.
But Charlotte also picks 38th overall – in the second – and so the Bobcats can't concentrate on first-rounders alone.
Friday's workout – about 20 minutes shorter than usual – featured all guards: 6-foot-1 Sundiata Gaines of Georgia, 6-5 Marcelus Kemp of Nevada, 6-0 Bo McCalebb of New Orleans and 6-4 Bryce Taylor of Oregon.
Taylor was the only one of the four listed in the second round of three mock drafts checked, going late in the round in each one.
Will Lopez be a Bobcat?
The Bobcats are expected to use their first pick on either a big man to help Emeka Okafor inside or a backup point guard to spell starter Raymond Felton.
On the big side, an intriguing prospect is emerging as 7-foot center Brook Lopez of Stanford slips down draft boards. Lopez, who said at the Orlando pre-draft camp that he would not work out for any team with a pick lower than No.4, has now fallen to Charlotte in many mock drafts.
The Bobcats take the weekend off and then finish checking out prospects on Monday through Wednesday. It will be interesting to see if Lopez shows up after all.
As far as guards are concerned, since the Bobcats are primarily looking for someone to help man the point, we looked at the assist totals of the four who visited Friday. All played at least 30 games last season. Gaines, taking on tough SEC competition, had 143 to lead the way. Kemp passed out 109, McCalebb had 99 and Taylor 43.
Mixing it up
Unlike Friday's all-guards, all-the-time practice, Thursday's workout was a mix of guards and big men, something Charlotte coach Larry Brown said he enjoyed.
“It was good, because obviously in the NBA you play guards, forwards and centers at the same time,”
he said. “So we could put them into some situations that were typical of what you might find in the NBA. You know, a lot of pick-and-rolls, post situations, so that was fun.”
They also kept moving, and all six were perspiring as they left the floor.
“It was fast-paced, not really any breaks,”
said Tennessee guard Chris Lofton. “That's how the NBA practices, coach Brown was telling us, and we were just trying to get ready.”
Still teaching
Brown continues to instruct as the prospects come through.
“A lot of learning,”
said 7-foot Kosta Koufos after that Thursday workout. “Coach Brown definitely knows the game of basketball and it's an honor to learn from him.”
Koufos, who is expected to be picked in the middle of the first round, was asked what he specifically learned.
“Certain ways to position your feet, how to spot up and how to play defensively in the post,”
he said. “So I learned a lot today.”
UCLA guard Russell Westbrook, a projected top ten pick, agreed.
“It was great. He did a lot of teaching and it really helped us out. Footwork; just the little things – screening, popping back to the ball, just the little things to help yourself out throughout the game.”
Faces in the crowd
Former Wake Forest and South Carolina coach Dave Odom attended the Wednesday and Thursday practices, and on Thursday son Lane, now coach at Charlotte Latin, joined him. Dave Odom, an old friend of Brown's, is believed to be a strong candidate to join Brown's staff. Also on hand Thursday was Carl Scheer, who has had a hand in many area sports teams dating back to the Carolina Cougars of the ABA.
