Houston Chronicle back to old tricks taking the summer off.

There is no excuse to have anything on the site about the Rockets workouts. In the past few days so many of the top prospects came through here and not a word on anything about it. An example is Jefferies. They have reported nothing. The fact that he is now confirmed as 6-10 in his socks and weighed in at 234lbs with a wingspan of 7-2 are important pieces of news to pass on to us. Thank god for the internet. I am putting on the link and reproducing the article. I will post more if I find anything. We also get a feel for what the Suns are doing.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/suns/0525sunsnb.html

Jeffries pumps up for pro game
Indiana star weighs in at 234 pounds

Bob Young
The Arizona Republic
May 25, 2002

Jared Jeffries, the sophomore forward who led Indiana to the NCAA championship game, worked out for the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets before working out Friday for the Suns.


After getting an up-close look at the 6-foot-10 Jeffries, the Suns probably wish he would call off the rest of his planned workouts for draft lottery teams.

The Suns, who draft ninth and 22nd in the first round, didn't see the same rail-thin prospect that emerged during the NCAA Tournament. Jeffries, who was listed at 215 pounds then, has pumped iron and pushed carbohydrates in a Florida-based weight-training program to bulk up to 234 pounds.

Also, he measured 6-10 in his socks, with an arm span of 7-2. But that wasn't the only surprise.

Despite playing only two years at Indiana, Jeffries arrived with polished low-post moves and fundamental footwork.

"I was surprised (at his size)," Suns coach Frank Johnson said. "Looking at tape of him, I felt like he was really frail. Coming in at 230 and looking at his lower body, his upper body still hasn't caught up with his lower body yet, and that's a good sign.

"If you think about our league now, most of the guys now are perimeter guys. Even the great Karl Malone started floating to the perimeter. How many power players are there nowadays who just stay on the block?

"He showed that he can be very effective on the box. Against our (NBA-level) competition, we'll have to wait and see. But he has a great feel for the game."

Jeffries said he knew people had questions about his game, and the biggest was his strength.

"I knew if I was going to play a whole season in the NBA that I had to hit the weight room and get bigger and stronger," he said. "I'd like to put on another five or six pounds on my upper body, across my chest and in my shoulders. If I can do that, I'll be OK. My legs are pretty well defined right now."


Wow factor

The Suns also saw eye-popping athleticism in Tennessee's 6-10, 230-pound Marcus Haislip on Friday.

"He makes you go, 'Wow!' with his athletic ability," Johnson said.

The club also looked at Tennessee small forward Vincent Yarbrough and San Diego State forward Randy Holcomb on Friday.

Czeching in

The Suns are expected to select a big forward with the No. 9 pick in the June 26 draft, but at No. 22 they will probably take the best player available regardless of position - or draft a European prospect they can sign at a later date.

If they decide to go for a floor-spacing shooter, Valparaiso's Lubos Barton, a 6-8, 230-pound forward from the Czech Republic, got their attention in his workout Thursday.

"He's probably the best shooter I've seen come through here," Johnson said. "He's a very, very good spot-up shooter. I mean, he's just waiting. He's itching. He's got his trigger ready. "

Anticipation

As players come in for workouts, the Suns' excitement over the ninth pick grows.

"One thing has become clear," assistant coach Phil Weber said. "We're going to get a very good player at No. 9."

Johnson agreed.

"No question about it," he said. "These guys come through here, and all of a sudden you're like, 'Oh, I like that. He could fit.'

"Every time we bring in a player, you start thinking, 'Can he get to No. 9?' And even at No. 22, you may get something good there."