ABA team eyes ex-Jayhawks

By Gary Bedore     Aug 17, 2000

The Kansas City Knights selected just one former Kansas University player Darrin Hancock in Tuesday’s 12-round ABA Draft.

No other Kansas players were taken in the draft, but additional ex-Jayhawks may be added to the Knights’ roster.

“I think there are probably two or three (KU players) who have a legitimate chance of making the team,” Knights’ coach Kevin Pritchard, a former KU point guard, said Wednesday. “One great thing is I know all those guys so it’s easy to contact them.”

The Knights’ roster is far from finalized.

Up to 11 of the team’s 14 players will be attending NBA preseason training camps. Some of them will stick, opening some roster spots in Kansas City.

“There is great talent in the Midwest. We’ll definitely pursue some of those players,” Pritchard said.

He mentioned ex-Jayhawks Ryan Robertson, Steve Woodberry, Billy Thomas and Nick Bradford as possibilities.

“I really like Ryan. He works very hard and is a great player,” Pritchard said of the 6-foot-5 Robertson, who was on the injured reserved list of the Sacramento Kings for all but one game of his rookie season.

“Ryan has a good chance to make the Sacramento Kings again. If he does not, he knows we are interested.”

The St. Louis Swarm of the IBL will also pursue the St. Charles, Mo., native if he becomes available.

“The IBL has a third of our salary cap,” Pritchard said. “We will be paying guys from $80,000 to $90,000 on average.”

Woodberry, a fluid 6-4 shooting guard, is one of the best players in Australia’s pro league.

“I would love to have Steve. I think of Steve as an NBA player,” Pritchard said. “I’ve always thought in the summer (pick-up games at KU) he’s one of the best players out there. He’s definitely good enough.”

The 6-4 Thomas has been a standout shooting guard for Salina’s USBL team the past two springs.

“Billy has a chance to make this team. He probably needs to improve on some things. He is a great shooter,” Pritchard said.

Bradford, 6-5, is a recent KU grad known for his all-out hustle at shooting guard, small forward and even power forward.

“We will look at Nick Bradford. I like Nick Bradford,” Pritchard said, noting the Knights will hold open tryouts in late September. “We will have 10 on the roster and be allowed 11th and 12th men on a taxi squad guys who stay with the team but do not travel. So we’ll be looking at a lot of those (KU) guys”

Hancock and KC native Derek Hood were the team’s two territorial picks. Hancock, a shooting guard, played at KU in 1993.

So far Pritchard, the starting point guard on KU’s 1988 national title team, has received phone calls or e-mails from between 200 and 300 former college players.

“Talent wise he’ll be perfect,” Pritchard said of the 6-7 Hancock, a 6-7 who led Dodge City to a USBL title last season. “He excels getting up and down the court.”

JaRon Rush, a former Pembroke Hill and UCLA shooting guard, was Kansas City’s first-round pick. Others with Midwest ties: former Missouri center Doug Smith and former Iowa State guard Fred Hoiberg.

“We might have the smallest and tallest players in the league,” Pritchard said of draft picks Shaheen Holloway (5-10, Seton Hall) and Michael Ri (7-9) of North Korea.

Other Knights: Justin Love, St. Louis U.; Alex Scales, Oregon; Richie Framm, Gonzaga; Dan McClintock, Northern Arizona; Jason Sasser, SMU; Ryan Lethridge, Jackson State; Kevin Ollie, UConn.

“We got a steal in Richie Framm,” Pritchard said. “He’s a talented shooter who comes from a great program. We have some interesting choices. Like any draft, sometimes you don’t get the players you want. Athletically we have one of the best groups.”

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