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Good or great? It's his choice: Brandon Rush chose the strangest way to prove himself—he competed

Sporting News, The, June 24, 2005 by Mike DeCourcy

This is a harsh place. Scouts regard the prospects at the NBA predraft camp as warily as they would a jug of milk that has passed its expiration date, many not even bothering with a sniff to decide these players are ready to be discarded.

So here is Brandon Rush, playing the best basketball of his life.

Rush is playing with energy, confidence and passion before an audience that includes virtually every NBA personnel executive. There are 12 prep players on the early-entry list; Rush is the only one who accepted an invitation to compete at the camp.

"I wanted to prove to everybody I could play," Rush says. "Instead of hearing about me, I wanted to prove it."

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So now he has, which presents him with a choice. Rush insists he'll stay in the draft only with an assurance he'll be a first-round pick. Several scouts have said his Chicago performance made that possible, though not a given. But what Rush has demonstrated in these few days is that merely getting an NBA job is the least he can do with his talents. Properly developed, Rush could become great.

The brother of former summer circuit legend JaRon and current Charlotte Bobcats guard Kareem, Rush has seen what can become of a player who is imprudent and what can happen when a player commits to developing.

JaRon once was the No. 1 player in his high school class, but he lost part of his college career for accepting payments from his club coach and filed for the draft after two seasons at UCLA. He never played in the league. Kareem played three seasons at Missouri, advancing beyond a mere jump shooter, and has been in the NBA for three seasons.

Brandon Rush bluffed his way through the Reebok ABCD Camp last summer, demonstrating flashes of athleticism but no apparent interest in excelling.

In Chicago, his most impressive moments have included a backward dunk following a sizzling cut through the lane, elevating to block a layup attempt by former Michigan State forward Alan Anderson and showing the prudence to dribble in from the NBA 3-point line to a more comfortable 20-foot jumper that connected.

If Rush exits the draft, he plans to enroll at either Oklahoma or Illinois, with the Sooners slightly in the lead. If he plays for either Kelvin Sampson or Bruce Weber, Rush will have time to gain strength and understanding of the game. There have been other capable, athletic wings who became first-round picks, but they couldn't stick because they lacked development, among them Corey Benjamin and Joseph Forte.

The NBA can be harsh, too. But of course, the money is nice while it lasts.

Not everyone's a happy camper

Some underclassmen who competed at the NBA predraft camp flourished. Some did not.

[down arrow] Carl Krauser, PG, Pittsburgh. Krauser didn't appear quick enough to separate from high-level defenders.

[up arrow] Steven Smith, SF, La Salle. Rugged and athletic, Smith showed he can stand out when surrounded by talent.

[down arrow] Kevin Pittsnogle, PF, West Virginia. We've all seen him make shots--just not lately. He got the message.

[up arrow] Dwayne Jones, C, Saint Joseph's. Showed he's a future pro. Could become a solid first-rounder by developing his offense as a senior.

[down arrow] Louis Williams, PG, Georgia recruit, Though not assured of a draft spot, he declined a camp invitation. Marquette's Travis Diener, on the other hand, agreed to play twice a day while filling in for injured Dee Brown. Whom would you take?

INSIDE DISH

Having decided against entering the NBA draft, Arizona SF Hassan Adams will concentrate on preparing for a breakout senior season. With C Channing Frye and SG Salim Stoudamire leaving so many shots behind, the Wildcats will tinker with some of their sets to get Adams more one-on-one opportunities. Adams showed what kind of damage he can do when he averaged 20.0 points and shot 68.0 percent in the Wildcats' final two NCAA Tournament games. * With All-American Chris Paul entering the draft, Wake Forest expects senior Justin Gray to make a successful conversion to point guard after three seasons playing off the ball. C Eric Williams had a decent week at the Chicago NBA predraft camp but has given every indication he will return for his final year. To expand on his junior year progress, Williams will need Gray to become proficient at passing into the post. * Kentucky C Randolph Morris chose not to play at the predraft camp, but he took part in a private workout in Chicago along with Louisville recruit Amir Johnson and several other players. * Saint Joseph's success with Jameer Nelson and Delonte West has helped the Hawks bring in small guards who have visions of duplicating it. The Hawks have commitments from three such players in the class of 2006:6-1 Darrin Govens, 6-2 Derrick Rivera and 5-11 Jawan Carter. * Having endured one year without a complete point guard-and facing the same concern next seasonXavier coach Sean Miller is embracing 5-7 Drew Lavender as a transfer who will be eligible in 2006-07. Lavender proved he can score and run an offense at Oklahoma, but he sometimes needs to be encouraged to share the ball.

Good or great? It's his choice: Brandon Rush chose the strangest way to prove himself—he competed

Sporting News, The, June 24, 2005 by Mike DeCourcy

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