Drew Neitzel

[Wolfsbane]

Heat has lined up commitments for its summer program. Among those expected to assemble next week at AmericanAirlines Arena for camp and then possibly advance to summer league the following week at Orlando are Davidson guard Jason Richards, Louisville center David Padgett, St. Joseph's guard Pat Calathes, Xavier forward Josh Duncan and former Pittsburgh guard Antonio Graves.

[revprodeji]

I think it was Taylor. He looked good pre-draft. Is that it MNWI?

[Wolfsbane]

I think it was Taylor. He looked good pre-draft. Is that it MNWI?

I thought mnWI mentioned Taylot in the first post and said it was someone else. But it is NOT Carroll.
Jaycee Carroll was scheduled to fly to New Jersey Tuesday, July 1. Jaycee plans to play for the Nets in NBA Summer League games at Orlando, Fla. next week.

[Devilzsidewalk]

Wolves always field a disappointing summer league squad. I guess you can't get em all though.

Any word on when Mateen Cleaves will confirm his presence for a 17th consecutive year?

[horaceworthy]

Yeah, rev, mnWI mentioned Bryce Taylor in his first post, then left another name shrouded in mystery.

Part of me's wondering if that name's Patrick O'Bryant, since he said the name would be well received around here.

[karch34]

Wolves always field a disappointing summer league squad. I guess you can't get em all though.

Any word on when Mateen Cleaves will confirm his presence for a 17th consecutive year?

We did have Reggie Evans one year, but didn't sign him.

[big3_8_19_21]

we signed skita off from our summer league team :|

[deeney0]

Ryan Bowen was on our summer league team last year, he actually ended up playing pretty well for the Hornets. Hmm, that might even be who mnWI is talking about.

[big3_8_19_21]

why Ryan Bowen be "well received"? I mean...I wouldn't be disappointed if he was on our summer league roster, but it's not like anyone's going to get excited over Ryan Bowen.

[mnWI]

So how do the Wolves end up with a guy like Blake Ahearn on their summer team? Why isn't he on the Heat's summer league team, I was under the impression he played pretty well for them on his 10 day contracts. If not them, there's probably at least a half a dozen other teams who'd love to give him a shot based on how well his NBDL season went. Is it a money thing? Is it location, guys like Ahearn and Neitzel hoping to stay in the midwest?

Normally, the Heat would have the rights to Ahearn, but chose not to extend him a qualifying offer or any type of commitment for the summer. I told Fred about Ahearn in January right before he started to break out (lead the D-League in scoring for a month stretch), and Fred started to talk to Ahean's small-time agent frequently.

[deeney0]

Forbes is going to be on the Wizards' summer league team, so much for that. Or the Rockets. There are posts on both boards claiming him. Interesting.

[Devilzsidewalk]

ADA -- Assume that Drew Neitzel won't earn an NBA paycheck some day at the risk of making an *** out of U and ME.

If the former Michigan State guard has anything, aside from an under-utilized head of hair, it's a track record of defying odds and proving critics wrong.

They said he couldn't make the varsity as a high school freshman, and all he did is average 19.1 points and five assists in his first year at Wyoming Park.

The highly touted Detroit Renaissance duo of Malik Hairston and Joe Crawford publicly scoffed at Neitzel's inclusion with them as frontrunners for Michigan's Mr. Basketball Award. All Neitzel did is hang 36 points on them on 11-for-24 shooting from the field and 5-for-11 from the arc to their combined 42 points in a state semifinal. Park lost the game, but Neitzel came away with the Mr. Basketball hardware, winning in a landslide.

They said Neitzel wasn't good enough or big enough to play for a Big Ten team, especially an elite one like Tom Izzo's Michigan State program. And all he did is start as a freshman and finish his career with back-to-back first-team all-conference honors.

Neitzel's detractors and critics correctly predicted he wouldn't be selected last week's NBA Draft, but that should by no means be used as a barometer for future success.

I bumped into former MSU guard Shawn Respert, who now is the Director of Basketball Operations for the National Basketball Developmental League, on Monday at the 10th annual Steve Smith Charity Challenge at Egypt Valley Country Club on Monday.

