12A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 5, 1995
Smith signs for maximum under
new NBA rookie salary scale
MORAGA, Calif. (AP) - Sure, his contract is small
compared with the huge deals signed by No. 1 picks of the
recent past.
But Joe Smith figures more than $8 million for three years
will be plenty to live on comfortably.
Smith, the top pick in last June's NBA draft, signed with
Golden State Wednesday and immediately joined other
Warriors at a mini-camp workout.
Under the new salary scale for NBA rookies, the top draft
pick is limited to a three-year deal worth from $7.11 million
to $8.53 million.
Smith reportedly got the maximum.
That's a fraction of the 10-year, $68.15 million contract
top pick Glenn Robinson signed with Milwaukee last year
or the 15-year, $74.4 million deal Chris Webber got from
Golden State in 1993.
"The amount of money I'm making now is a lot of
money," said Smith, 20, who would have been starting his
junior year at Maryland if he had not entered the NBA draft,
"so I can't really say I'm getting cheated."
The new rookie salary structure made negotiations
extremely easy for Warriors general manager Dave
Twardzik, whose only complaint while joining Smith at
a signing ceremony was that "he didn't even buy me
lunch."
The 6-foot-10, 225-pound Smith said he was glad the
contract was signed and that he can focus on basketball
when the Warriors open training camp Friday at San Luis
Obispo.
"The amount of money I'm
making now is a lot of
money, so I can 't really say,
I'm geting cheated"
-- Joe Smith
Golden State Warriors rookie
"There wasn't much to discuss because of the signing
situation," Smith said. "So it was just time for me to sign my
name on the bottom line."
Smith, who averaged 20.2 points and 10.7 rebounds a game
during his two years at Maryland, was accompanied - as
always - to the ceremony by his mother, Letha, who will
move from Norfolk, Va., to live with her youngest child
during his first year as a pro.
The Smiths, who have been looking for rental apartments
in the San Francisco Bay area, are not seeking anything too
luxurious.
"After raising seven kids, I can't even find the time to
splurge," Letha Smith said. "I've held on to the dollar and
spent it wisely for many years, so it's going to be a while
before I splurge. I'll still be looking for sales.
"To us, $2 million or the $60 million that Robinson boy got
last year or whatever is still a lot of money."
NBA rookie Joe Smith, who left Maryland after his sophomore year, signed for $8.53 million over three years.
I
Spikers could start
4-1 with victory
The Michigan women's volleyball
team has been on a roll.
orids
While the
Wolverines'
overall record of
9-5 might not be
all that impres-
sive, their 3-1
record in the Big
Ten is another
story.
As of today,
three wins against
one loss puts
N eb
Notebook
Giovanazzi's first year coaching in
Ann Arbor.
RUNNING THE "O": Through
the first two weeks of conference
play, Michigan has been enjoying
some real success in their offensive
game.
Much of that success can be attrib
uted to continued work on the team's
point scoring.
The Wolverines' point-scoring
prowess was apparent in lastFriday's
marathon five-game road victory over
Iowa.
Michigan in a position to match its Coming off a loss to Michigan.
best-ever five-match conference start. State, Michigan poured it on against
A win this Friday against Indiana the Hawkeyes.
in Bloomington would give the Wol- Outside hitter Shannon Brownlee
verines their best Big Ten start since paced the Wolverines' attack. The
1992. That year, the team jumped out Senior co-captain led a group of four
to a 4-1 league record. players with double-digit kill totals.
1992 was also coach Greg - by Chris Murphy
Soccer duo faces former team
Two Wolverines face their former 1993-94 Scholar Athlete award.
team when the Michigan women's Michigan junior goalkeeper Jori
soccer team takes on Detroit today. Welchans guarded the net for De-
Last season, junior defender troit during her freshman year. She
Michele Brach was a tri-captain for posted an 11-6-2 record along with
Detroit when the Titan's took on a .99goals-againstaveragein 1993.
Michigan. Brach also won Detroit's - by Dan Stillman
Stickers jump into top ten
Michigan field hockey is ranked six-game homestand.
in the top ten for the first time this Michigan has a well-balanced at-
season. The team moved up six tack, sporting five players with at
rankings from 14th to eighth this least three goals and 25 shots each.
week. The Wolverines almost double their
All six Big Ten teams are ranked. opponents in shots per game, 20.1 to
The Wolverines are scheduledto play 11.7.
seven teams this season which are or Sherene Smith leads the team in
have been ranked. both goals and points, with 10 and 20
Michigan improved its record to respectively; she also leads the teani
9-3. The Wolverines have won in shots and game-winning goals.,
seven of their last eight games, GoaltenderRachael Geisthardthas,
with six of those victories coming been superb in the goal, with career-
on the road. The team finished its high sixth shutouts. She has agoals-
road trip with a record of 6-1; the against average of 1.00 and has al-
lone defeat was a 4-3 heartbreaker lowed only first-half two goals.
against Iowa. They now begin a - by Michael Levy
Harriers gear up for Maine
Comingoffatwo-weekbreak,the Freshman John Mortimer has.
Michigan men's cross country team stepped up so far this season ands
is ready to race at the Maine Invita- placed second at the Boston College
tional in Orono, Maine. Invitational.
In order to prepare for the race, The team will need help from ev-
coach Ron Warhurst has put the eryone .to make up for the lose of
Wolverines through more intense senior Scott McDonald.
training for the last two weeks. - by Mark Snyder
N.. ...
BIG TEN
continued from page 10A
Illini quarterback Scott Weaver will
start his first game of the year. He'll
look to tailback Ty Douthard and flanker
Jason Dulick for help, which he might
actually need.
Indiana ranks third in the conference
in total defense. The unit is lead by
strong safety Aaron Warnecke.
Defenses will dominate, and Weaver
will win his season debut.
Illinois 12, Indiana 0.
Purdue (0-0-1,2-1-1) at Minnesota
(0-0, 2-1)
Last week, the Boilermakers dis-
efficiency while tailback Chri
Darkins has enjoyed another stron
year.
Saturday's matchup will come doy
to the fact that Minnesota and Chri
Darkins will be able to run the bal
against a weak Purdue defense.
Minnesota 30, Purdue 21.
Iowa (0-0, 3-0) at Michigan Stat
(0-0-1, 2-1-1)
Perhaps the most interesting matchui
this week will be in East Lansing.
The Hawkeyes are undefeated an
the Spartans are coming off a big wi
against Boston College.
It's starting to look like Michiga
State's first-year coach Nick Saban ha
finally turned the program around. HI
~1V~h'Y'. ~I (b I I ijv