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Scouts are torn over the upside of the former Duke star, who strikes some as a man without a clear position.
By ROGER MILLS
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 26, 2001
Shane Battier, the consensus college basketball player of the year, capped an outstanding four-year career by leading Duke to an NCAA title in March.
But on the eve of Wednesday's NBA draft, college basketball's most decorated senior is no lock for the No. 1 overall pick.
Will Battier go No. 1? No. 3? No. 6?
That depends on whom you ask.
"It tells you how strong the draft is," Knicks general manager Scott Layden said. "I think Battier is an outstanding player who will have a long career in the NBA. But the fact that he could go anywhere from 1 to 10 makes this a strong draft."
Former 76ers general manager Brad Greenberg, the new director of basketball operations at the University of South Florida, said Battier shouldn't be upstaged by anyone.
"Shane Battier should be the first pick," Greenberg said. "He's experienced, talented, mentally and physically tough and has leadership ability that separates him from every other player in this draft. Any team will benefit immediately from having him on their roster."
Battier, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound small forward, averaged 19.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 2.1 steals this past season. Yet despite impeccable credentials, the NBA scouting report has its nicks.
Critics have asked, can he create his own shot in the NBA? Will he play shooting guard or forward? How good are his ball-handling skills? Will his man-to-man defense in the NBA be as good as his team defense was at Duke?
Is he too slow to play with quick guards, yet too small to score inside?
"His tweener-type size is the big thing," Magic coach Doc Rivers said. "It's not like he's a victim of bad timing (with the high school crop being so deep), but if you don't fit in the right size, that's definitely going to play a role in where you're drafted."
Battier is unfazed.
"All you can do is go into a situation with a team and show them what you can do, show them that you're going to work hard and you're coachable," he said. "And if a team doesn't like that, then I've got to believe it's their loss."
The question is how many franchises will be willing to risk that loss. Since the end of the college season, Battier has worked out for the teams with the top six picks: Washington, Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta, Chicago, Golden State and Vancouver, respectively.
He has left none doubting his heart, intelligence, maturity or strength. At a workout in Atlanta, he outlasted Michigan State swingman Jason Richardson in a dunk contest called the Superman drill.
In the drill, the player tries to dunk as many times consecutively without collapsing. Battier stopped at 70. Richardson was finished at 63.
"With all the tests we put him through, he's more athletic than people give him credit for," Hawks general manager Pete Babcock said.
Some mock drafts have Battier going to the Hawks with the third pick overall.
Atlanta could find a usable spot for Battier. He would not be required to "save the franchise," considering the team has Theo Ratliff, Jason Terry and Toni Kukoc.
Recently, Battier's name also has been associated with the Bulls, in part because of his close relationship with Elton Brand, a former teammate and the cornerstone of the Bulls' rebuilding process.
"I don't think it matters if you can walk on water or eat bullets or be the second coming of Michael Jordan," Battier said. "They are still going to try to find a part of your game that's less scintillating and comment about that. I was waiting for them to measure the length of my earlobes and comment on how they would affect my jump shot."
That jump shot, apparently, is a concern. He was deadly as a long range spot-up man and transition shooter at Duke (he hit 124 three-pointers his senior year), but some have suggested he will struggle to discard quicker defenders he likely will face at small forward.
Battier thinks the NBA's decision to allow zone defense next season should help.
"Because of the zone, there are going to be a lot of 15- to 20-foot jump shots that will be open," he said. "That's definitely one of my strengths. I can come in and knock those shots down."
But Rivers said the accuracy of NBA shooters will limit the use of the zone.
"Let's be practical here: How many teams are really going to use the zone?" he said.
Then there's the question of age. In a league clearly intrigued with molding teenagers, Battier, 22, seems a grandfather.
"At 22 years old, to say that I have peaked and matured and reached my maximum as a basketball player is pretty ridiculous," Battier said. "I think I have a lot of room for development and growth in this game.
"I'm confident I'll have a long, productive professional career. I'm used to working every day to try to get better, and I think that's a key for me or anyone else going into the NBA. I know I'm going to have to do a lot of work to make the adjustment."
- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.
NBA DRAFT: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Madison Square Garden, New York. TV: TNT.