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Charlotte Hornets Make Chapman Their First Pick; UK's Lock, Davender, Bennett All Selected In Third Round
For only the fifth time since the NBA began drafting college players in 1947, four players from the University of Kentucky were selected in the same draft. Rex Chapman, Rob Lock, Ed Davender and Winston Bennett became the latest foursome to earn that distinction when they were selected in June 28 draft.
In 1949, four members of UK's Fabulous FiveAlex Groza, Cliff Barker, Ralph Beard and Wah Wah Joneswere selected, all in the first round. In 1975, Kevin Grevey, Jimmy Dan Conner, Bob Guyette and Mike Flynn were drafted. In 1978, Rick Robey, Jack Givens, James Lee and Mike Phillips were selected. And in 1984, Dicky Beal, Sam Bowie, Jim Master, Melvin Turpin and Tom Heitz were taken.
Chapman, who completed his sophomore season at UK this past season and then indicated he would waive his final two years of eligibility and make himself available in the draft, was the first Wildcat selected. The expansion Charlotte Hornets, who will field a team for the first time during the 1988-89 season, took the Owensboro guard in the first round, making him the eighth player selected in the draft. Chapman was the first underclassman selected in the '88 draft, and was the third guard taken, behind Kansas State's Mitch Richmond (No. 5 by Golden State) and Bradley's Hersey Hawkins (No. 6 by Los Angeles Clippers).
It was no surprise that Chapman was among the first 10 players taken, but it was a surprise that he was selected by the Hornets. When it comes to building a franchise from the bottom up, conventional wisdom says to start with a quality big man. But Charlotte took Chapmanwhen centers Rony Seikaly, Will Perdue and Eric Leckner, among others, were still availableeven though the club had already selected a pair of slick-shooting guards in Dell Curry and Kelly Tripuka in the earlier expansion draft.
"Rex Chapman signifies everything our franchise stands for. . youth, excitement, ex-plosiveness and talent," Charlotte general manager Carl Scheer told the Associated Press. "I think we have started with a great young player."
In the days after Chapman announced he was leaving Kentucky, speculation had it that he might go as high as second or third in the draft. Indiana, which had the second pick, and Philadelphia, which drafted third, both expressed interest in UK's leading scorer of the past two years. But the Pacers decided to go after center Rik Smits of Marist College, and the Sixers were apparently turned off by Chapman's poor performance at the Olympic Trials.
"To tell you the truth, the 76ers would have picked Rex had he not gone to the Olympic Trials and just hid. Just hid," Rex's father, Wayne Chapman, said.
Even so, neither King Rex nor his agent, Andrew Brandt, was too displeased.
"I'm not sure Charlotte expected Rex would still be available (for the eighth pick)," Brandt said. "But it certainly worked out really well for us. It gives Rex a chance to start fresh."
It also gives him a chance to begin his pro career in friendlier surroundings. Had Chapman been the third player selected, it would have likely led to more money. . .but it would also mean that he would be at the mercy of the ruthless Philadelphia writers, generally regarded as the toughest in the NBA.
"There'll be a certain amount expected from me," he said, "but the fans will know the team needs time to develop. That should help."
While Chapman's placement in the draft was a mild surprise, the real shocker involved Lock. About the only chance most observers gave the 6-foot-ll redhead of catching on in the NBA was as a free agent. But he was not only draftedhe was the first player chosen in the third round, and the 51st overall by the Los Angeles Clippershe went ahead of teammates Davender and Bennett, both members of UK's illustrious 1,000-point club and both projected to go as high as late in the first round or early in the second.
"I was surprised," Lock said. "You always hear the one thing you can't coach is size. I'm more blessed in size, they're more gifted in the skills for the game."
Davender and Bennett were both selected late in the third roundDavender 60th by the Washington Bulletts, Bennett 64th by the Cleveland Cavaliersa position in the draft where only 13 percent of those taken in the last 11 years have stuck around for four years or more.
Davender, who fought for national recognition and respect during his entire Wildcat career, said he wasn't bothered by the turn of events, even though he turned in one of the better performances from a point guard at an NBA-sponsored camp earlier this summer in Orlando, Fla.
"I prepared myself for anything," he said. "I didn't get my hopes up. I wanted to be able to roll with the punches."
Bennett, on the other hand, had anticipated being picked earlier. After rehabilitating a blown out knee and having a solid senior year, he had fared well at an NBA camp in Chicago.
