NBA All-Star Player Robinson, a Rookie, Outranks His Peers

For the first time since Patrick Ewing was selected in 1985, there was a rookie in Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game. Some people argued that San Antonio’s David Robinson deserved to start for the West team instead of Akeem Olajuwon.

The Spurs obviously are thankful that Robinson is around this season, and the NBA should be as well. Based on the first half of the season, this rookie class would seem most mediocre if not for him.

Probably the best finds behind Robinson, the 1987 top overall pick who served two years in the Navy, were found way down at the No. 14 and No. 26 picks. Those picks produced point guard Tim Hardaway for Golden State and Vlade Divac for the Lakers. After that, the best rookie may be Miami point guard Sherman Douglas, who was taken in the second round.

Remember the mystery that shrouded the order of the nine lottery picks last June? The confusion has been validated. Here is how those selections have panned out:

Sacramento center Pervis Ellison (1) finally signed during the preseason but was recovering from off-season surgery to remove bone spurs in a foot. He was around for the first week of the season, but more foot problems forced him onto the injured list. He is expected to return soon.

Danny Ferry (2) went straight to Italy, which, considering the Clippers’ continued bad luck, may have been a wise move. The Clippers traded his rights and Reggie Williams to Cleveland for Ron Harper, who is out for the next year or so because of a knee injury.

Sean Elliott (3) went to San Antonio as part of the coup there, and he became a front-court starter beside Robinson and Terry Cummings.

But Spurs Coach Larry Brown benched Elliott six games ago, elevating Frank Brickowski into the lineup and moving Cummings to small forward. Elliott, the Arizona product whom Coach Lute Olson had compared to Earvin Johnson, was having trouble finishing his drives and he was missing open jumpers. He has not been the active, slashing type of player for which they had hoped.

“Maybe it was best that we take him off the bench right from the beginning,” said Brown, whose screaming has been known to discourage a few of his players. “It’s time to see what he will do coming off the bench.”

Glen Rice (4) celebrated Michigan’s national championship by ingesting great quantities of food. Despite his capabilities, he has failed to take advantage of a great scoring opportunity in Miami.

Making a provincial pick has not proved terribly costly to Charlotte, but J. R. Reid (5) has had difficult transition into the pros after leaving North Carolina early. A natural power forward, he was told to play center. Although it has not been a banner year for Eastern Conference centers, learning his role has not come easily.

The most promising of the lottery picks has been Stacey King (6). The forward-center from Oklahoma began to emerge in January as a reliable spark off Chicago’s bench, showing a nice hook and jumper.

“He’s been playing well for a month now,” Chicago Coach Phil Jackson said. “He’s become a real punch player who can come off the bench and give us some impact.”

“As far as shooting the ball, Stacey’s not hesitating anymore,” Bulls center Bill Cartwright said. “The big thing he’s learned from me and Horace Grant is that once you make up your mind and do something, you’ve got to keep going and let whatever happens, happen.”

He was doing more than Indiana guard George McCloud (7), which is not saying much. The Florida State product was floating somewhere in the Asteroid Belt until January, when Pacers Coach Dick Versace finally decided to try him out, with mixed results.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment in the lottery has been Dallas forward Randy White (8). That has been due partly to a deep front court but, according to Mavericks coaches, also because of his attitude and work habits.

White probably thought that he was going to take the league by storm, and he probably was given that idea by people around him. He is a typical foul-prone, excitable rookie, but his inability to master the plays has most frustrated coaches.

Tom Hammonds (9) plays the hard-working brand of ball that Washington Coach Wes Unseld likes, but as with the Bullets in general, hard work has not been enough.

A player to watch in the next half will be Minnesota point guard Pooh Richardson (10). He recently broke into the starting lineup and has made a nice impact.