Re: Celtics Draft Workout Thread

[gyso]

The ball cost five cents ($0.05). The bat cost a dollar more, or $1.05. The total cost, $1.10.

[bobheckler]

The ball cost five cents ($0.05).  The bat cost a dollar more, or $1.05.  The total cost, $1.10.

gyso,


Oopsie.

Well done gyso.


bob


.

[beat]

DAMN Common core math anyway

beat

[bobheckler]

DAMN Common core math anyway

beat

beat,

Afraid I can't blame that.


bob


.

[beat]

Good thing they didn't ask him who is buried in Grants Tomb?

beat

[bobheckler]

Good thing they didn't ask him who is buried in Grants Tomb?

beat

beat,

You can't fool me, Grant couldn't have children because he was a man!


bob


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[Sam]

I can't believe DJ has been gone for seven years.

Sam

[bobheckler]

Thursday, 6/12


Nic Stauskas, Marcus Smart, CJ Fair



Friday, 6/13



Craig McDermott



bob
MY NOTE:  I changed the format


.

[Sam]

Bob,

Beat said "tomb," not "womb."

[bobheckler]

Update, as of 6/10/14:  I will just update this post as things change.


Week of 6/9-6/15



Thursday, 6/12

Player--------------Pos-----Ht------Class-------School-------Agent
CJ Fair--------------F-------6-8-----Senior-----Syracuse-----Torrell Harris
Doug McDermott-----F-------6-8-----Senior-----Creighton-----Mark Bartelstein
Noah Vonleh---------F-------6-10----Freshman--Indiana-------Jeff Schwartz



Friday, 6/13

Player--------------Pos-----Ht------Class---------School------------Agent
Marcus Smart-------G-------6-4-----Sophomore---Oklahoma State----Lee Melchioni
Nik Stauskas--------G-------6-6-----Sophomore---Michigan-----------Mark Bartelstein


bob


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[bobheckler]

Wednesday 6/11:






Artem Klimenko - 7'1" in shoes, 228#, 7'4" wingspan, 24 1/2" no step vertical, 28" max vertical, 20 years old.  Projected by draftexpress #38.

The measurements are from 2012, so he was 18 years old.  That is NO vertical.

Between Porzingis, Tavares, Nurkic and even Embiid all the centers in this draft are international players (I'm not sure Porzingis is a center.  He's something else). It will be interesting to read how Klimenko does against Vonleh. If Vonleh can't pound the Russian toothpick into kindling then he's not what we want, because he doesn't have center height.


http://search.draftexpress.com/profile/Artem-Klimenko-52193/


bob


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[bobheckler]

So, today is "Bigs" day and last week we had "wings" day.

Isaiah Austin, the 7'1", 220# toothpick from Baylor, is blind in his right eye (childhood accident).  Wow.  Talk about having to have your head on a swivel.

Artem Kliimenko is a 7'1", 220# toothpick from Russia.

Noah Vonleh is 6'9 1/2", 247#, 7'4" wingspan, 9'0" standing reach, 31" no step vertical, 18 years old. I think he needs to grow another inch or two to play center in the NBA, personally.

Javon McCrea is 6'8", 250, 7'3" wingspan.  Brandon Bass without the resume.

Daniel Miller is 6'11 3/4", 267#, 7'2" wingspan, 22 years old.  No offense, pretty good defender on both help and man-to-man.  D-League project.  Steamer without the mid-range jump shot.

Devin Oliver is 6'6", 200#.  Draftexpress has almost nothing on this kid, a complete dark horse.



bob



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[bobheckler]

A. Sherrod Blakely: Julius Randle will have an individual workout for the #Celtics. #Celticstalk Twitter @SherrodbCSN



Mark Murphy @Murf56 about 1 hour ago
Julius Randle will work out for Celtics tomorrow, but not with group. Appears to be only player this week with that restriction.




.

[bobheckler]

Baxter Holmes: Change to today's Celtics workouts: Dayton's Devin Oliver is out, Gonzaga's Sam Dower is in. Twitter @BaxterHolmes


6'9 1/2", 244#, 7'2" wingspan, 24" no step vertical, 28" max vertical, 23 years old. Gonzaga.


bob


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[bobheckler]

A. Sherrod Blakely: Getting international players in for workouts isn't easy, but the #Celtics will see 7-2 Walter Tavares this week.


http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Walter-Tavares-48916/


7'3", 265#, 22 years old.  Projected at #33.