"I was very disappointed I didn't go higher," Bennett said. "I thought I played very well in Chicago. I thought that helped me a lot."
SEC Leads Way With
Thanks in large part to the four Wildcat players, and three from Auburn, 12 of the 75 players selected in the draft were from the Southeastern Conference, more than any other league.
Four SEC players were taken in the first round: Auburn's Chris Morris (No. 4 by New Jersey), Chapman (No. 8 by Charlotte), Georgia's Willie Anderson (No. 10 by San Antonio) and Will Perdue (No. 11 by Chicago).
Southeastern......................................12
Big Eight.............................................7
Big Ten...............................................6
Big East..............................................5
Metro.................................................5
Atlantic Coast.....................................4
Independents......................................4
Pacific Coast.......................................4
Pac-10.................................................4
Southwest...........................................4
Atlantic 10..........................................2
Mid-American.....................................2
12 Players Drafted
Florida's Vernon Maxwell (No. 47 by Denver, then traded to San Antonio) and LSU's Jose Vargas (No. 49 by Dallas) were taken in the second round.
Third-round selections were: Lock (No. 51 by L.A. Clippers), LSU's Hernan Montenegro (No. 57 by Philadelphia), Auburn's Jeff Moore (No. 58 by Charlotte), Davender (No. 60 by Washington), Auburn's Mike Jones (No. 63 by Milwaukee) and Bennett (No. 64 by Cleveland).
