The 2006 NBA Draft is just hours away, but former Arizona guard Hassan Adams will not be sitting in the green room at Madison Square Garden a lá Channing Frye last year. Instead he will likely be sitting in his own living room in Los Angeles hoping to get a sniff of the first round (Adams did not return several phone calls).
Projected as a second rounder by most NBA Draft Web sites, (No. 42 DraftExpress.com, No. 47 NBADraft.net), Adams slipped down the board during the second half of the season because of inconsistent play and several off-court transgressions, including a driving under the influence charge. However, associate head coach Jim Rosborough is still confident Adams may even sneak into the first round.
“”Either he will be a huge surprise and get into the late first round, picks 22 through 30, or he’s gonna drop,”” Rosborough said.
Adams injured his foot on Wednesday during a workout in New Jersey when former Texas forward P.J. Tucker accidentally stepped on it. Originally reported as a stress fracture, Rosborough is convinced Adams is completely fine.
“”I saw him walking around the other day,”” he said. “”It certainly wasn’t a stress fracture.
“”It should have no bearing on (the draft).””
Head coach Lute Olson told The Associated Press last Friday that Adams would be out for two weeks.
“”It couldn’t have happened at a worse time,”” said Aran Smith, the founder of NBADraft.net. “”He seems snake bit.””
Adams averaged a team-leading 17.5 points and five rebounds per game during his senior season, but his numbers dropped significantly in his last 10 games falling to 13.9 and 3.3, respectively. Adams also saw his 3-point percentage dip to 26 percent in his senior season, his worst percentage since he was a freshman.
Expected to play either shooting guard or small forward at the next level, Adams is undersized but makes up for it with his athleticism, which is arguably in the top five among prospects.
He worked out for a flurry of teams and improved his stock, according to Olson and Rosborough.
When Rosborough talked to Adams recently, Adams told him “”he felt very good about them.””
According to sources who spoke to the Arizona Summer Wildcat on condition of anonymity, the Cleveland Cavaliers have expressed interest in Adams. The Cavaliers hold the No. 25 pick in the first round as well as the No. 42 pick overall.
Rosborough said the Portland Trailblazers liked Adams a lot, but that there are “”no guarantees.””
The Blazers have the last pick in the first round, No. 30, and the first pick in the second round, No. 31.
Notes
Former Arizona guard Chris Rodgers is not expected to be drafted, according to NBA Draft Web sites, but will have the chance to latch on with an organization as an undrafted free agent who could be invited to their summer league team. The draft will be televised live on ESPN at 4 p.m.