Paul Pierce of the NBA’s Boston Celtics hit pay dirt earlier this summer, landing a six-year contract extension worth $85 million.
Soon it will be time for one of Pierce’s Kansas University teammates Denver Nuggets forward Raef LaFrentz to take his turn and cash in.
The 25-year-old LaFrentz, who will make just under $4 million during the 2001-02 season, could become a restricted free agent if he’s not signed to a contract extension by Oct. 31.
“I can’t talk about that,” LaFrentz, the second-leading scorer in KU history, told the Journal-World last week. “What I can say is we signed a new general manager. Kiki Vandeweghe agreed to a contract. Talks will start and we’ll see what happens.
“I don’t think about it,” LaFrentz added, asked about possibly landing a monster contract like the one Pierce signed. “It’s a nice contract, but really, if you have $10 million, how can you spend that? You want to go out and achieve, no matter the contract.”
Vandeweghe makes it sound as if LaFrentz, who has averaged 12.7 points and 7.8 rebounds through his first three years in the NBA, will reach elite monetary status soon.
“We intend to keep Raef forever,” Vandeweghe told the Denver Post.
A contract extension would cap a memorable summer for LaFrentz, of Monona, Iowa. He married Joie Lindeman who hails from Iowa Falls, Iowa, like KU junior Nick Collison on July 21 in Des Moines, Iowa.
KU coach Roy Williams attended the wedding, then moved on to Denver, where he attended former Jayhawk T.J. Pugh’s nuptials the following day.
KU assistant Ben Miller also attended LaFrentz’s wedding, as did former KU teammates Jerod Haase, C.B. McGrath, Jacque Vaughn and Chris Martin.
Current KU player Collison, who is good buddies with brother-of-the-bride Mike Lindeman, also was present. Collison’s sister, Katie, who is a friend of the bride, was a bridesmaid, and Collison’s uncle, Craig, a Catholic priest, presided.
“T.J. got married in Denver the next day, so it split people up,” LaFrentz said of other former teammates. “Ryan Robertson was in T.J.’s wedding; Scott Novosel was in mine.
“It was great to see coach Williams there. I would have been disappointed had he not come. He has played a pretty big part in my life.”
LaFrentz has been splitting off-season time between Monona and Denver. He recently purchased a farm near Monona. “It’s a mile of riverfront property and timber, basically for recreational purposes fishing and hunting. It keeps my dad busy,” LaFrentz said.
The 6-foot-11, 240-pound LaFrentz has been working out daily as he attempts to take his game to the next level.
“What is expected of me in the pros is not the same as college. Here I’m a perimeter threat and shot blocker,” said LaFrentz, a career 46-percent shooter, who was 34.8 percent (51 of 139) from beyond the three-point line last season. “At KU I was more of an inside or baseline threat. I have some opportunities to post up and shoot, not nearly as frequently as in college.”
In college, LaFrentz won 113 games and lost 17, winning four league titles. He never lost a game at Allen Fieldhouse.
“I couldn’t imagine my college career going any better. I wouldn’t change one thing. I wouldn’t even change the grief people gave me from leaving (Iowa) to play at KU,” said LaFrentz, who faced unforgiving Iowa fans on trips to Iowa State. “Playing at KU was great. Everything coach told me in high school actually happened.
“It’s not one of those situations where a coach tells you what you want to hear. Coach makes a promise and upholds it. Kansas was everything he said it’d be. I had faith in what he was doing and stuck to his system 100 percent. It worked for me. I had some accomplishments and am proud of them.”
LaFrentz said the NBA is “a lot different from college. The difference is night and day. I had a blast at KU. We played basketball the right way. In the NBA, a lot of times it’s a business. In some ways it’s unfortunate, but it’s the nature of the beast.
“I am playing basketball for a living, which is a dream in itself to be able to do that. It’s great in my book. But there are a lot of ups and downs. I’ve been through good moments and not so good moments. I take it one year at a time.”
LaFrentz is hoping to return and play an NBA exhibition game in Allen Fieldhouse.
“Geez, yes I’d play. It’d be awesome to be able to play in there again,” LaFrentz said. “Some of the best nights of my life came in that building. I’d be all for that.”
