The Michigan Daily--Thursday; Jure 11, 1981-Page 15
'M' cagers discuss NBA
McGee"
moves on
to Lo's
A ngeles
For Mike McGee, Tuesday's draft
marked the achievement of a long-time
personal goal. "It's like a dream come
true," said McGee. "I've worked very
hard. When I was growing up, I always
saw them playing professional
(basketball), and I said to myself 'I
want to be a professional basketball
player'."
As Los Angeles' first round draft
choice, McGee will be joining one of the
more talented teams in the NBA,
despite the fact that last season the
Lakers bowed out of the playoffs in the
first round.
MCGEE IS aware of the fact that Los
Angeles is capable of gunning for a
championship. "That makes me feel
great to go to a team that you know is
going to be in the playoffs, that you
know has a great, great chance to win
the whole thing," said McGee. "I'm
just real, real excited about it and I'm
just waiting to get this cast off (his
ankle which was injured in a pickup
game) and play some hall."
However, the talent in the Laker line-
up will reduce McGee from the star
status that he enjoyed at Michigan, to a
role player with the Lakers. The 6-5
for'Ward knows that the role he is expec-
ted to fill is one in Which he excels put-
ting the ball in the basket.
"My representative called'me while
they (the Lakers) were drafting me,
and he explained why they drafted
me," said McGee. "He said they
needed someone to come off the bench
and do some scoring."
THE OMAHA, Neb. native said that
the Lakers are not pressuring him to
play in a summer league. He said that
Los Angeles wanta him to just wait and
let his ankle get better. According to
McGee, "This is their main concern."
When McGee hurt his ankle, there
was some speculation that this might
hurt him in the draft. But this
speculation ended early Tuesday after-
noon when Laker coach Paul Westhead
called McGee tobcongratulate the
Michigan star on being Los Angeles'
firstround draft choice.
While the Lakers certainly aren't
happy about McGee's injury, they don't
seem overly worried. "We've checked
his ankle to the extent that we think
he'll be ready to go, if not by the sum-
mer, then by October when we start,"
said a Laker spokesman. "It, is cer-
tainly a concern, but not a big concern.
And certainly not a big enough concern
1lpass him (up in the initial round of
the draft)."
Heuerman
to try luck
at pro ball;
shelves law
school plans
Paul Heuerman was set to go to law
school when the Phoenix Suns proved
persuasive enough to get the Michigan
center to alter his plans - they drafted
him in the fifth round of Tuesday's
college draft.
"I was all set to go to law school in the
fall," said Heuerman. Well now if I try
out for the team and do well, I may
start law school a semester late. Or
hopefully, if I make the team, I
wouldn't start at all, for a while, and
keep playing. Law school will always be
there, but this is a chance of a lifetime
for me, to try out with an NBA team."
GOING INTO the draft, Heuerman
had little idea what to expect in the
draft. "As far as getting drafted, I
wasn't sure if I would get drafted or
how soon or how late."
The only clue Heuerman had to go on
was given to him by another former
Wolverine center, Phil Hubbard.
"This weekend, I was playing with
Hubbard, Campy Russell and (Alan)
Hardy and some of those guys ina tour-
nament, and Hubbard said that ,he
definitely thought I'd get drafted," said
Heuerman. "But he wasn't sure (in)
what round."
ALTHOUGH HE lacks a superstar's
credentials, Heuerman is looking for-
ward to fighting for a spot on the
Phoenix squad. "I'm very excited
about the opportunity I have to go out
and try out with Phoenix," said
.Heuerman. "I'm looking forward to the
challenge ahead of me.
"I thought it would be nice to just get
drafted and try out. It's one last shot
before you're done playing. Getting
drafted ... (in the fifth round) will
give me a real shot at making the
team."
Heuerman admits that his knowledge
of the Phoenix team is limited, but adds
that what information he has about the
Suns impresses him. "To be quite
honest with you, I don't know a whole
lot about Phoenix," he said. "I don't
have time during the year to watch a lot
of pro games. From what I've seen, and
whenever I do see them it appears to
me that they're a good type of team for
myself. They seem to have good
coaches and it seems like they've got a
good solid club. Maybe I can fit in with
the players. who are playing there
now.
Baseball strike
looks inevitable
NEW YORK (AP)-Baseball moved full force toward a strike yesterday after
U.S. District judge Henry Werker denied a request for an injunction that would
have postponed a walkout and the issue of free agent compensation for another
year.
The Major League Players Association said a strike would begin tomorrow, with
one official saying it would come regardless of any appeal by the National Labor
Relations Board.
TWICE IN THE last 13 months, last-minute agreements have saved the sport
from a players walkout.
But Werker called a third try "out," and said the question of what compensation'
a team receives when it loses a free agent in the re-entry draft should be decided at
the bargaining table, not in the courts.
Ironically, Werker ended his ruling with the admonition: "Play Ball!"
PETER ROSE, associate counsel to the players association, said the union had
informed the players that no games would be played "on Friday, June 12, or
thereafter until settlement is reached and approveti by the players."
Players on teams which are on road trips are making arrangements to fly home
tonight, he said.
Rose added, however, that "there's more than enough time to reach a settlement
if the owners decide they want one."
IN OAKLAND, Doug DeCinces, the American League player representative,
said an appeal of Werker's ruling would not delay a strike.
"There is a possibility of an appeal, but that would not stop the 48-hour
deadline," DeCinces, the Baltimore Orioles' third baseman, said of the time limit
for calling a strike.
Federal mediator Kenneth Moffett called another bargaining session for today,
but DeCinces said he saw no chance of negotiations forestalling baseball's third
strike in nine years and the first midseason walkout in history.
"WHY SHOULD THEY, (the owners) negotiate now," DeCinces said in
Oakland, where the Orioles were to play the A's. "They haven't negotiated for 16
months."
There was a chance that any appeal filed by the NLRB could contain a request'
for further delay. But an NLRB spokesman here said any decision on an appeal
would have to be made by William Lubbers, the Board's general counsel in
Washington.
A copy of Werker's 23-page decision would be sent to Lubbers as soon as possible,
the NLRB spokesman said. Lubbers said Werker's decision "will have to, be
studied closely"_before the agency decides whether to appeal the decision.
AP Photo
U.S. DISTRICT COURT Judge Henry Werker ruled yesterday that baseball
was innocent of an unfair labor practice charge, a decision that will likely
lead to a strike tomorrow. Werker denied a request for an injunction that
would have postponed a walkout and the issue of free agent compensation for
another year. Werker saidsthe issue of what compensation a team receives
when it loses a free agent in the re-entry draft should be decided at the
bargainingitable, not in the courts.