Nelson could make the Gators great or ghastly

Sporting News, The, Sept 30, 2002 by Mike DeCourcy

When last we saw Florida guard Brett Nelson, he had the look of somebody who recklessly had tangled with a Soprano: 4-of-19 shooting, 0-of-6 in the last 21 minutes, and he was beaten by Creighton guard Terrell Taylor on the 3-pointer that sent the Gators home after one lousy game in the NCAA Tournament. It was a gruesome picture.

Nelson says he has viewed "bits and pieces," and the very thought of that game "makes me sick to my stomach." Anyone who respects the sport and believes there is a proper way to play it understands his nausea.

There was a brief period, as he pondered entering the NBA draft last spring, when it seemed this would endure as the lasting image of Nelson as a Gator. Instead, he chose to spend his senior year in Gainesville. That decision could be as important as any factor in shaping the course of the 2002-03 season.

And it could go either way.

He could save the Gators. As he did in the 2000 NCAA Tournament, Nelson could operate the high pick-and-roll like a virtuoso and work to empower his teammates. In their 22 victories last season, Nelson averaged 15 points and shot 41.5 percent.

Or he could wreck the Gators. In Florida's nine defeats last season, Nelson had three or fewer assists seven times. He shot 33.9 percent from the field and 36 percent from 3-point range. Though he was far less accurate, Nelson attempted 2.1 more shots per game than in the victories.

Given the abundance of Florida's talent, it should be discussed the potential NCAA champion. So why is Florida buried near the back of most preseason top 10 lists, included mostly to hedge against the possibility the Gators will suddenly coalesce? In their final 15 games last year, they were 7-8. They did not create the impression they were preparing to conquer the game.

"We just looked like we were lost out there," Nelson says. "We are going to be a better team. We have to go out and jell as a team, and I think everything will be better."

As much as anyone this side of coach Billy Donovan, Nelson can facilitate this improvement. When the Gators advanced from nearly being upset by Butler in the first round of the 2000 tournament to facing Michigan State in the title game, Nelson was their most important player. He shot 45 percent from the field, 52 percent on 3-pointers. He is unusually big for a point guard, at 6-4, and dazzled as a passer and ballhandler.

He hasn't often been that player since. He shifted to shooting guard during his sophomore year by necessity--an injury to Teddy Dupay--but Nelson's positioning off the ball last season partly was because Donovan didn't trust him with the keys to the offense.

"I'd always had the ball in my hands, been able to run the point," Nelson says. "I just had to learn how to move without the ball, how to use screens, stuff like that." However, his inefficiency persisted. He reached double figures in missed shots eight times.

Nelson expects to be a shooting guard again this season. Even if that's not his best position, he can become more precise, more aware of his teammates, more focused on Florida's goals. As a four-year regular, he can assert leadership that will be essential for a team already facing chemistry concerns as the addition of Danish small forward Christian Drejer has sophomore James White wondering if he'll be forced to wait another year for his turn.

Nelson has seen what it takes to succeed in the NCAAs and what can lead to failure. Whether he helps these Gators hit the high notes is his call.

Who's the preseason No. 1? TSN provides the definitive answer in its College Basketball preview yearbook. It will be on newsstands soon, but you can order online now at www.sportingnews.com/books.> SPEED READ

* The argument about whether Patrick Ewing was the greatest Knick following his retirement missed the mark. Yes, he retired from the NBA, but Ewing's legacy will be his resume at Georgetown: one NCAA title, three title-game appearances and three years as a consensus All-American. His agent should have engineered a way for him to retire as a Hoya.

INSIDE DISH

Not all the Clemson players were sorry to see SG Tony Stockman take his team-leading 12 shots per game to Ohio State. Those who remain, including seniors PG Edward Scott and C Ray Henderson, spent the summer working to get closer as a team. Clemson, which finished in the ACC's second division last season, must find a proficient outside shooter; the key to that might be the eligibility quest of wing Ori Ichaki, a veteran of the Israeli national team.... Illinois has been working out freshman Gs Dee Brown and Deron Williams together. Although Brown, at 5-11, is more the size of a conventional point guard than the 6-3 Williams, both have playmaking skills. Assistant coach Norm Roberts points out that Illini coach Bill Self's successful teams at Tulsa generally employed dual-point guard lineups.... Don't be surprised if Arizona uses some full-court pressure. With G Chris Rodgers gaining eligibility, the Wildcats are loaded with agile players who can challenge ballhandlers. Though it never has been a big part of coach Lute Olson's approach, pressing would get more players involved and would bolster perimeter defense.... Notre Dame was wise to ignore analysts who abandoned one-time phenom Omari Isreal of Maryland's Good Council High. Isreal, who committed to Notre Dame for the 2003-04 season, is very athletic and plays hard. Scouts worried that he lacked a position because he's 6-7 and not a great shooter, but Isreal can play either forward spot because he can guard wings and rebound with bigger players. He also will help the Irish reestablish a connection to the Washington, D.C., metro area that once carried Austin Carr, Adrian Dantley and Monty Williams to South Bend.--M.D.

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