Marquette University Athletics
Coach Crean Analyzes Picks No. 12-17
6/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
June 26, 2002
12. Los Angeles Clippers Melvin Ely
I like him as much as any big man in the draft because I think that he has the best back-to-the basket moves around. He might be the most ready to play in the NBA of the 4 and 5's when it comes to playing with his back to the basket. He has been well coached and understands what he has to do.
13. Milwaukee Bucks Marcus Haislip
This is a good pick for the Bucks. They develop their young players, just look at what they did with Michael Redd. He'll get a chance to go against other good people in practice and develop his game. He is very strong, has great timing around the basket and can block shots. He should fit in very well.
14. Indiana Frederick Jones
Oregon had to be doing a lot of things right for the type of year they had and Frederick Jones had a lot to do with that. He is very fast , is a good transition player, and has improved his shooting range every year he has been in college. He is a very good pick and even though I thought that Rush would be the pick there, Frederick Jones is solid and will have a chance to find his way into the rotation. He is another high-energy guy that the NBA is finding a way to get more and more of.
15. Houston Bostjan Nachbar
Another foreign player who many of us haven't seen, but who many others get paid a lot of money to evaluate. I'm sure they are very high on.
16. Philadelphia Jiri Welsch
This young man sounds like a big-time shooter and winner. I've heard that he has excellent toughness and Larry Brown prides himself on getting his teams to play that way and this should be another guy who fits in. But then again, you have to wonder when someone who hasn't worked out for a team that maybe he is being picked for somebody else.
17. Washington Juan Dixon
Boy, there were some mistakes on who to invite to the Green Room this year, wasn't there? Juan Dixon can score as well as any body in the college game. He is much stronger than his weight and has great quickness. He'll have to learn the point but he has one special skill that the NBA can't get enough of - he can shoot with range and when you add the fact that he can hit big shots, he'll fit in. He played on a national championship team and was drafted by the hometown team. If he were a stock, we'd all be buying it now. This kid is hot.