Per Draftexpress:


Tavares exceeded all expectations this season relative to his experience-level and the quality of the competition he faced in arguably the toughest domestic league in Europe, as the starting center of a team currently in fifth place in the ACB.

Listed at 220cm (a hair under 7-3), Tavares has fantastic size to go along with a huge wingspan and extremely large hands. He moves well for a player his size, running the floor awkwardly but effectively, showing nice agility in his ability to set screens and dive to the rim, and also being extremely mobile defensively.

Tavares' biggest appeal as a NBA prospect lies in his ability to protect the paint. He blocks shots at a very nice rate, ranking #1 overall in the ACB on a per-game basis and third-best per-minute. He does a great job of hedging pick and rolls and recovering, something you rarely see from a player this size, and is still able to be very effective as a weakside rim-protector due to his mobility, length, terrific timing and instincts.

Tavares is also an excellent rebounder on both ends of the floor, which is unique considering the work he does as a weak-side shot-blocker. The 12.8 rebounds he averages per-40 minutes ranks fourth in the ACB, with a good share of them coming on the offensive end (4.5 per-40). He boxes out well, shows a high activity level, and uses his incredibly long arms, huge hands and excellent timing to clean the glass effectively, despite not being very vertical.

Offensively is where Tavares' lack of experience and polish shows the most at the moment. He's not much of a scorer at all, averaging just 11.5 points per-40 minutes, as he doesn't have much of a post game (just 17 attempts all season), and doesn't show much range outside of five feet, attempting only six jumpers all season. 77% of Tavares' offense this season came off cuts, pick and roll finishes, and offensive rebound put-back attempts.

With that said, Tavares does show some flashes of effectiveness here in the small role he's asked to play. He is a very solid finisher, converting 63% of his attempts around the basket, as he barely needs to jump to dunk the ball with how big and long he is. He also knocks down 71% of his free throw attempts, which is pretty good from a player his size, especially considering when he started playing. He has a good basketball IQ and looks very mature for a player playing his first real season of high-level professional basketball, as he does not look lost in the slightest and executes his team's offense very effectively.

As mobile as Tavares is for his size, he still lacks considerable explosiveness for a NBA big man, as he struggles to get off the ground effectively, which hurts him as a finisher at times. He still has a lot of work to do on improving his lower body strength as well, as he gets backed down by stronger players and is fairly foul prone, averaging 5.4 fouls per-40 minutes.







bob


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[bobheckler]

Boston Celtics Report
Gordon, McDermott at Thursday's workout
June, 12, 2014
JUN 12
9:30
AM ET
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com


The Boston Celtics continue their pre-draft workouts on Thursday with another six-player session:

C.J. Fair – Syracuse
Aaron Gordon – Arizona
Jerami Grant – Syracuse
Luke Hancock – Louisville
Geron Johnson – Memphis
Doug McDermott – Creighton

Gordon and McDermott, two projected lottery picks, highlight the list of attendees. The Celtics currently own picks Nos. 6 and 17 in this month's draft.


bob


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[bobheckler]

http://www.csnne.com/blog/celtics-talk/celtics-impressed-local-product-vonleh-after-workout



Celtics impressed by local product Vonleh after workout
June 11, 2014, 2:45 pm






WALTHAM, Mass. — There's a certain amount of pressure every player making the jump to the NBA faces.

But that sense of expectation grows exponentially when having to consistently play in front of family and friends which would indeed be the case for Noah Vonleh if the Boston Celtics drafted him.

The Haverhill, Mass. native, very much in the running to be selected with the Celtics' No. 6 pick in the June 26 draft, left Indiana after one season in which he was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

While acknowledging that there might be some level of pressure, Vonleh said he sees it as, "a great opportunity, being able to stay in Boston, play in front of family and friends."

Like most young basketball players in New England, Vonleh grew up watching the Celtics. And while he knows the Celtics have plenty of quality options to turn to with the No. 6 pick, he's already allowed himself to give some thought as to how things would be if he were able to play for his hometown team.

"I was just talking to Walter (McCarty, current Celtics assistant and former Celtic player), we were talking about where I would be living if I were to get drafted by the Celtics. I think it would be a great opportunity."

Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has been involved with the workout process. And like most who have seen Vonleh play, he too came away impressed with the 6-foot-10 forward.

"Noah's got a great frame as you can see," Stevens said. "He's strong, he's long. He's got really strong legs. He's a physical guy. He's probably even more physical than I thought, when I saw him in person. He's obviously a really good player, and his reputation speaks for itself."

Austin Ainge, Boston's director of player personnel, echoed similar sentiments about Vonleh who has been on the radar of NBA teams dating back to his time at New Hampton (N.H.) Prep school when he emerged as one of the nation's top high school prospects.

"We've seen him quite a bit," said Ainge who added that Vonleh played in the same conference as his younger brother Crew Ainge. "Obviously being local, we've heard about him for quite a long time."

Ainge added, "He's a very intriguing player. A lot of physical tools, but very young."

Vonleh, who won't be 19 years old until August, is among the youngest players in this year's draft.

"There are some young guys in the draft, like me, Aaron Gordon, Tyler Ennis," Vonleh said. "But it's a great opportunity we're able to come and make our dreams come true at such a young age."



bob
MY NOTE:  Vonleh is only 3 weeks younger than Porzingis, 8/2 vs 8/24.  God, they're so young now.  You're not drafting players anymore, you're drafting a college road trip.


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[bobheckler]

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2014/06/nba_draft_2014_workouts_austin.html


WALTHAM – After Thursday's pre-draft workout, Boston Celtics director of player development Austin Ainge spent most of his media session discussing Aaron Gordon and Doug McDermott.

Four other players (Jerami Grant and C.J. Fair of Syracuse, Luke Hancock of Louisville, and former Memphis guard Jeron Johnson) also participated in the workout, but almost every question Ainge fielded addressed McDermott (Creighton) or Gordon (Arizona). Both are expected to go in the top 10 and could be in play at No. 6.

Below is a transcript, split into three portions (McDermott, Gordon and other), of what Ainge said during his five-minute chat.

McDermott

On how he played: “He earned his nickname. Buckets, he made a lot of them. The guy’s a great shooter.”

On transition from one position to another: “Doug played a lot of four in college, but he’s going to have to play a lot of three in the NBA. I think any time that transition is going on, you worry about defending the perimeter. I thought he did a good job today and he had a couple of impressive dunks. I think he’s more athletic than people give him credit for.”

On Larry Bird comparison: “Well, I think that’s pretty tough. Larry obviously was one of the best ever. But Doug is a good player, had a great career, and I know he’ll make shots at the NBA level. He’s got a bright future.”

On whether McDermott's experience was evident against younger guys: “Luke Hancock and Doug McDermott you can tell are savvy veteran guys. Those guys play like 10-year vets in the NBA, they know what they’re doing out there. Some of the younger guys have some catching up to do there. But that’s part of what makes them good players. They both had great careers.”

Gordon

On Gordon's game: “I think Aaron’s biggest strength is his versatility. I think he’ll be able to guard almost every position on the court, and that’s really his strength. He’s a great defender. He handles the ball pretty well for his size. He’ll have to continue to improve his shooting, but he’s a worker and I think he will.”

On what Gordon does well: “I think ball-handling, passing, cutting, above-the-rim finishes, transition. It’s really just the jump shot he’s going to have to continue to improve. But I believe Aaron is the youngest player in the draft. He doesn’t turn 19 until (September), so he’s got a lot of time. And like I said, his work ethic is great so I think he’ll get better.”

On Gordon's shot: “He shoots threes. He shot some threes in college, just not a ton of them. It’s not a really difficult long shot for him, he just needs to make a few more. ... His mechanics are pretty good and I think that gives me hope. Pretty sound fundamentally.”

On whether Gordon's a small forward or power forward: “That’s a good question. I think he can play both. I think probably three until he gets a little stronger.”

Is he still growing (due to age as the youngest player in the draft)? “That’s a great question. I don’t know. But he doesn’t need to grow much to be a good player. He’s already pretty good.”

On Gordon's defensive versatility: “I think he’ll be able to do some things like guard the point guard, and switch onto the bigs on pick-and-rolls, and do some creative things like that, because he is very versatile and athletic for his size.”

On whether Gordon has the size and athletic ability to play three or four: “Yeah, I think so. He’s 6-8 and puts his head above the rim. He’s plenty big enough to play the four and he’s athletic enough to play the three.”


bob
MY NOTE:  If McDermott can play 3 then Gordon definitely can.

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[Sam]

I doubt that Gordon can score at the 3 as well as McDermott.

