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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sonics/2002351459_soni29.html
The cream of the draft, those projected by the NBA and ESPN as lottery picks, were stationed on the floor of the Theatre of Madison Square Garden, given a baseball cap when their names were called and directed to the stage to shake hands with commissioner David Stern.
Johan Petro sat in the back of the room waiting for his name to be called. When Stern announced: "With the 25th pick, the Seattle SuperSonics select Johan Petro," television crews caught him leaping with family and friends and slapping high fives.
"He's very happy, excited to join the team," said manager Bahphna Dahane, who interpreted for Petro during a brief news conference. "He is full of emotion right now and he's glad that he is joining the team that he thought he would be with."
In adhering to their draft philosophy, which they followed last year to select teenager Robert Swift, the Sonics used their first-round pick in yesterday's NBA draft to select a 7-foot, 19-year-old native Parisian center who will need time to develop.
With their second-round pick, the Sonics took another French prospect in Mickael Gelabale, a 6-7 forward who drew comparisons to former Sonic Desmond Mason. Gelabale (pronounced Jell-a-ball) will not be able to play for the Sonics next season because of contract restraints with his current team, Spain's Real Madrid.
"He was one of the best young prospects in Europe," director of player development David Pendergraft said. "We could not believe he fell to us at No. 48."
The Sonics selected Mississippi State forward Lawerence Roberts with the 55th pick, but traded him to Memphis for second-round picks in 2006 and 2007 and cash.
The draft, considered the deepest in recent years, took several twists and turns after the early picks. There were several surprises, including a run on point guards, which forced the Sonics to pick the best player available when they selected.
"There wasn't a whole lot of discussion," Pendergraft said. "Johan was the highest guy on our list and it was pretty much a consensus."
Petro, who is listed at 7-foot and 247 pounds, doesn't fit immediately into the Sonics' plans, but he'll fly to Seattle this week and play on the Sonics' summer league team that will compete in next month's Rocky Mountain Revue in Salt Lake City.
After the tournament, the team, Petro and Dahane will decide if the young prospect will remain in Seattle or return to France.
"He wants to play for the Sonics this year," Dahane said. "Personally, he doesn't want to play another year in Europe."
The Sonics believe Petro is a few steps behind Swift in terms of development, but believe they can be part of an imposing front line in the near future.
"It's a good pick for us because of his height, because he's at the center position," general manager Rick Sund said. "Centers are very difficult to get."
The Sonics first took notice of Petro three years ago when he played with the French National Institute of Sports and Physical Education (INSEP). Petro was one of the 41 players the team brought in for a workout and the Sonics were impressed with his size and skill.
"I saw him last spring," assistant coach Jack Sikma said. "He's very athletic with a big body. He's already at 265 and he's the type where he can probably carry 280 as the years go by.
"He's pretty active. He's got a pretty good sense defensively of where to be. Offensively, he's got some work to do."
The Sonics reportedly considered trading back in the draft with Portland and were looking at 7-2 Lithuanian center Martynas Andriuskevicius and 7-1 Serbia & Montenegro center Mile Ilic. Both were chosen in the second round.
"Andriuskevicius and Ilic were a little too similar to Robert," Pendergraft said. "Johan is different. He gives us a different kind of player. He is more of a low-post anchor than Robert.
"It will allow at times for he and Robert to play together."
Sonics coach Nate McMillan assisted in the decision-making yesterday, but said the scouting department "deserves all of the credit for finding these guys."
McMillan said his ongoing contract negotiation with CEO and president Wally Walker did not make it uncomfortable for him yesterday.
"I'm still under contract and still coach of this team," he said. "If I thought it would be strange or anything like that then I would have told Wally that I didn't want to be here."
McMillan declined to discuss where the negotiations stand. He said he has been focused on the draft, but was aware of a report speculating that Portland owner Paul Allen was willing to give him twice what the Sonics are offering: a four-year, $18 million contract.
"No one knows," McMillan said. "I saw some of the mock drafts, and I heard some of the things that were reported what Seattle was going to do. People couldn't have been more off base.
"No one knows. I haven't had any communication with those guys. If there's an offer, who knows. But my focus has been on the draft."
McMillan's contract expires after tomorrow, and his agent, Lonnie Cooper, and Walker do not have any meetings planned for today or tomorrow.
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<드래프트에서 소닉스에 뽑힌 프랑스 듀오 젤라발과 페트로>
오늘 드래프트 특집입니다. 폭주천사의 도배질..죄송..오늘이 도배의 마지막입니다.
일단 2라운드 48번으로 뽑힌 Gelabale의 발음은 젤라발(Jell-a-ball)이라는군요.
6-7인 이선수를 기사에서는 데스먼드 메이슨과 비교를 해놨습니다.
엄청난 운동능력의 소유자이며, 오펜스 리바운드에 강점을 가지고 있는 선수랍니다.
하지만 젤라발은 지금 소속팀의 스페인의 레알 마드리드 팀과의 계약때문에 다음시즌에는 소닉스에서 뛰지 못할 것같습니다.
1라운드에서 뽑힌 요한 페트로는 일단 다음 달에 열리는 섬머리그에 참여한후 다음시즌 소닉스에 잔류할것인지 아니면 프랑스에서 경험을 더 쌓을것인지 결정을 한다고 합니다.
본인은 다음시즌부터 nba에서 뛰기를 강력하게 희망하고 있죠.
같은 7푸터이지만 로버트 스위프트랑은 다른 스타일이라고 하네요.
좀더 인사이더에 가깝다는 평가입니다.
오늘 루키 7월호를 구입했는데.
기사중에 레이 앨런과 맥밀란 감독의 재계약에 관한 기사가 조그맣게 있었습니다.
레이 앨런과 소닉스의 협상은 결렬되었고 레이 앨런은 다른 팀을 찾아보고 있으며, 맥밀란 감독 역시 5년간의 감독생활을 끝내고 잠시 휴식을 취할 것이라는 기사였습니다.
6월 30일이면 맥밀란 감독의 계약이 끝납니다.
위 기사내용에 따르면 맥밀란 감독과 소닉스는 맥밀란 감독의 계약기간이 끝나는 6월 30일까지 어떤 미팅 계획도 세워놓고 있지 않다고 되어있습니다.
맥밀란과 소닉스 사이의 협상이 벌써 끝난걸까요?
남기로 했을까요? 쉬기로 했을까요?
첫댓글 헉;; 가지마 레이 ㅠㅡㅠ 맥밀란도 가지마오 ㅠㅡㅠ
레이가 결국 떠나는 건가요....레이를 주축으로 소닉스가 한시즌 더 돌풍을 일으키길 바라는데.. 암튼..프랑스 듀오 중 왠지 젤라발 선수가 기대가 되네요~스타일이 멋져셔~^^
안타깝네요. 에효
레이와는 꼭 계약해야하지만..나머지 선수를 남기려면 결별수순이 옳은게 아닌가 하는..ㅠㅠ