Interesting article on Alton Ford today in the chronicle. He is tearing it up for the orlando summer league squad, but with the addition of Juwan Howard, he is not likely to have a spot on the squad. He would come cheap, he is BIG, about 280 lbs, and physical. Why not bring him home? At such a low cost he is worth a gamble. Ex-UH star Ford tries to disprove NBA doubters, beat rap that he's too small By JEROME SOLOMON Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle ORLANDO, Fla. -- Alton Ford's dream was to play in the NBA. The dream came true. Unfortunately for Ford, his dream has been more like a flash déjà vu than an extended REM-induced visualization. Ford has suffered a rude awakening, as two seasons of professional basketball have netted him a few hundred thousand dollars and a few brief appearances on the court. Now, Ford is a free agent and hoping to hold onto his dream. He was impressive in five games with Orlando last week at the Pepsi Pro Summer League, but the Magic have yet to tender a contract offer for the coming season and they say they don't plan to anytime soon. For perhaps the first time in his life, the 6-9, 280-pound Ford is not considered to be big enough. "We're still in the `letting the big fish fall and letting the big dominoes go down' stage of free agency," Orlando general manager John Gabriel said Sunday. Orlando got a foot in the door with Alonzo Mourning and P.J. Brown but came up empty. By Monday, it had hooked its big fish in power forward Juwan Howard, who reportedly will join the team when free agents are permitted to sign contracts today. Meanwhile, Ford will have to bide his time. "That's the way I've had it my whole career," Ford said. "Since I started playing basketball, I've always had to prove to people that I could play. "I think I did everything the coach asked me to do -- play hard, rebound and be tough inside. Now, I just have to wait and see what happens. All I can do is keeping working hard." Another path could have had Ford playing with the University of Houston as a junior last year, where he would most likely have played more minutes in the Cougars' season opener than he did the 82-game season with the Phoenix Suns. The former Milby star, a big man whom many thought would return the UH program to prominence, played a paltry 31 minutes during the season, finishing the year with as many fouls as points (seven), and just six rebounds. Ford is not considered a bust because Phoenix picked him late in the 2001 draft's second round (51st overall), a position from where many players don't make their teams. But having to sit on the bench when he believed he deserved to play took patience. "It was kind of irritating, but it opened my eyes a little bit," Ford said. "I probably needed to work harder and do more of what I was asked to do. Now that I have that chance again, I'm going to make the best of it. "No doubt that two years in Phoenix helped me out a lot. The coaches there helped me learn the NBA game. Everybody knows how to play, but it's a different game of basketball. And I had to learn that. "I think (Orlando) would be a great spot for me, I just have to prove myself." There have long been questions about Ford's attitude and commitment, but there were no such rumblings from Phoenix. In fact, one former teammate reportedly told Ford's representatives that Ford was slighted on playing time despite outperforming players ahead of him on the depth chart in practice. But when Phoenix elected not to re-sign him after the season, it left Ford without a team. By the time the big fish, as Gabriel described them, settle in, there should be a place for Ford in the league. But without an agent cutting an early deal for him, there is a real possibility he could end up in the European leagues next season. Gabriel said Ford should be patient. "We're not dealing with cap room, so that's not an issue, as we're talking minimum salary, but right now he goes on a list that says, `very interested, stay close and touch back in probably two, three weeks,' " Gabriel said. "That timetable gets accelerated if a player has a good, solid performance. A guy like him gets recognized for his experience and he showed well. He did a good job. "There are times where you can see he clearly stands out from a maturity standpoint -- physically and mentally -- and there are times where he has breakdowns, which makes you realize why he's still looking for a team." The Magic coaching staff was pleased with Ford's play last week. He averaged 15.4 points and 5.0 rebounds. He scored 19 points in 28 minutes in the finale against Minnesota, Orlando's only win of the week. Ford also was in excellent shape with a rock-solid build and never seemed to tire on the court. "You look at our team and you know we had a lack of toughness last year," said Mark Hughes, who was the head coach of the Magic's summer entrant. "Alton Ford is tough, that's one thing he certainly is. He is big, strong and rebounds the basketball well. "He's smart, knows the game and he just turned 22 and has the NBA experience already. When you get a guy like that who kind of knows how to play already, has toughness and has pretty good skill and really rebounds the basketball, he's a guy you want to take a really good look at."
If we didn't have so much invested in Mo and Griff and hadn't drafted Malick I would say go for it. However, there really isn't a place here for him. I hope he can catch on somewhere.
ford should have stayed in college. i think he was even warned about this. imagine if he and rashard lewis had stayed at U of H
I think he looks too much like a small version of 'TWO SANDWICHES' Hamilton. Probably plays about as good as he did too. No thanks on Alton.
Yao Ming almost went there too. And that guy that ended up ineligible due to 5 years in high school (blanking on his name) that was supposed to be one of the best high schooler's out there. And the 7-ft+ guy from Nigeria(?) That would've been nuts!!!!
Went to school with Alton.... wouldn't be a bad pick up. His attitude is not that bad as people make it seem.
Ford would probably be better served by playing in Europe as a starter for a year or two, than at the end of some NBA team's bench.
We are overloaded at the 4 but don't reall have an enforcer type in the 4 or 5 spot. Ford has the size to do this and is young--if his attitude is right I say why not offer him a minimum contract.
