By AJ Cadman
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Judging by the college program Jerome Moiso has played for and
the professional program he will play for, one would have to
acknowledge his passion for teams with legacies.
After two seasons in Westwood with the most storied basketball
school in NCAA history, the former Bruin will soon pack his bags
for Boston to play for another storied program. On June 28 in
Minneapolis, the Celtics selected Moiso with the 11th pick overall
in the 2000 NBA Draft. The West Indies native will provide a plug
at any of Boston’s frontcourt positions.
“Depending on what my role is going to be on the team, I
know that when I get on the court, I will produce,” Moiso
said. “I’m pretty sure I have the talent and the
skills, and I know where I’m going now.”
Adjustment from the college game to the professional level,
combined with the move to the East Coast, does not shake the Bruin
sophomore’s confidence.
“I got the experience I needed,” Moiso said.
“The coaches pushed me all the way through. They knew my mind
was on the NBA. They were behind me and I had their support, so
that was good.”
Another UCLA sophomore with NBA hoop dreams, JaRon Rush, did not
hear his name called from the podium. Rush is now a free agent who
has permission to sign with any NBA ballclub. Through his agent
Raymond Brothers, Rush has announced his intention to participate
in the Boston Celtics summer league team starting July 17. This
does not constitute a guaranteed contract nor an invitation to
training camp, but Rush will have a forum to showcase his open
court game, speed and leaping ability.
Should the Kansas City native fail to find any NBA suitors, he
still has several options. Rush may choose to test the waters of
the Continental Basketball Association, which could soon be sold to
the NBA players union by former Detroit Piston point guard Isiah
Thomas. Or he could join the newly formed American Basketball
Association, which will use a red, white and blue ball like the
original ABA, which existed from 1967 to 1976. He could also pursue
a guaranteed contract overseas.
On the Los Angeles scene, the once-bottom-feeding Clippers took
one night to revamp their roster and bring new life to a team that
had been the laughingstock of professional sports. With the third
pick overall, general manager Elgin Baylor selected East St. Louis
prepster Darius Miles. Many basketball experts, including the likes
of ESPN.com senior writer Andy Katz and former Georgetown coach and
current TNT television analyst John Thompson, compare Miles’
game to that of Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett, who
also made the leap from high school to the pros.
“Kevin Garnett is my idol,” Miles said. “He
and Chris Webber are my two favorite players. I look at KG a little
more because he was in the same situation as me, and he went
through the same things. He’s a great man and a great player.
Hopefully, I can be a lot like him.”
The Clippers then acquired the draft rights to Missouri point
guard Keyon Dooling at the 10th spot. They also picked up Corey
Maggette, Derek Strong and cash for a future first-round pick.
The team once known as “the other L.A. team” then
took DePaul swingman Quentin Richardson at No. 18. The Clippers
finished their draft by taking European guard Marko Jaric at No. 30
““ the first selection in the second and final round.
“I feel good,” Miles said. “I think the
Clippers are a good, young team. I feel we can develop as the years
go on, and hopefully we’ll be a playoff contending
team.”
At a news conference at the Staples Center last Thursday,
Richardson echoed Miles’ optimism.
“I’m so happy to be with these guys,” he said.
“We’re all so cool with each other because all of us
are a lot alike. We get along with others. We don’t think
we’re above anybody. We’re just outgoing guys who are
willing to sacrifice to win.”
The 2000 NBA World Champion Lakers had one sole pick at No. 29
in the first round and waived forward A.C. Green earlier in the
day. They took Stanford’s Mark Madsen to fill that vacancy
immediately. Madsen looks to be the defensive workhorse who should
take the rebounding pressure off Shaquille O’Neal.
The Lakers then traded two future second round picks to the
Spurs for the draft rights to Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College
guard Corey Hightower, the 54th pick in the draft.
The New Jersey Nets, with the top pick, landed Cincinnati power
forward and National Player of the Year Kenyon Martin. The
Vancouver Grizzlies took LSU forward Stromile Swift with the second
pick before the Clippers selected Miles.