But what the situation boils down to is this. it's really quite simple:

• Even if they're not going for a touchdown this season, whatever they do is likely to improve them enough so that they may not be looking at another #6 (or higher) pick for a long time.

• That being the likelihood, I think they need to address their number one short-term and long-term need with the #6 pick. If they can't draft a player with sufficent potential at the center position, then they need to use #6 as part of a trade for such a player.

And it seems highly likely that a good wing shooter with strong NBA potential will be available at #17. He may have to be a dark horse or a player whose skills are evident only to the most astute scouting skills. I believe that kind of drafting challenge is right in Danny's wheelhouse.

Sam

[bobheckler]

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4713256/gordon-back-in-boston-for-cs-workout



Gordon back in Boston for C's workout
June, 12, 2014
JUN 12 2:15 PM ET
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com






WALTHAM, Mass. -- Before Kevin Love stole the spotlight, Aaron Gordon was Boston's most famous visiting hoopster.

Gordon, in town last month for his sister's graduation from Harvard University, got caught napping -- ball in hand -- on a red line train after a local workout. The cell phone photo went viral, as did speculation that he was here to meet with a potential future employer in the Boston Celtics.



 
That meeting with the Celtics didn't happen until Thursday, when Gordon went through his official pre-draft workout with the team. Gordon was part of a six-player workout, one that included fellow potential lottery pick Doug McDermott, and the Arizona forward did his best to state his case for being selected by Boston when it chooses at No. 6 in this month's draft.

Gordon was asked about reports that suggest Boston is eyeing him among the crowded power forward types that should be available early in the draft (ESPN Insider Chad Ford has the Celtics taking Gordon in his latest mock).

"I hope [it's true]," said Gordon. "I’m excited. We’ll see. June 26th -- a lot of things are going to happen from now until then, and even on that day. But I’d be happy. Really, I’m just excited to be drafted anywhere."

The 18-year-old Gordon, who confirmed his status as the youngest player in the draft when a reporter mentioned his youthful status, was short but firm when queried about what separates him from players like Julius Randle and Noah Vonleh, some of the bigs expected to be available when Boston picks at No. 6.

"Versatility," said Gordon. "Defense."

Celtics director of player personnel Austin Ainge confirmed that assessment after watching Thursday's workout.

"I think Aaron’s biggest strength is his versatility," said Ainge. "I think he’ll be able to guard almost every position on the court, and that’s really his strength. He’s a great defender and he handles the ball pretty well for his size. And he’s going to have to continue his shooting, but he’s a worker and I think he will."

Gordon got up some post-workout shots and showcased what looks like an improving jumper (making a series of top-of-the-arc 3-pointers as part of his shooting drills). Gordon said he's spent time since the end of the season working on his free throw shooting, overhauling his mechanics, and believes shoring up that aspect of the game will strengthen his entire offensive arsenal.

"A lot of what was happening throughout the season is, I would get on a roll, then I’d get to the free throw line and it would kinda cool me off a little bit," said Gordon. "Whereas now, if I get to the free throw line, it’s just reestablishing what I can do from the perimeter. It’s keeping me on a roll."

He acknowledges that there's a big difference between improving his shooting in an empty gym and doing it against NBA competition. But he gushes confidence while balancing the pros and cons of being the youngest guy in the draft.

"You don’t wear a little number around your chest. When you’re on the court, age doesn’t matter," said Gordon. "Nobody knows how old you are, nobody cares how old you are. I just try to carry myself with the utmost maturity and show that I belong out there. And even thrive out there."

Here's maybe the only part that's might be tough for Celtics fans to embrace about Gordon: His favorite player growing up was Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson. After McDermott relayed how he often watches game film of Larry Bird (and there was that Sports Illustrated cover remake of Larry Legend), Gordon couldn't help but admit that he marvels at the way Johnson redefined the game for big men.

"I loved how [Johnson] could control the game. He kinda broke the foundation of what basketball is really about -- how guards have to be little and bigs have to be big," said Gordon. "I like how creative he was with the basketball, he kinda brought a lot of flash to the game."

Gordon is hoping to bring that same sort of flash when he arrives in the NBA. At 6-foot-8, he's a bit of a tweener, but Ainge noted he can see him playing both forward positions (maybe starting as a small forward, then shifting to the power forward spot as he bulks up). What's undeniable is the freak athleticism and a high basketball IQ that stems from his time as a point guard growing up. And there's his defense -- Gordon appears ready to step in from Day 1 and defend any position on the court.