Ohio Valley........................................2
Western Athletic..................................2
American South..................................1
East Coast...........................................1
ECAC Metro........................................1
Missouri Valley...................................1
Sun Belt..............................................1
West Coast Athletic.............................1
Others
NCAA Division II...............................3
NAIA..................................................2
Foreign...............................................1
ROUND
1. L.A. Clippers......................................Danny Manning (6-10, F, Kansas)
2. Indiana Pacers...............................................Rik Smits (7-4, C, Marist)
3. Philadelphia 76ers...................................x-Charles Smith (6-10, F, Pitt)
4. New Jersey Nets......................................Chris Morris (6-8, F, Auburn)
5. Golden State Warriors.................Mitch Richmond (6-5, G, Kansas St.)
6. L.A. Clippers.................................y-Hersey Hawkins (6-3, G, Bradley)
7. Phoenix Suns...............................................Tim Perry (6-9, F, Temple)
8. Charlotte Hornets............................Rex Chapman (6-4, G, Kentucky)
9. Miami Heat......................................Rony Seikaly (6-11, C-F, Syracuse),
10. San Antonio Spurs...........................Willie Anderson (6-7, G, Georgia)
11. Chicago Bulls......................................Will Perdue (6-11, C, Vanderbilt)
12. Washington Bulletts..........................Harvey Grant (6-9, F, Oklahoma)
13. Milwaukee Bucks......................................Jeff Grayer (6-5, G, Iowa St.)
14. Phoenix Suns...........................Dan Majerle (6-6, F, Central Michigan)
15. Seattle SuperSonics...............................Gary Grant (6-3, G, Michigan)
16. Houston Rockets.............................Derrick Chievous (6-7, F, Missouri)
17. Utah Jazz............................................Eric Leckner (6-11, C, Wyoming)
18. Sacramento Kings.............................Ricky Berry (6-8, G, San Jose St.)
19. New York Knicks.................................Rod Strickland (6-3, G, DePaul)
20. Miami Heat.........................................Kevin Edwards (6-3, G, DePaul)
21. Portland Trail Blazers...........................Mark Bryant (6-9, F, Seton Hall)
22. Cleveland Cavaliers...................Randolph Keys (6-5, F, Southern Miss)
23. Denver Nuggets.............................................Jerome Lane (6-6, F, Pitt)
24. Boston Celtics..........................Brian Shaw (6-6, G, Cal-Santa Barbara)
25. L.A. Lakers.....................................David Rivers (6-0, G, Notre Dame)
SECOND ROUND
26. Portland Trail Blazers.......................Rolando Ferreira (7-1, C, Houston)
27. San Antonio Spurs...............................Shelton Jones (6-9, F, St. John's)
28. Phoenix Suns.....................................Andrew Lang (6-11, C, Arkansas)
29. Sacramento Kings...........................Vinny Del Negro (6-5, G, N.C. St.)
30. Detroit Pistons..................................Fennis Dembo (6-6, F, Wyoming)
31. Philadelphia 76ers...........................Everette Stephens (6-3, G, Purdue)
32. New Jersey Nets........................Charles Shackleford (6-10, F, N.C. St.)
33. Miami Heat................................Grant Long (6-8, F, Eastern Michigan)
34. Charlotte Hornets.....................................Tom Tolbert (6-7, F, Arizona)
35. Miami Heat..................................Sylvester Gray (6-6, F, Memphis St.)
36. Washington Bullets.....................Ledell Eackles (6-5, G, New Orleans)
37. New York Knicks.................................Greg Butler (6-11, F-C, Stanford)
38. Phoenix Suns.....................................Dean Garrett (6-10, F-C, Indiana)
39. Milwaukee Bucks..............................Tito Horford (7-1, C, Miami, Fla.)
40. Miami Heat.................Orlando Graham (6-7, F, Auburn-Montgomery)
41. Golden State Warriors.............................Keith Smart (6-2, G, Indiana)
42. Utah Jazz.........................................................Jeff Moe (6-4, G, Iowa)
43. Denver Nuggets......................................Todd Mitchell (6-7, F, Purdue)
44. Atlanta Hawks...................................Anthony Taylor (6-4, G, Oregon)
45. L.A. Clippers.................................Tom Garrick (6-2, G, Rhode Island)
46. Dallas Mavericks......................Morton Wiley (6-4, G, Long Beach St.)
47. San Antonio Spurs..........................z-Vernon Maxwell (6-5, G^Florida)
48. Detroit Pistons.................................Michael Williams (6-2, G\ Baylor)
49. Dallas Mavericks..........................................Jose Vargas (6-10, C, LSU)
50. Phoenix Suns............................................Steve Kerr (6-3, G, Arizona)
THIRD ROUND
51. L.A. Clippers...........................................Rob Lock (6-11, C, Kentucky)
52. New Jersey Nets.....................Derek Hamilton (6-6, F, Southern Miss)
53. Portland Trail Blazers.................Anthony Mason (6-7, F, Tennessee St.)
54. Atlanta Hawks...............Jorge Gonzalez (7-6, C, Argentine Nafl Team)
55. Phoenix Suns.................Rodney Johns (6-2, G, Grand Canyon, Colo.)
56. San Antonio Spurs.........................Barry Sumpter (7-0, C, Austin Peay)
57. Philadelphia 76ers...........................Hernan Montenegro (6-10, F, LSU)
58. Charlotte Hornets........................................Jeff Moore (6-7, F, Auburn)
59. Miami Heat.............................................Nate Johnson (6-8, F, Tampa)
60. Washington Bullets............................Ed Davender (6-3, G, Kentucky)
61. Indiana Pacers........................................Herb Crook (6-7, F, Louisville)
62. Chicago Bulls.....................................Derrick Lewis (6-7, F, Maryland)
63. Milwaukee Bucks.......................................Mike Jones (6-7, F, Auburn)
64. Cleveland Cavaliers.......................Winston Bennett (6-7, F, Kentucky)
65. Seattle SuperSonics.............Corey Gaines (6-3, G, Loyola Marymount)
66. Denver Nuggets............................Dwight Boyd (6-4, G, Memphis St.)
67. Utah Jazz...........................................Ricky Grace (6-1, G, Oklahoma)
68. Atlanta Hawks...................................Darryl Middleton (6-9, F, Baylor)
69. New York Knicks...................Phil Stinnie (6-8, F, Va. Commonwealth)
70. Dallas Mavericks....................Jerry Johnson (5-11, G, Florida Southern)
71. Portland Trail Blazers.......................Craig Neal (6-5, G, Georgia Tech)
72. Detroit Pistons..................................Lee Johnson (6-9, F, Norfolk St.)
73. Indiana Pacers...............................Michael Anderson (5-11, G, Drexel)
74. Boston Celtics......................................Gerald Paddio (6-7, F-G, UNLV)
75. San Antonio Spurs...............................Archie Marshall (6-7, F, Kansas)
x-Smith was drafted by the 76ers, who traded his rights to the Clippers y-Hawkins was drafted by the Clippers, who traded his rights to the 7bers. z-Maxwell was drafted by the Nuggets, who traded his rights to the Spurs.