Moss Shows Off His Crossover

Minnesota Viking wide receiver Randy Moss might not have enough skills to play in the NBA right now, but he’s athletic enough not to embarrass himself playing in the Southern California Summer Pro League.

Thanks to a special arrangement with the league, Moss played his second of three games Thursday at the Long Beach Pyramid and finished with nine points and nine rebounds in 15 minutes to help lead the NBA Pros to a 103-88 victory over Passing Lane.

“He has skills. He played well,” NBA veteran Bo Outlaw said about Moss, his teammate for a day. “I don’t know if he could play [in the NBA], but that really doesn’t matter because he is great at what he does. You don’t need to put in people’s head that he can play [pro basketball].”

Even though the summer league is more laid back than intense, Moss has approached his basketball excursion with vehemence. After the game Thursday, he stormed past autograph seekers, refused to talk to reporters and walked straight out of the gym. He will play his final game today with the Magic Johnson All-Stars, who take on Play 2 Win at 12:45 p.m.

Although the contract Moss signed as a rookie with the Vikings does not address his playing organized basketball in the off-season, Minnesota Coach Dennis Green said he doesn’t have a problem with Moss’ activity.

“Randy talked to me about playing summer league basketball games to let me know that he intended to do that,” Green said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for Randy to play with the legendary Magic Johnson. It’s an opportunity that people will really jump at.

“Randy’s 100% committed to the National Football League and the Minnesota Vikings. He’s playing these three all-star games for fun and enjoyment and then he’ll be 100%, full speed ahead for training camp.”

Moss, listed at 6 feet 4 and 198 pounds, has put up pretty good numbers in two basketball games. He’s averaging 11 points and 6.5 rebounds after having 13 points and four rebounds in 19 minutes in his first game with Pro Advantage on Wednesday.

On Thursday, however, Moss had problems with his perimeter game and turnovers. He made only four of 13 shots, with his four baskets coming on putbacks near the rim or on fastbreaks.

Passing Lane’s Marlin Kimbrew, who matched up against Moss on Thursday, gave Moss some credit.

“In basketball, if you can run and jump, you can go out and play. But he’s solid,” Kimbrew said. “He didn’t do any talking, he just worked hard. He’s kind of quick. . . . I don’t think he’s a three-point shooter, but he kept shooting them. But you can tell he’s an athlete.”

NBA Pro Coach Lapoe Smith didn’t even know Moss would be on his team until minutes before the start of Thursday’s game.

“This was the first time I ever saw him in my life, except on TV. . . . I didn’t know if he could play or not,” Smith said.

“I’ve been around this game for a long time, and I’ve seen a lot of players. He’s a great athlete, but it’s not for me to tell if he could play NBA basketball. . . . With some teaching, who knows. . . . That’s the best thing about summer league basketball. You get a chance to do what you can do.”

Added longtime NBA player agent Fred Slaughter, “I thought he played well. . . . What I was shocked by was his size. I thought he was smaller than what he is. He played really hard.”

All Moss had to do to play in the Long Beach summer league was pay a $395 fee and sign a release form. But his NFL future is at an important stage, considering Moss is seeking a long-term contract extension worth more than the eight-year, $56-million deal Keyshawn Johnson signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in April.

Moss is scheduled to make $358,000 this season, but his contract contains a unique escalator clause that could dramatically increase his pay the following year. If he makes the Pro Bowl after this season, his base salary will rise by $2.5 million and give him an aggregate compensation of about $3.5 million in 2001.

But if Moss is planning to use pro basketball as an option, he has some work to do.

Summer League Notes

The Lakers dropped to 1-3 Thursday after losing to Seattle, 86-74, despite 17 points from Devean George. Tonight at 7:30 the Lakers play Olimpia Milano, the Italian team owned by Kobe Bryant.