Tale of two Zags
As teammates at Gonzaga University for the past two seasons, Adam Morrison and J.P. Batista shared the same goal of helping keep the Bulldogs’ men’s basketball program among the nation’s elite.
They succeeded, leading the Zags to 55 wins, a pair of West Coast Conference championships and two more NCAA tournament berths.
But when the 2006 National Basketball Association draft plays out on Wednesday from New York’s Madison Square Garden, the two former GU standouts will be watching a half a continent apart – and with dramatically different expectations.
Morrison, a 6-foot-8 small forward, who averaged 28.1 points per game and led the nation in scoring as a junior last winter, is expected to be among the first four or five players selected and will be on hand at the Garden to dutifully don the baseball cap of the team fortunate enough to secure his considerable talents.
Batista, a 6-9, 270-pound center, who averaged 19.3 points and a team-high 9.4 rebounds for the 29-4 Zags as a senior last season, will probably join his Dallas-based agent George Bass and watch the draft on television from the comfort of Bass’ living room.
The Brazilian native with the massive body, exceptional strength, soft hands and ability to finish plays on the low blocks, was predicted during the season to be a potential late second-round draft pick, but has since slipped off the board of most mock drafts and will probably end up signing as a free agent.
Morrison, who has spent the past couple of months living in an apartment in Woodland Hills, Calif., and training under former UCLA and NBA forward Don MacLean, is being projected as the No. 1 selection in this year’s draft by the most recent mock drafts published on the Web sites of DraftExpress and ProBasketballNews.
Four of the other eight mock drafts used by NBA.com to comprise its consensus draft have Morrison, a prep standout at Mead High School, listed as the No. 3 pick and none has him listed lower than fourth.
During a recent workout for the Portland Trail Blazers, Morrison refused to speculate on where he might go in Wednesday’s the draft. But the fact that Topps has already signed him to an exclusive deal that is reportedly worth close to a half-million dollars, would seem to indicate the brass of the nation’s leading trading card company likes the chances of his name being called early.
In addition, Morrison has only worked out for four NBA teams – Toronto, Chicago, Charlotte and Portland – which are the teams with the first four draft picks.
Morrison has said he would like playing for Portland, noting he would be just a few hours from his hometown. But with the Blazers scheduled to pick fourth, there is no guarantee he will still be available.
Realizing he has little control over which team will draft him, Morrison said he has concentrated on conditioning.
“It’s been tough, but you gotta make sure you’re in shape at these workouts,” he explained, “so we’ve been working a lot on conditioning. It’s been hard, but it’s been fun in the sense that we’re about ready to get playing basketball.
“But if you asked the majority of (the top draft prospects), they probably wish it was June 29th to find out where they’re going.”
As a free agent, Batista would have more control over where he plays. His agent is confident his friendly giant of a client will make the most of whatever opportunity arises.
According to Bass, Batista has worked out for 10 NBA teams, most of which he has impressed with his outside shooting.
“I think everybody has really been surprised by the distance he’s put on his jumper,” said Bass. “He shoots the 3 a whole lot better than anybody ever dreamed he could.”
Batista, like Morrison, has been working with a professional trainer and nutritionist since arriving in Dallas. His trainer, Bass said, works with some of the top athletes in the Dallas area.
“And he told me he’s never had anybody work as hard at J.P. does,” Bass added.
Batista, who could not be reached for comment because of his hectic workout schedule, has also impressed his agent with his character.