I asked Respert if Neitzel's career could start in the NBDL.

In lieu of getting drafted, the Minnesota Timberwolves asked Neitzel to audition further on their summer league team. The next big step up would be earning a free-agent contract and an invitation to preseason camp by Minnesota, or another NBA team.

Or, the next step may be the D-League or overseas, Respert said. Whatever route Neitzel takes, he has plenty of road ahead of him to travel before he runs into any dead ends.

"Neitzel's problem is, he's in a numbers game," said Respert, who faced a similar situation coming out of MSU. "There are only so many point guards in the NBA and there may only be a need for seven or eight."

The 6-foot-3 Respert was selected eighth overall by Portland in 1995 and promptly traded to Milwaukee for the 11th pick. However, although Respert was a spectacular shooting guard in college, he pigeon-holed into the point-guard role -- which didn't necessarily suit his talents -- in the NBA because of his size. Neitzel also will have to play point guard, which he did at various times throughout his Spartans career, as a pro.

Respert's NBA career lasted only four years with the Bucks, Toronto, Dallas and Phoenix, but we'll never know what could have been because contracted stomach cancer as a rookie. The condition, which he kept secret until 2005, seriously eroded his abilities to the point where he couldn't compete at that level. The cancer eventually went into remission and he told me he's feeling 100 percent healthy these days.

"When I came into the league, it was all about big guards," said Respert, relating the first hurdle thrown in his path to what Neitzel now faces. "Now everybody wants combo guards -- guys who can run the team and score.

"Neitzel works so hard on his game and he already shoots better than 80-90 percent of the guys in the league," Respert said. "And he's demonstrated his ability to be a playmaker. When teams see that, their interest will grow. And with guys like me and Steve (Smith), Coach Izzo and Scott (Milwaukee Bucks coach and former Spartan Scott Skiles) advocating for him, he'll get his chance."

Izzo, who also was at Smith's outing, a remarkable fund-raising alumni event hosted by the MSU Club of West Michigan, said it was probably best that Neitzel didn't get drafted especially as an afterthought late in the second round.

Minnesota demonstrated sincere interest in Neitzel by "calling him five minutes after the draft," Izzo said. And as a free agent, Netizel has the luxury of targeting the seven or eight teams that are in need of a point guard -- the Timberwolves are one of them -- rather than having been selected by a team that has no such need.

Size and defense are liabilities for Neitzel, but he's made successful adjustments to his game all his life.

Hey, if Bobby Hurley could make the NBA as a 6-0 point guard -- while his rookie season was cut short by a car accident his career lasted five years -- Neitzel should rightfully be approaching the next phase of his basketball career with a lot of hope.

He's got the "he-can't-do-it" crowd right where he wants them.

[Wolfsbane]

I would love to give Jamont Gordon a shot. Word is his on-court demeanor isn't the best though.

By Kyle Veazey • kyle.veazey@clarionledger.com • July 2, 2008
STARKVILLE - Jamont Gordon will soon join the Philadelphia 76ers team in the NBA Summer League and won't attempt to return to school, his new agent, Mike Conley, said earlier today.

[karch34]

Is there a list of the summer league roster yet?

So far sounds like:
Love
Pekovic
Brewer (my assumption)
Richard (my assumption)
Blake Ahearn
Bryce Taylor
Kaniel Dickens
Drew Nietzel

Any word on Chris Alexander? I think he could provide a nice backup at C.

[revprodeji]

I hope it is POB. I am excited to see Pekovic in action.

[deeney0]

Forgot about POB. That would make sense.

[big3_8_19_21]

That's actually a helluva summer league roster. If we do add one more guy who will be "well received" then we're looking good for our pool of potential roster fillers.

[funkatron101]

Forgot about POB. That would make sense.

Miami is looking to sign him is seems.

[revprodeji]

Miami is just trying to sign people we like. Jerk faces.

[karch34]

Forgot about POB. That would make sense.

Miami is looking to sign him is seems.

Hopefully comparable money, coming home, and less expectations make MN a better destination for him. If we're even talking with him.