"Teams get this misconception that I’m caught up on a position. I’m not caught up on a position," said Gordon. "I’ll come in and play any position that you want me to play and I’ll guard any position that you want me to play."

Added Ainge: "I think he’ll be able to do some things like guard point guards, then switch onto the bigs in pick-and-rolls and do some creative things like that. Because he’s very versatile and athletic for his size."

This was Gordon's fourth pre-draft workout. He's also auditioned for the Lakers, Kings, and Jazz, and has at least one more workout remaining with the Magic before he'll evaluate whether to add more stops.

Despite his visit to Boston last month, he admitted that he's not particularly familiar with the city. Gordon did note, "I know it’s a great city and my sister has raved about it."

And that photo of him asleep on the train? He got a good chuckle out of it when it found its way into his Twitter mentions.

"It was real funny. I don’t know if I saw the next day or later that night, but it was really funny, because it was like, ‘Woah, that’s me,'" said Gordon.

There's a good number of locals who hope it's not the last time they spot him on the train in these parts.



bob
MY NOTE: Chad Ford says that Danny is "locked in" on Aaron Gordon, meaning the decision has been all but made.


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[bobheckler]

Randle highlights loaded two-group workout
June, 13, 2014
JUN 13
9:18
AM ET
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com


The Celtics have a loaded two-group workout planned for Friday. Here the attendance list:

Group 1
Julius Randle – Kentucky

Group 2
Jordan Clarkson – Missouri
Gary Harris – Michigan State
Zach LaVine – UCLA
Elfrid Payton – Louisiana-Lafayette
Marcus Smart – Oklahoma State
Nik Stauskas – Michigan

Randle is working out individually, but the team expected no limitations despite recent reports that he might require post-draft surgery on his foot. Group 2 features six potential first-round selections, including potential lottery picks in Harris, Payton, Smart, Stauskas, and LaVine.


bob


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[bobheckler]

McDermott shoots down Bird comparisons
June, 12, 2014
JUN 12 10:00 PM ET
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com



WALTHAM, Mass. -- Truth be told, Doug McDermott thought the idea was crazy. But when Sports Illustrated calls pitching to put you on the cover of their magazine with a chance to honor one of your basketball heroes, you go along with whatever they say.

So there was McDermott, sandwiched by a pair of Creighton cheerleaders for a March issue of SI, recreating the first of 16 covers that Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird appeared on 37 years earlier.

Standing inside the Celtics' training facility on Thursday, Bird's retired No. 33 jersey staring down at him from above, McDermott sheepishly smiled when the topic of the SI cover was brought up.

"I thought they were crazy," said McDermott, the nation's leading scorer last season, who leapfrogged many, including Bird, on the NCAA scoring list and now sits fifth all-time after putting up 3,150 total points.

"I didn’t want to disrespect Larry like that. But I think it was a cool idea just to show some people that were around in that time, maybe, just a flash from the past. I’m glad that I was the one chosen to be able to do that, but obviously there’s never going to be another Larry Bird. It’s cool to kind of have a tribute to him with that cover."

Even at the ripe age of 22, McDermott is too young to have watched Bird play. Bird's final NBA game came on May 17, 1992 and McDermott would have been 4 months old. But that hasn't stopped McDermott from immersing himself in film of Bird trying to absorb all he can from old tapes.

Even before the SI cover, he heard the Bird comparisons. He gets it -- he's tall and white and has a pretty 3-point stroke. Comparisons are unavoidable -- particularly with our propensity to want to find a model for every college player -- and McDermott hears plenty of them, including to former Creighton sharpshooter Kyle Korver.

But McDermott cringes when Bird's name is invariably invoked as part of those comps.

"It’s really not fair," said McDermott. "I don’t think you can compare anyone to Larry Bird. There’s not going to be another one. It’s good to have a guy like that for everyone to look up to, all these young guys, myself included, because it’s the best of the best right there -- him, Magic [Johnson], Michael [Jordan]. You can’t compare guys to those three, I don’t think. I just take pieces of his game and try to apply it to mine."

McDermott is hoping his body of work at Creighton, and what he's shown in these private workouts, is enough to encourage a team to let him build his own identity in the NBA. He's projected as a lottery pick, though he's got potential to go anywhere from the mid-to-late lottery depending on the mock you look at.

