Look past guard’s college troubles, focus on ability and defense
The Celtics [team stats], with an eternity to decide on their next prospect and the very real chance that the 30th pick in the draft won’t crack their 15-man roster, selected a player some might consider a risk.
J.R. Giddens, an explosive, 6-foot-5 scorer from New Mexico, worked out for the Celtics twice Wednesday and impressed the staff enough to get picked last night in New York.
Giddens, whose involvement in a bar fight led to his transfer from Kansas to New Mexico in 2005, believes that experience is partly responsible in preparing him for his new role with the NBA champions.
“I feel like I’ve overcome all those things,” he said. “It helped to build the character that I have now. God does everything for a reason, and I believe he laid out this path for me now. I was a young guy, immature. I made a bad decision.”
As much as maturity issues led to his transfer and perhaps his slide down the draft board, the C’s coaching staff saw a competitiveness during Giddens’ workouts that was difficult to ignore.
“I like what he did (Wednesday,” Doc Rivers said at TD Banknorth Garden. “He was very competitive in that workout. His team lost a couple of games, and you could see from how he reacted that he didn’t like it.
“Seeing him work out helped me more than Danny (Ainge). Danny has seen these guys, but the workout sold me on liking him.”
The intensity of Giddens’ workout also helped the Celtics put aside the sore thumb that was the player’s past. Giddens was stabbed in the leg during the bar fight, and his transfer was a mutual agreement with Jayhawks coach Bill Self.
He moved on to have two exceptional years at New Mexico under coach Steve Alford, who told Ainge that Giddens was one of his favorite players ever.
“First, I’m confident that he’s a good kid,” Ainge said. “Second, the team we have will make him better. He’s not as mature as I would like to see, and he’s not as disciplined as our guys are, but they will help him to achieve both things.”
Giddens was named co-Western Conference Player of the Year last season, when he averaged 16.3 points on 51.5 percent shooting.
“Back then he was young and immature,” Rivers said of Giddens’ past. “Whenever someone transfers, you’re always concerned about it. He’s had some run-ins, but Steve Alford loved him.”
Rivers liked what he saw of Giddens’ ability, particularly at the defensive end.
“I really like J.R. He’s athletic, skilled, a great in-between game,” Rivers said. “He has a chance to fight for minutes right away because of his defense.”
Considering the nature of the roster, that will be quite a fight.
“I never thought about the Celtics until I worked out for them,” Giddens said. “After that, I was just praying to be part of it. Now I’m going to a place with so much history and tradition.”
Source: http://news.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1103517
The Celtics [team stats], with an eternity to decide on their next prospect and the very real chance that the 30th pick in the draft won’t crack their 15-man roster, selected a player some might consider a risk.
J.R. Giddens, an explosive, 6-foot-5 scorer from New Mexico, worked out for the Celtics twice Wednesday and impressed the staff enough to get picked last night in New York.
Giddens, whose involvement in a bar fight led to his transfer from Kansas to New Mexico in 2005, believes that experience is partly responsible in preparing him for his new role with the NBA champions.
“I feel like I’ve overcome all those things,” he said. “It helped to build the character that I have now. God does everything for a reason, and I believe he laid out this path for me now. I was a young guy, immature. I made a bad decision.”
As much as maturity issues led to his transfer and perhaps his slide down the draft board, the C’s coaching staff saw a competitiveness during Giddens’ workouts that was difficult to ignore.
“I like what he did (Wednesday,” Doc Rivers said at TD Banknorth Garden. “He was very competitive in that workout. His team lost a couple of games, and you could see from how he reacted that he didn’t like it.
“Seeing him work out helped me more than Danny (Ainge). Danny has seen these guys, but the workout sold me on liking him.”
The intensity of Giddens’ workout also helped the Celtics put aside the sore thumb that was the player’s past. Giddens was stabbed in the leg during the bar fight, and his transfer was a mutual agreement with Jayhawks coach Bill Self.
He moved on to have two exceptional years at New Mexico under coach Steve Alford, who told Ainge that Giddens was one of his favorite players ever.
“First, I’m confident that he’s a good kid,” Ainge said. “Second, the team we have will make him better. He’s not as mature as I would like to see, and he’s not as disciplined as our guys are, but they will help him to achieve both things.”
Giddens was named co-Western Conference Player of the Year last season, when he averaged 16.3 points on 51.5 percent shooting.
“Back then he was young and immature,” Rivers said of Giddens’ past. “Whenever someone transfers, you’re always concerned about it. He’s had some run-ins, but Steve Alford loved him.”
Rivers liked what he saw of Giddens’ ability, particularly at the defensive end.
“I really like J.R. He’s athletic, skilled, a great in-between game,” Rivers said. “He has a chance to fight for minutes right away because of his defense.”
Considering the nature of the roster, that will be quite a fight.
“I never thought about the Celtics until I worked out for them,” Giddens said. “After that, I was just praying to be part of it. Now I’m going to a place with so much history and tradition.”
Source: http://news.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1103517
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