Is there a John Starks, Bruce Bowen, or Ben Wallace out there?
That is the question the Wizards have posed to nine free agents — including locals Jonathan Wallace of Georgetown and Will Thomas of George Mason — who will try to buck long odds and earn a spot on an NBA roster after being passed over in the draft.
The players are trying out this week at Verizon Center in hopes of making the Wizards’ 12-man roster for the Las Vegas Summer League, where Washington will play five games, July 14-20.
If NCAA Final Four experience counts, Thomas, a 6-7 forward, and Wallace, a 6-1 guard, will have an advantage. Thomas started four seasons at GMU, including the 2006 Cinderella squad that upset North Carolina and UConn. Wallace started every game in his four years at GU and hit the key 3-pointer in regulation that got the Hoyas to overtimein an Elite Eight victory over Carolina in 2007.
Other players the Wizards have invited to try out include:
Gary Forbes (Massachusetts) » The 6-7, 220-pound swingman went undrafted last month despite a breakout senior season in which he averaged 19 points and eight rebounds, winning A-10 Player of the Year honors. Forbes started his college career at Virginia.
Vytas Danelius (Wake Forest) » The 6-9 forward, now 26, has been out of college for three years and played professionally in Russia this season. He was a second-team All-ACC choice as a sophomore at Wake before injuries derailed his career.
Dontaye Draper (Charleston) » The 5-11 guard declared for the 2007 draft after his junior year, but was passed over. The Baltimore product averaged 16 points, 5 assists in final college season.
Mike Peeples (Fairleigh Dickinson) » The 6-6 forward averaged 12 points, six rebounds as a senior at FDU in 2006-07. Peeples played briefly in NBA D-League this year.
Frank Elegar (Drexel) » The 6-9 forward averaged 14 points and eight rebounds this season, his third as a starter at Drexel.
Taj McCullough (Winthrop) » The 6-7, 230-pound forward averaged 12 points and six boards this year as a senior at Winthrop.
Jason Rich (Florida State) » The 6-3 guard started four years for Seminoles. Rich averaged 15 points as a senior.
