Going places, albeit slowly

Sporting News, The, August 18, 2003 by Mike DeCourcy

The odyssey David Burgess just completed carried him, in the course of five-plus weeks, from California to Virginia to Texas to Greece to Nevada. He left home June 17, packed for a five-day trip. He did not return until July 26. And this trip was nothing compared with the one commencing now. His brother could tell him that.

Burgess is a Division I center prospect entering his senior year at Woodbridge High in Irvine, Calif., but he is not being pursued as passionately as brother Chris was. For a time, Chris, who played at Duke and Utah, was considered the gem of a recruiting class that produced Tracy McGrady, Elton Brand and Baron Davis. David Burgess is coveted because he's nearly 6-11, and though he lacks the breathtaking grace and perimeter skills his brother once enjoyed, he is almost certain to play four seasons in college. He is a prime target for Ben Howland, who is working to salvage the UCLA program. Oregon coach Ernie Kent wants him, as do Louisville's Rick Pitino and Florida's Billy Donovan. Gonzaga, Brigham Young and Indiana also are interested.

Picking from these excellent programs would appear to be like choosing items from a Ruth's Chris menu. What's not to like? But it's not simply a matter of personal taste. Every player needs to find the school where he has the best opportunity to flourish, and that is a tremendous challenge.

To ready himself as a player and allow coaches to evaluate his skills, Burgess intended to spend July in the customary manner for top recruits. He would attend one of the shoe-company camps and then fill the rest of the month competing in club tournaments. Then USA Basketball ran short of big men for its entry in the Junior World Championships and called while Burgess was attending the NBA Players Association Camp in Virginia.

"I jumped on that," Burgess says. "To represent my country, play with college guys? Why not?"

He joined the U.S. team at its Dallas training camp. His father shipped him some clothes. Burgess became the only high school player to make the squad. He grew friendly with Illinois point guard Dee Brown. He practiced with and against Michigan State center Paul Davis. "I found out it's not about you when you get to college," Burgess says. "It's about the team."

In a way, it is Burgess' good fortune to be already what he was destined to be: a big man. His brother was 6-9 entering his junior year in high school and ran like Carl Lewis. Chris Burgess was a beautiful power forward prospect. As he grew older, though, his trunk thickened and his speed dissipated. Numerous injuries damaged his career at Duke and, after he transferred in search of more playing time, Utah. He averaged 6.3 points for his college career, but he nearly made the Suns as a rookie last year and wound up playing in Turkey.

David Burgess will enter college without the same burden of expectation. His development will be gradual. He needs to rebound more assertively. He has decent hands and shot-blocking potential. He has developed a low-post game because he recognized the lack of speed that prevents him from playing on the perimeter.

Burgess wants to see how his talents fit into the systems of the programs recruiting him. He plans to spend time this month watching their game tapes.

He will make an educated decision, then pursue an education both in basketball and in the classroom. He believes he eventually can play for money, somewhere, but the periodic detours forced upon his brother schooled David Burgess on the value of preparing for a post-basketball career. His journey might not be as perilous.

(S) For regular doses of recruiting news, follow the reports of RivalsHoops.com's Mike Sullivan at http://www.sportingnews.com/voices/mike_sullivan/.> SPEED READ

* If he continues coaching at Utah instead of leaving for TV, Rick Majerus needs to work better with others, The NCAA punishment for Utah's piddling infractions was excessive. But turnover on Majerus' staff--often in lateral moves--supports claims he treats assistants harshly. It also lends credence to the NCAA's claim of a "poor working relationship between men's basketball and the compliance office."

INSIDE DISH

Star wing Antoine Wright will have to play some at point guard for Texas A&M on its five-game tour of Italy August 14-25. That's because PG Leandro Garcia-Morales, who started 12 games last season, was playing with Uruguay in the Pan-American Games, and it was unclear when he would join the Aggies. The goal for the trip is smoothing out chemistry issues that have existed in previous seasons; early workouts indicated the players have a better connection and are hungry to build on last season's 14-14 finish.... After withdrawing from the NBA draft, Notre Dame PG Chris Thomas avoided off-campus basketball activities, such as working the Nike All-America Camp or the Adidas ABCD Camp. Coach Mike Brey asked that he stay with the Irish and establish himself as a leader by organizing pickup games and hanging out with his teammates.... The success of his Pump 'N Run club team is helping G Enrico Tucker of San Diego gain attention. Tucker has been showing amazing athleticism and an improving jump shot this summer. Minnesota, Gonzaga and Arizona State have made scholarship offers to Tucker, and Indiana, Boston College, Kansas, Tennessee and Georgia are considering making an offer.... The need for promising big men who probably will use all of their eligibility has made 6-8 PF Alfred Horford of Grand Ledge, Mich., one of the fastest-rising prospects this summer. Horford is reasonably skilled, has quick feet and comes from a basketball family: His father, Tito, played at Miami (Fla.) and briefly in the NBA. Alfred's strong summer increased interest from Ohio State, UCLA, Florida, Kansas, Marquette, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Xavier and Michigan State.--M.D.