Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 1, 1993 TAG: 9307010237
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: AUBURN HILLS, MICH. LENGTH: Medium
Orlando made Chris Webber, Michigan's 6-foot-9 forward, the first player chosen in the NBA draft Wednesday night. And after the Warriors took do-it-all Memphis State guard Anfernee Hardaway two picks later, the teams swapped the players.
In between those choices, Philadelphia filled its tall order with 7-6 Shawn Bradley.
Golden State, desperate to add rebounding and defensive help to a small, potent lineup, sweetened the trade considerably by throwing in three first-round draft choices, with the first to be exercised no earlier than 1996.
It was the first draft-day deal ever involving the league's No. 1 pick and the first time the top choice had been dealt at all since Cleveland acquired the pick from Philadelphia in 1986.
"These are both great players. We would be happy with either one," said Orlando president Dick DeVos. "But when you put one together with three other players, that's a fantastic value. We just insured our future."
Orlando, which improved from 21 victories in 1991-92 to 41 in O'Neal's rookie season and then lucked out in the draft lottery for the second straight year, has 11 first-round choices over the next seven years.
Webber and Hardaway wanted to be part of that future.
"Nothing against Golden State, but I'm looking forward to playing with Shaq," said Hardaway, a fine passer and outside shooter who can play point guard, shooting guard and small forward. "I think we're going to be a dominating team. Me and Shaq will play well together. We really complement each other."
Webber turned philosophical after learning of the trade.
"Maybe I wasn't the right thing for them," he said. "This is still a great thrill, to be the number one player in the draft."
Asked if he was upset, Webber said: "Don't take away my dream come true."
As costly as the deal was for Golden State, coach Don Nelson was thrilled.
"The beauty of the trade was that we didn't have to lose any players," he said. "We did have to give a lot. Three first-round picks is a lot to give for anybody, but we think it was well worth it.
"This has been in the works off and on for well over a month. We continued to communicate on a daily basis and it was culminated a few minutes before the draft began."
The move also had financial repercussions, especially for the Magic. Orlando is going to struggle signing its draft picks as it is. Adding the No. 1 choice for the second successive season might have been impossible.
O'Neal signed a seven-year, $40 million contract after Orlando drafted him first last year. Christian Laettner, picked third by Minnesota a year ago, signed a six-year, $21.6 million deal.
Said DeVos: "We'll make this happen."
Nelson also had been interested in Bradley before deciding he'd rather have the more polished Webber. Bradley hasn't played basketball competitively since he was a Brigham Young freshman in 1990-91, having spent the last two years as a Mormon missionary in Australia.
Had Philadelphia ruined the proposed trade by taking Hardaway, Orlando would have kept the three picks - as well as Webber - and the Warriors would have selected Bradley.
The 76ers are counting on Bradley to block tons of shots and, eventually, to develop into a fine all-around center. Bradley has good coordination for his size. He was a .400 hitter as a high school baseball player and enjoys water skiing and horseback riding.
"Big horse," he said.
The Dallas Mavericks, selecting fourth, took 6-8 Kentucky forward Jamal Mashburn. Like the three players selected before him, Mashburn left college early to join the NBA, the first time underclassmen were chosen with the first four picks.
"This is a great situation for me," he said. "I'll take some bumps and bruises but I don't want to sit on the bench. When I went to Dallas [for a visit], I fell in love with the place. They had a down year, but this is a new year."
Keywords:
BASKETBALL
by CNB