CLIPPERS DRAFT DAY: CLIPPERS SHOOT RIGHT PAST NEED.Byline: Joe Stevens Staff Writer Most teams use the NBA Draft The NBA Draft is an annual North American event in which the National Basketball Association's (NBA) thirty teams (29 in the United States and one in Toronto, Canada) can select players who wish to join the league. to improve their teams. The Clippers used it to send a message. In desperate need of a shooter, the Clippers instead used their No. 12 overall pick Tuesday on 18-year-old Russian Yaroslav Korolev Yaroslav Korolev (Russian: Ярослав Королев; born May 7, 1987 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union (present-day Russia)) is a Russian professional basketball player. , a small forward who might improve his play overseas next season. The move demonstrated confidence in the Clipers' ability to better their roster this summer through free agency. ``I think that's pretty much what we're saying, that we got a great chance, a great opportunity to fill the holes on our team with guys that are more proven veteran players,'' Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy Mike Dunleavy is the name of two notable persons in basketball, father and son:
In the second round, the Clippers selected Duke's Daniel Ewing George Daniel Ewing, Jr (born March 26, 1983 in Milton, Florida), is an American professional basketball player. He is currently a player of Russian Khimki BC, most recently having played with the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association. A 6'3", 185 lbs. with the 32nd selection. The 6-foot-3 guard was taken primarily for his perimeter defense A defense without an exposed flank, consisting of forces deployed along the perimeter of the defended area. . Ewing probably has a better chance than Korolev to contribute this season, although it is not certain if the Russian teen will play overseas. ``I think we have to talk to a lot of people about that - my agent, the president of my club in Moscow and the coaches,'' Korolev said. ``It's not my business, for real. So I just now care that I was picked, and it's great. And I'm feeling good.'' At 6-9, Korolev is tall for a small forward. He also is a solid shooter, considered to be much more polished than countryman Andrei Kirilenko Andrei Kirilenko may refer to:
Dunleavy said the Clippers had offers to trade down, but they did not want to risk losing Korolev. Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor Elgin Gay Baylor (born September 16, 1934 in Washington, D.C.) is a retired American basketball player who played 13 seasons as a forward for the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers/Los Angeles Lakers. Baylor was a gifted shooter, a strong rebounder, and an accomplished passer. said some of the first 11 picks surprised him. He did not expect to have a chance to take New Mexico New Mexico, state in the SW United States. At its northwestern corner are the so-called Four Corners, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet at right angles; New Mexico is also bordered by Oklahoma (NE), Texas (E, S), and Mexico (S). forward Danny Granger or Houston prep star Gerald Green. Nonetheless, Korolev was the Clippers' man. ``There may be a few players out there that we had on our board that are those more ready-type players, but from a chemistry standpoint on our team, we didn't want to introduce them into the mix,'' Dunleavy said. ``We thought there was too big of a question marks on a few players.'' That pointed Baylor and Dunleavy to Korolev, who plays on Russia's national team, coached by his father, Igor. About playing under his father, Korolev said: ``I think it helped me, because he paid more attention to me than somebody else. He can yell at me. He can hit me.'' Joe Stevens, (562) 499-1338 joe.stevens(at)presstelegram.com |
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