The work-in-progress has the vitals every team craves, from the 7-foot-3 height to the chiseled 275-pound frame. Peter John Ramos is a large man who clogs lanes and drops jaws.
He looks the part of dominating big man.
Now the Wizards want to see him play the part. Or at least come close to it.
Ramos is entering his third season of The Project, which makes the upcoming summer league season a key one for him. The Wizards have a team option, which would keep Ramos around in 2007-08 — if they desire.
“It’s an important summer for him,” Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said. “It’s not a time to be inexperienced or nervous. It’s time to be productive.”
Ramos, a second-round pick in 2004, has played in six NBA games in two seasons. But the Wizards considered him a long-term investment when they drafted him. So he’s spent more time in the National Basketball Developmental League. In 43 games last season for Roanoke, Ramos averaged 14.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
He’s still raw in many ways; at times he brings the ball down too low in the post, allowing guards to snatch it away. But, for his size, he’s highly coordinated.
“I want to see less turnovers and be more aware of what’s going on the floor,” Jordan said. “I want him to score inside, or at least get a good quality shot. I want quality passes, quality attempts.”
Is Jordan seeing that?
“Not as much as I’d like,” Jordan said.
But Ramos, who will play for the Puerto Rican national team this year, said he’s noticed an improvement since last summer. He was named a captain of the summer league team.
He said his game is NBA ready. The Wizards, in need of a strong presence in the middle, hope he’s right.
“I’ve improved a lot, my mental attitude,” Ramos said. “There’s no pressure. This year, I’m just ready.”
Note
The Wizards added 6-10 forward Chris Burgess to their summer league roster. Burgess played at Duke before transferring to Utah. He was signed by Phoenix after leaving college in 2002, but was eventually cut.
