NBA
By MARK FISCHER
and SCOTT KRINSKY
Daily sports Writers
A Daily sports Analysis
This is the time of year that the NBA
brass could use a course in advance
chemistry, for today the owners will
select from the cream of the college
crop the players that they hope will help
compose a winning formula. But as in
chemistry, just the right ingredients -
the right players - must be added to
the mix in order for the desired reaction
to take place. The following analysis
consists of an attempt to isolate the
catalysts that each NBA team needs to
spark that winning reaction, and the
probable picks of each club, in order of
selection.
1) DALLAS - Mark Aguirre (F, 6-6,
215, De Paul) The Mavs have already
made an official statement asserting
that they will take Aguirre as the first
pick overall in this year's draft.
2) DETROIT-Isiah Thomas (G, 6-1,
180, Indiana) The Pistons wasted no
time in publicly declaring their inten-
tion of taking Isiah, the world's quin-
tessential point guard, as their first-
round selection. This announcement
comes as no surprise, as the Pistons
need help everywhere, and Thomas is
certainly the best player available at
this point.
3) NEW JERSEY-Buck Williams
(F, 6-8, 230, Maryland) The Nets'
acquisition of Otis Birdsong and sub-
sequent deportation of 6-9 power for-
ward Cliff Robinson to the Kansas City
Kings in an afternoon trade yesterday
makes this selection a near certainty.
The Nets need help in a lot of places, but
now they need a good big man more
than ever, and Williams, a strong, har-
dworking defensive player and a
tenacious rebounder, is the best big
man available in this year's draft.
4) CHICAGO-Steve Johnson (C, 6-11.
240, Oregon State) The Bulls are quite
strong at guard (with Reggie Theus,
Ricky Sobers, Ronnie Lester and Co.)
and solid in the frontcourt (David
Greenwood, Dwight Jones, etc.) Thus
their primary need right now consists
of an adequate backup center to help
out the A-Train - the aging Artis
Gilmore - in the pivot. According to
superscout Marty Blake, who sells his
services to every NBA club, "There is
only one center in this draft . .. Steve
Johnson, period."
Johnson is strong, and can score han-
dily inside (his career field goal percen-
tage in college was .677). However,
suspect rebounding ability coupled with
limited shooting range cloud his status
as a surefire success story in the pro
ranks.
5) SEATTLE - Orlando Woolridge
(F, 6-9, 215, Notre Dame) - After a
year in the cellar, the subsequent
signings of Gus Williams and Alex
English represent positive steps and
renewed vigor towards bringing back
the better days of Seattle's victorious
past. The All-Star, USC duo of Williams
and Paul Westphal is one of the greatest
around. Jack Sikma and Lonnie Shelton
should provide strong board work, and
English, one of the more underrated
players in the game, fits the bill of
small forward perfectly. Yet due to the
aging of John Johnson and erratic play
of James Bailey, the Sonics could use
more bench strength at forward.
Hence the Seattle brass is leaning
toward Woolridge, who is versatile
* enough - he has good size but can han-
dle and pass with expertise - to play
either big or small forward.
6) ATLANTA - Rolando Blackman
(G, 6-6, 190, Kansas State)-With
The Michigan Daily-Tuesday, June 9, 1981-Page 15
ISIsAH To DETROIT:
)rass seek catalysts
powerful rebounding from Dan Roun-
dfield and Steve Hawes, who just signed
a new contract with the Hawks Friday,
and the speed and scoring punch of
John Drew, the Hawks remain A-OK in
the frontcourt.
Their lightning-quick backcourt -
comprised of 6-2 Eddie Johnson, 5-11
Wes Matthews, and 5-8 Charlie Criss, is
simply too short for the NBA, however.
Blackman possesses size, speed,
strength, a good shooting touch, and the
outstanding defesive abilities
necessary to compensate for his fellow
gards' lack of height. His ballhandling
is nothing to brag about, but he can
leave that to his smaller counterpart.
