Clippers Keep Options Open --All of Them

The Clippers, who have the seventh pick in today’s NBA draft, officially say they haven’t decided who they’ll select.

The Clippers brought in Kentucky forwards Antoine Walker and Walter McCarty, Villanova guard Kerry Kittles, Syracuse forward John Wallace, Alabama center Roy Rogers, Louisville forward Samaki Walker, prep star Kobe Bryant of Lower Merion (Pa.) High, North Carolina State center Todd Fuller and Wright State forward Vitaly Potapenko for workouts.

Connecticut guard Ray Allen, who didn’t work out for the Clippers, is also being considered, although the Clippers already have five guards under contract. Allen was originally thought to be one of the top five picks in the draft but he could be available.

“Not having seen him isn’t a problem, because of those top guys [Georgetown guard Allen] Iverson, [Massachusetts center Marcus] Camby and the kid coming in late from Cal [forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim] have been pretty well scouted, and I think the same is true in this case,” Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said. “If Allen were to come down to us, he’d be a likely suspect, but I don’t think he’ll get as far as seven.”

Bryant, a 6-foot-6 guard selected as the national high school player of the year by USA Today, impressed the Clippers, but Fitch says he needs time to mature.

“Kobe Bryant is going to be a fine young player,” Fitch said. “If he were to go to the Bulls and carry [Michael] Jordan’s bag around for the next two years, it might be the best thing that ever happened to them. But if he goes to a team and gets in a situation he can’t handle, it might destroy the confidence he has in himself.”

Potapenko, a 6-10 forward/center from Ukraine, intrigues the Clippers because of his maturity.

“He’s got the work ethic of a great player I had in New Jersey [Drazen Petrovic],” Fitch said. “He’s a tough kid and he’s going to get better. He’s really good down on the box and he runs the floor well. I think he’ll be a [power forward]. He doesn’t have the size that Brian [Williams] has. You’d never make a center out of Potapenko.”

Antoine Walker is a 6-9 sophomore who averaged 15.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists in helping Kentucky win the NCAA title.

“The one talent he has is that he could be a point forward,” Fitch said. “You could use him out on the floor to handle the ball and he can penetrate. He’s a talent.”

McCarty, a 6-10 senior, started 32 of 36 games for Kentucky, averaging a career-high 11.3 points and 5.7 rebounds. Kittles, a 6-5 All-American guard, averaged 20.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

Wallace, a 6-8 forward who declared himself eligible for the 1995 NBA draft before returning to Syracuse for his senior season, is one of the top frontcourt players available after averaging 22.2 points and 8.7 rebounds last season.

Samaki Walker, a 6-9 sophomore, averaged 15.1 points and 7.5 rebounds last season. Rogers, a 6-10 center, averaged 13.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.9 blocked shots last season.

The Clippers, who acquired Williams, forward Rodney Rogers and rookie guard Brent Barry in a draft-day trade with the Denver Nuggets last season, haven’t ruled out making a deal this year.

“We’ve tried to do that, but we don’t have much time left,” General Manager Elgin Baylor said. “So far nothing has happened, so it doesn’t look that good.”

With Williams about to become an unrestricted free agent, have the Clippers considered selecting a center in case Williams departs?

“We’ve thought about the possibility of Brian not signing, but we believe we’ll be able to sign Brian Williams,” Baylor said.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Clippers in First Round *--*

Year Pick Player Pos. School 1990 8 Bo Kimble G Loyola Marymount 1990 13 Loy Vaught F Michigan 1991 22 LeRon Ellis C Syracuse 1992 16 Randy Woods G LaSalle 1992 25 Elmore Spencer C Nevada Las Vegas 1993 13 Terry Dehere G Seton Hall 1994 7 Lamond Murray F California 1994 25 Greg Minor* G Louisville 1995 2 Antonio McDyess** F Alabama

*--*

*--Traded with Mark Jackson to Indiana for Pooh Richardson, Malik Sealy and the rights to Eric Piatkowski. **--Traded with Randy Woods to Denver for Rodney Rogers and the rights to Brent Barry.