McDermott sounds sincere when he says he doesn't read mocks, but notes that his parents, including his father, Greg, who coached him at Creighton, probably do. "I feel like you can’t get too caught up in those because so much can change on draft night," cautioned McDermott.

Fortunately for McDermott, he seems to have put his best foot forward at Thursday's workout -- only his second of the pre-draft process.

Said Celtics director of player personnel Austin Ainge: "He earned his nickname: Buckets. He made a lot of them. The guy’s a great shooter."

The question with McDermott is whether he has the athleticism to play the swingman position at the NBA level. As Ainge noted, "He’s going to have to play a lot of 3 in the NBA. I think any time that transition is going on, you worry about defending the perimeter. I thought he did a good job today. He had a couple of impressive dunks. I think he’s more athletic than people give him credit for."

For McDermott, this is only his second pre-draft workout. He previously visited the Lakers and has at least two more stops scheduled in Charlotte and Sacramento.

McDermott said he's friendly with Celtics youngsters like Phil Pressey and Jared Sullinger. After Thursday's workout, he talked shop with Celtics assistant coach Ron Adams and legend Tommy Heinsohn (who noted how Holy Cross used to play Creighton during his time with the Crusaders).

Looking up at the championship banners and retired numbers, McDermott admitted to feeling the Celtics' mystique inside the practice facility.

"It’s unbelievable," he said. "I want to get my phone out and take some pictures. This is a franchise everybody grows up watching. My grandparents, my dad, this was always their team, so it’s cool to be a part of history, pretty much. Really blessed to be here."

As for those comparisons to Bird, Ainge chuckled when asked about having to live up to those expectations.

"I think that that’s pretty tough," said Ainge. "Larry obviously was one of the best ever. But Doug is a good player, had a great career, and I know he’ll make shots at the NBA level. So he’s got a bright future."


bob



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[bobheckler]

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/randle-celtics-workout-my-foots-fine


Randle at Celtics' workout: 'My foot's fine'
June 13, 2014, 1:00 pm





WALTHAM, Mass. — Like most draft-eligible players, Julius Randle was intent on putting his best foot forward in his workout with the Celtics on Friday.

And that - his right foot specifically - has been a hot topic of discussion the past 24 hours since reports surfaced that he may need surgery on it following the June 26 NBA draft.

Randle took to Twitter to deny the report and his mother said as much to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

"Everything with Julius is fine," his mother Carolyn Kyles, told the Courier-Journal. "There is no surgery scheduled whatsoever. Nothing. They don't have a clue. They haven't spoken to us. They haven't spoken to Julius' doctor. I know for a fact, because he is my son, there is no surgery scheduled, period, now or after."

On Friday, Randle reiterated that there is no surgery scheduled for his foot, and he doesn't anticipate that changing.

"My foot's fine," Randle said on Friday. "Everybody has their opinion on what they should do. I'm pain-free; no pain before, during or after. I'm fine."

Randle said teams knew about his foot at the pre-draft combine in Chicago last month, and none recommended to him at the time that he should have surgery.

He added that he has met with his doctor and spoke with specialists who, according to Randle, "would not do anything with it. I'm fine."

Still, multiple sources contacted by CSNNE.com confirm that there is concern that his injury, while not an issue now, could potentially develop into something more serious down the road.

The concerns stem from surgery Randle had as a senior in high school to repair a fractured bone in his right ankle.

According to a Yahoo Sports! report, a screw was inserted at the time but now has to be removed due to it not healing properly.

But the issue isn't discomfort or pain right now, but rather the potential for it to be a long-term issue going forward if the screw were to break off into smaller pieces which would thus create unnecessary complications.

And the timing of the news - less than two weeks before the draft - could not be worse for Randle, who is projected to be among the first eight players chosen.

"I have no clue," Randle said when asked how he thought the news got out at this point.

The talk about his foot clouds what was an impressive freshman season at Kentucky.

Randle was the headliner for a star-studded Wildcats class that overcame a series of bumps to advance all the way to the national title game, where they lost to UConn, 60-54.

Rated as the nation's top power forward coming out of high school, Randle averaged 15 points and 10.4 rebounds per game while appearing in all 40 games for the national runners-up.








bob


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[kdp59]

sounds like Randle will have to have some "clean up" work done of that ankle after the draft .

no matter what mom says

[Sam]

Pass on Randle.

Sam

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