Early Returns Are Good

They were sitting in the car, Lolita Ariza and her son Trevor, the talented if occasionally erratic UCLA basketball player who had just finished his first season as a Bruin.

Minutes earlier, both had told Coach Ben Howland that Trevor would be returning for his sophomore season. But just that fast the plan had changed. Against the advice of seemingly everyone, Trevor was adamant that he wanted to make himself available for the NBA draft.

So, given Trevor’s never-wavering confidence, Lolita gave in. He had her blessing -- and understanding.

“I lived with my son and I saw how hard he worked, ever since he was a child,” said Lolita, who for nine years had raised Trevor as a single parent. “All Trevor ever played with was a ball ... [he] had a plan when he initially went to college; he only wanted to stay one year. I’m not saying that an education is not important, but school isn’t for everyone.”

With less than a month left in Ariza’s first NBA season, it’s safe to say now that the son had a point. Selected by the New York Knicks with the 43rd overall pick, he has been a bright spot for a team clinging to fading playoff hopes as it meets the Lakers tonight at Staples Center.

“He’s just been great for us,” New York President and General Manager Isiah Thomas said. “He’s only 19. He’s done everything we wanted him to do and more.”

Ariza is averaging six points and three rebounds in about 18 minutes a game. Those aren’t huge numbers, but he has become a fan favorite who has ignited Madison Square Garden crowds with spectacular dunks and acrobatics.

Sonny Vaccaro, director of grass-roots basketball for Reebok, has known Ariza for years and says his success is the best basketball story of the year.

“He didn’t do anything great at UCLA, where he struggled playing for [Howland],” said Vaccaro, who said he regrets failing to lock Ariza into a deal before he signed a six-figure deal with Nike. “When he announced that he was [turning pro], everyone in the world said it was the biggest mistake in the whole darn draft.

“It was the most courageous thing that I’ve ever seen because he went about it by himself. He totally believed in his abilities more than any other kid because he didn’t have people around him telling him that he was great. He didn’t have the hype. I really admire Trevor for what he’s done.”

After watching him work out in the league’s pre-draft camp in Chicago, the Knicks thought Ariza would be a first-round pick. Thomas jumped on the chance to pick him with New York’s only pick of the draft. Thomas said New York scouts Gerald Madkins, a former Bruin player and assistant, and Steve Yoder were “very high” on Ariza.

“Gerald had great things to say about him and told us that he was capable of playing at this level,” Thomas said.

It did not take long for the Knicks to find out that they had someone special in Ariza. Playing on New York’s summer league team in Long Beach, Ariza scored 22 points and grabbed six rebounds in his first game against the Clippers. He followed with 21 points and six rebounds against the Lakers.

“We liked him as a player,” said Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy, whose team twice passed on Ariza. “He has a high IQ for the game and a lot of versatility. We highly considered [drafting] him. Our game is a little more open game, and you can take advantage of his skills. He’s good off the dribble. He can defend. He can handle the ball. Those are the things that we really liked about him.”

The Clippers certainly were not alone when it came to Ariza. A lot of teams liked him. He worked out for 18 of the teams, and all told him they were impressed.

But when draft day came, every team but the Knicks passed on him.

“My biggest motivation is proving people wrong,” said Ariza, who at 6 feet 8, 200 pounds, is nearly the same size he was as a freshman at UCLA, where he averaged 11.6 points and 6.5 rebounds.

“I’ve always known what I could do. I’m not for making people look bad, but when there’s doubters it’s always special to surprise them.”

Ariza said he decided he wanted to go to the NBA at the next opportunity after helping UCLA to an overtime victory at Washington in January of his freshman season. Others never did warm to the idea.

Most experts, Howland among them, said that Ariza would be a lottery pick if he stayed at least one more year at UCLA after shooting 43% from the field, 24% from behind the arc and making only half of his free throws as a freshman.

Howland says now that he was concerned about Ariza’s becoming available for the draft last year because he wasn’t guaranteed a first-round pick.

“My thing was for him to leave his options open,” said Howland, in reference to his recommendation that Ariza not sign with an agent and continue going to class. “[But] I’m really happy for and excited with how things have worked out for him.”

Ariza could hardly be in a better position. He’s shooting better as a pro -- 43.9% from the field, 69.8% from the line -- and as a second-round pick he’ll become an unrestricted free agent after next season. He’s already considered a key to the Knicks’ future.

“We’re going to become a better defensive team, and Trevor is going to be a big part,” said Thomas, who added that Ariza’s defensive skills reminded him of former NBA first-team defender Paul Pressey or a young Scottie Pippen, with Ariza’s ability to defend against either guard position, shooting forwards and, on some nights, even power forwards.

Ariza lives alone in an apartment in White Plains, N.Y., which is near the team’s practice facility in Greenburgh, N.Y., and likes to drive either his new BMW or Hummer. He also loves playing in New York.

“There was a lot of attention at Westchester and, of course, at UCLA, but playing in New York is a totally different beast,” he said. “We have eight beat writers who travel with the team everywhere we go. There’s always somebody watching.”

As the youngest Knick to play in the NBA, Ariza is the rookie New York fans like to regard as their little brother. And he’s enjoying the spotlight. Ariza already has several metropolitan area endorsements and recently signed a six-figure endorsement deal with Antigua and Barbuda, his mother’s native country.

“People kept saying that I wasn’t going to make it,” said Ariza, who helped lead Westchester High to two state championships. “They would say that I was going to end up playing overseas and what-not. Some people flat out would come up to me and tell me that I was making a bad decision and that I was messing up my life.

“It feels good to know that I haven’t.”