7) KANSAS CITY - Al Wood (F-G, 6-
6, 187, North Carolina) - The defec-
tions of team scoring leaders Otis Bir-
ds.ong and Scott Wedman to New Jersey
and Cleveland, respectively, dictate a
definite need for another point producer
in the K.C. lineup. The King backcourt
remains solid with Phil Ford and Ernie
Grunfeld, and the team's already
adequate rebounding strength (Sam
Lacey, Reggie "Mule" King) was
shored with the acquisition of 6-9 Cliff
Robinson. Thus Wood, an outstanding
shooter who can drive to the hole and
score inside as well as rebound, would
be the perfect pick here.
NOTE: Blackman and Wood are
fairly interchangeable, as they were on
the 1980 Olympic team. If Atlanta takes
Wood, K.C. should take Blackman.
8) SAN DIEGO-Danny Vranes (F, 6-7,
212, Utah) - The Clippers have the
guards (Brian Taylor, Phil Smith,
Freeman Williams), a standout scoring
forward in Michael Brooks, and a
Chairman of the Boards center in Swen
Nater. What they need now is a solid
rebounding forward who can take some
of the scoring weight off Brooks.
Vranes is a good shooter, he can jump,
and he works hard - San Diego could
make good use of him.
9) DALLAS-Frank Johnson (G, 6-1,
175, Wake Forest) - With Aguirre and
Tom LaGarde, the Mavs are set at for-
ward for awhile. Now all they need is a
center and a guard or two. Since, as
Marty Blake said, there are no real cen-
ters besides Steve Johnson, Dallas'
logical pick should be Frank Johnson,
the best guard available. He's ex-
tremely quick, has a good jumper, and
can play either point or scoring guard.
10) NEW JERSEY - Franklin Ed-
wards (G, 6-1, 175, Cleveland State)-The
Nets are fairly weak at both the center
and point guard spots, which are now
being manned by Mike Gminski and
Foots Walker, respectively. Bob
McAdoo, who was acquired at the end
of last season, and Buck Williams, the
Nets' probable Number Three pick, can
help out down low, however, so the N.J.
brass will probably give the nod to Ed-
wards, CSU's star point man.
11) WASHINGTON - (Herb Williams
(C, 6-11, 240, Ohio State) - Unseld
gone, Hayes and Dandridge on their
way out. Williams has a lot of potential.
12) DETROIT - Jay Vincent (F, 6-8,
225, Michigan State) - Led Big Ten in
scoring with velvet touch. Home state
appeal.
13) UTAH - Tom Chambers (C, 6-10,
220, Utah) - Jazz need height, local
appeal.
14) INDIANA - Ray Tolbert (F, 6-
9, 218, Indiana) - Big Ten MVP,
Pacers need forward help, local appeal.
15, 16) PORTLAND - Kelly Tripucka
(F, 6-6, 210, Notre Dame), Albert King
(F, 6-6, 190, Maryland) - Two excellent
all-around athletes. Complementary -
Tripucka the bruiser, King the scorer.
quor
17) CLEVELAND - Darnell Valen-
tine (G, 6-1, 180, Kansas) - Cavs need
quickness in backcourt desperately;
Valentine a great defensive player.
18) NEW JERSEY - Mike McGee
(G/F, 6-5, 190, MICHIGAN)-Best
player available at this point, great of-
fensive player, speed and shooting
makes him perfect for scoring role in
pros.
19) LOS ANGELES - Dan Schayes
(C, 6-11, 245, Syracuse) - Jabbar needs
rebounding and bench help. Schayes
good outside shooter, good in post-
season.
20) PHOENIX - Alton Lister (C, 6-
11, 235, Arizona State) - Strong defen-
sively, where Alvan Adams needs help.
Suns OK otherwise.
21) MILWAUKEE - Howard Wood
(F, 6-7, 230, Tennessee) - Gives Bucks
the power forward they've been
missing since Dave Meyers left.
22) PHILADELPHIA Gene Banks (F,
6-7, 210, Duke) - Best athlete
available, hometown boy.
23) BOSTON - Jeff Lamp (G/F, 6-5,
200, Virginia) - Celts need a guard to
replace aging Archibald, Ford, and
Carr. Ainge may not be available
because of pro baseball. Lamp a good
shooter, smart.
ISIAH THOMAS IS doing what he does best in Big Ten action against the
Minnesota Gophers - penetrating. Thomas, the 6-1 point guard who sparked
Indiana to the national championship last March, is going to be the first-
round pick of the Detroit Pistons in today's NBA draft, the team announced
Sunday.