Gardner savors fresh role as Arizona leader

0 Comments | Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), January, 2002

Byline: JOHN CONRAD Register-Guard Sports Editor

Jason Gardner's brief flirtation with the NBA after last season may have been humbling in one respect.

The Arizona point guard fared poorly in workouts prior to the draft and ultimately rescinded his intention to turn pro, an outcome that didn't surprise a lot of basketball people who didn't think Gardner was ready for the NBA in the first place.

But it might be premature to label Gardner's venture a mistake.

Consider that the 5-foot-10 junior from Indianapolis is averaging 21 points per game for the 15th-ranked Wildcats this season compared to a career average of 11.7 his first two years. He's shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from beyond the arc, compared to previous...