Saw this little nugget in a Norman paper ... Price says he's interested in the Cavs and the Rockets. He implies that the teams he's interested in are the ones that told him that they might draft him. I think he's worth an invitation to camp. But there isn't much room for 6'1" shooting guards in the NBA. http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/899/public/news470073.html OU's Price undrafted by NBA, confidence still high Sooner star will try free agent route 06/27/03 By Justin Harper So things didn’t go as planned. But leave it to Hollis Price to find the silver lining in any cloud. The All-American from Oklahoma watched patiently from his grandparents’ home in New Orleans as the NBA Draft came and went without his name being called. Nevertheless, the 2003 Big 12 Player of the Year is far from giving up on his dream of playing in the NBA. “I was disappointed for a while watching all those players get picked and not hearing my name,” said Price late Thursday evening. “But once it got to a certain point in the second round I was relieved that my name didn’t come up because it gives me a chance to choose a team that I feel I can fit in with and go try and make that squad.” By not being selected during the two-round, 58-pick draft, Price can now attempt to make an NBA team of his choice via free agency. Unlike the NFL Draft, where it’s more beneficial to be drafted in any round rather than to sign as a free agent because of guaranteed money, the NBA only guarantees money to first-round selections. So Price has little qualms taking the free-agent route that features options otherwise unavailable. The decision process will begin almost immediately. “Tonight I’m just going to hang out with my family,” he said. “Tomorrow I’ll talk with my agents (Jeff Austin and Chris Emens from Octagon) and we’ll determine which teams I have the best chance at making and I’ll go play in the (NBA) summer leagues, go to camp and hopefully make the veteran camp.” Although he has a handful of teams to choose from, Price mentioned Houston and Cleveland as strong possibilities. Cleveland, of course, used the first pick in the draft to select high school phenom LeBron James. One of the teams Price won’t try out for is the New Orleans Hornets, which play within miles of his grandparents’ house. “No, they’re not one of the teams that have shown interest in me,” the New Orleans native said. Price led the Sooners with 18.0 points per game and took OU to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament this past season and was voted the Big 12 Tournament MVP as well as reaping the conference’s top individual honor. Three players that Price beat out for league player of the year laurels were drafted in the first round. And two of them were point guards, the position Price will play in the NBA. Kansas’ Kirk Hinrich went to Chicago at No. 7 and Texas’ T.J. Ford went at No. 8 to Milwaukee. Kansas forward Nick Collison, who went to Seattle at No. 12, was the only other Big 12 player drafted. “I thought there was a 50-50 chance I’d get drafted,” said Price. “I worked out well everywhere I went. But things happen for a reason. Not getting drafted just gets me pumped up even more to prove myself, to prove I can play in the league.” Price said no teams had indicated that they would draft him, then didn’t follow through. “No, that’s the good thing about my agents,” said Price. “I wanted agents that would shoot me straight and they told me the truth about what teams might possibly take me. Those are the teams I’ll look at now.” Price will leave in a week or two to play in the NBA summer leagues. And despite not being chosen, his confidence hasn’t been shaken. “Of course not,” said Price, the winningest player in OU history with 111 career victories. “If I don’t feel confident, I’ve beaten myself already. I feel real good that my skills and toughness will get me on a team. I’m still very confident I’ll be playing in the NBA.” Sports Editor Justin Harper can be reached at 366-3526 or by e-mail at jharper@normantranscript.com.
Damn sooner. Stay north of the Red River where you belong!! We don't want your kind here. Damn sooner...
Price may be small and he may be a sooner, but he has something that the NBA shockingly seems to give little credence to when it comes to drafting players. Heart, and a lot of it. He's also a very intelligent, very coachable player who is extremely competitive. I think these traits alone drive him to find himself a spot in the NBA as an undrafted rookie. Price will be a career NBA player.
Do we have another roster spot left for HP? Here's our 2-deep for next year. Yao/Cato Griffin/Taylor Posey/Nachbar/Rice/Morris Mobley Francis/Norris It's up for grabs with Hawkins, Mickeal, Hollis Price, and Darren Kelly.
Mickeal is no longer with us but I bet we pick up the option on Hawkins and I wouldn't be surprised to see HP crack our roster.
I like Hollis Price. He gave TJ Ford fits. Very quick and smart player. It takes years to learn the point guard position but he ran the show at Blow U.
I hope he gets the chance to crack the season starting 15. Pete is invited to summer league as a Rock? They picked up option on TMo (ps they should)? There will be no trades? Give the man a chance. do it sooner than any other team!!!
YES!!!!!! I would do that. Moochie comes to training camp overweight and can't run anymore....and JVG finds out that he is a horrible player....and then we get Hollis Price! I can't believe he was undrafted!!!!! Pete Mickael? LOL.
Price can shoot the ball, i would give him a shot at playing on the summer league squad! Another player that I would like the ROX's to take a flyer on is Joe Shipp out of CAL. He was the a PAC-10 scoring leader and is 6'5 220 and can light it up.
This kid is a gamer...So what he was a Sooner... I think it would be a good addition with the Rox, or any team for that matter, cause' this guy is a gamer... If Steve Blake gets picked, then this guy deserves a shot, and he'll be better than Blake...
I've seen many of his games, the main thing he has going for him is his defense, he's very active on D. I'm not sure we have room for another guard though.
Simple - trade Moochie somewhere else and bring in Price... That is what I'd do... Price can play D and he can play well offensively and defensively more than what we can say for Moochie... That way we get rid of Moochie's big fat contract and get ourselves a better guard.
