Now that was an entertaining predraft workout. Maybe it’s just that the NBA Draft is just three days away, or maybe it was just a combination of decently talented and intriguing players and a Wizards coaching staff and front office that has to be giddy over what will happen on Thursday.
The workout roster for the day included a bunch of guys that could’ve – and probably should’ve – declared last year: Solomon Alabi, C, Florida State, 7’1; Devan Downey, G, South Carolina, 5’9; A.J. Ogilvy, C, Vanderbilt, 6’11; Magnum Rolle, F/C, Louisiana Tech, 6’11; Samardo Samuels, F, Louisville, 6’9; Bobby Maze, G, Tennessee, 6’3.
As it works out, Alabi is by far projected the highest – so high, in fact, that it’s a little strange that he would even undergo a workout in Washington. The consensus seems to be that he will be gone by the time the Wizards’ second pick – No. 30 overall – comes around. Or will he? It makes one wonder if the Wizards will indeed make moves to get themselves into the middle of the first round, or if mock drafts, in their infinite wisdom, are just plain wrong. Tons of variables are at work, so don’t read too much into any single theory.
Alabi himself was classic in Flip Saunders’ vaunted “7” drill, trying desperately to close the exercise with a 3-pointer, so much so that he kept heaving attempts even after airballing his first try.
“I was trying to shoot three-pointers to make it more entertaining,” said Alabi. But was this the appropriate time or place for those antics? Not so sure.
Rolle was back for his second Wizards workout – he was coming off a hip flexor the last time he was at Verizon Center, and both Alabi and Samuels set up nicely as sparring partners.
Asked about where he’s being projected, Rolle confidently answered: “I think I’ll be gone before 45, so gotta hope for the best.” Okay, then. Pencil him in.
Both of today’s point guards were SEC opponents of future Wizard John Wall, starting with Downey, who put up 30 points against Kentucky en route to knocking them from the ranks of the unbeaten in January.
“Just that all that magazine hype don’t mean anything,” said Downey of what he proved that night, “But [Wall is] a great player. He couldn’t do anything about the media exposure he gets, but I just wanted to let him know I’m a good player, too.”
Maze has grown up alongside current D.C.’s current crop of NBA players – Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, Ty Lawson, et al. His route to the professional ranks was a bit longer and not nearly as straight, but he still hopes to find a place among the area’s unparalleled generation of stars.
“It’s kind of funny because a lot guys of like to play pick-up at places like Maryland and Georgetown,” said Maze. “Sometimes, you got NBA players that might not get a chance to play the first game because there’s so many. You got guys coming in, sometimes its 15-20 NBA players, and everybody feel like they should be on the court, and then you got guys like me coming out of college, and I feel like I should be on the court. I think it’s a great opportunity for us players coming in to keep that legacy going.”
He’ll be in Suitland on Thursday evening hoping to get a call.
As for Samuels, who probably had a better chance of getting a call last June, he thinks his workouts have helped him show more than he did during a somewhat disappointing sophomore season at Louisville. He had little problem with the “7” drill and had good reason to be comfortable on the Verizon Center practice court, since he hung out there quite a bit there with Andray Blatche last summer.
“He’s the funniest guy in the world,” said Samuels. “He’s a cool dude. Last summer, I spent a lot of time with him. I worked with him a little bit. He taught me a lot of stuff, as far as being a post player, being able to put the ball on the floor. He helped me last summer, and we’re pretty close… He had a great season toward the end. The team success wasn’t really good, but individually, he did really well. He’s going to build on that, and next year he should be even better.”
Somehow, if he finds the right fit, it won’t be surprising if we say the same thing about Samuels.
