Blazers work out 'raw' center

Koponen arrives early for summer league

By Kerry Eggers

The Portland Tribune, Jun 19, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (5 Reader comments)

JaVale McGee (left) of Nevada contests a shot by Creighton's Anthony Tolliver during an NCAA Tournament game last year. The 7-foot McGee is raw, but the Trail Blazers liked his energy during a workout in Portland on Thursday.

CHRIS GRAYTHEN / GETTY IMAGES

The Trail Blazers aren’t in the market for a center or a power forward, so it would seem as if Thursday’s workout session with Nevada center JaVale McGee and Alabama power forward Richard Hendrix was pretty much a waste of time.

Not so, Portland coach Nate McMillan said.

“When you’re in our situation (the 13th pick of next Thursday’s NBA draft), you take the best talent available, no matter what the position,” McMillan said. “That’s what we’ll do.”

And Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard has hinted that if the Blazers use their pick, they might dabble in the “futures” market, meaning a player such as McGee could get some consideration.

The 7-foot, 235-pound McGee is young (20) and a shot-blocker who averaged 14.1 points and 7.3 rebounds and led the Western Athletic Conference in blocks at 2.8 as a sophomore last season.

“McGee is long, athletic and can run and jump out of the gym,” McMillan said. “He’s a center who could play some power forward. Very raw. But you could throw him in (an NBA) game next year, because he brings a lot of energy to the court.”

Because centers Robin Lopez of Stanford and Kosta Koufos of Ohio State canceled promised appearances, McGee and Hendrix were the only players at Thursday’s session.

“With two guys,” McMillan observed, “you can only do so much.”

Portland was the ninth club McGee has worked out for, following Miami (which owns the No. 2 pick), Memphis (5), New York (6), the L.A. Clippers (7), Charlotte (9), New Jersey (10), Indiana (11), Phoenix (15) and Philadelphia (16). It’s unlikely McGee will be drafted among the first dozen picks, “but I’ll go somewhere in the first round,” he said.

McGee flew into Portland Wednesday night and had dinner with members of the Blazers’ management team.

1 | 2 Next Page >>

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit