Wells Looking Forward to NBA

What’s left for Bonzi Wells?

He’s Ball State’s career scoring leader. He has played in the NCAA basketball tournament. He’s a two-time All-Mid-American Conference selection.

And it’s likely his basketball career won’t end when he leaves school in the spring.

“I think Bonzi Wells will get drafted and play in the NBA,” the league’s scouting director, Marty Blake, said. “He plays defense. That’s a rarity . . . He needs a little work on his shooting and ballhandling, but we deal in positives, not negatives.”

Wells figures his future in the NBA will take care of itself.

“I’m not worried about it right now . . . I’m trying to win this league and get to the NCAA tournament,” said Wells, who has guided Ball State to a 12-3 record and an MAC-best 6-1. “I feel like if I handle all my business here and lead my team, everything should fall into place for me.”

Wells might be right. His draft stock seems to rise with each performance--including 34 points, nine rebounds and six steals last month in a 70-66 victory over Mississippi, then ranked 14th.

His 2,164 career points is second in MAC history and puts him within range of the conference record 2,377 by Miami’s Ron Harper.

“He’s got good size, long arms, good touch and he’s got a good feel for the game,” said Darrell Hedric, head scout for the Cleveland Cavaliers. “I think he’ll be a high first-round draft choice.”

At 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, Wells, a small forward, will have to be converted into a shooting guard. He’s also going to play a season that’s about 50 games longer.

“I need to work on a consistent perimeter shot. In that league, you’ve got to knock down the open shot,” Wells said. “And I need to work on my body a little more.

“I want to get to the point where guys won’t be able to push me around. If I get to the [NBA], you’ve got to be able to take 82 games of wear and tear.”

Ball State Coach Ray McCallum isn’t as concerned about Wells’ eventual transition to the NBA. He has seen Wells battle Portland Trail Blazers’ forward Gary Trent (Ohio University) in the low post and run the floor with Eastern Michigan’s 5-foot-5 Earl Boykins.

Wells’ 305 steals are an MAC record.

“He has great lateral quickness and he benches over 300 pounds,” McCallum said. “That’s a versatility a lot of people don’t have.”

Wells’ size and quickness add up to an offensive advantage. He blows by big men with a quick first step and overpowers guards in the post.

Wells has averaged 21.2 points per game during his career, shooting 48% from the field. He has scored 22.7 per game this season, shooting 50%.