WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2002
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Roy Williams celebrates alongside his summer basketball camp members as Drew Gooden is selected fourth in first round of the NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies.
JOHN NOWAK/KANSAN
Gooden plenty ready for NBA play By Matt Norton sportswriter
Drew Gooden is a Memphis Grizzly.
"We worked a lot of kids out here and during the process of elimination and trying to find people that you are really attracted to, this player was right at the top of the list," said Jerry West. Grizzlies' team president, at a press conference on June 27.
While the former Kansas basketball star gets used to the thought of realizing his dream of playing in the NBA, those most involved with his basketball life said they thought Memphis drafted a future superstar with the number four pick in the 2002 NBA Draft last Wednesday.
Pre-draft speculation had predicted that Gooden would go to either the Golden State Warriors, who had the third pick, or Memphis.
Gooden, who couldn't be reached for comment this week, said at the press conference that while he felt like he would be picked by Memphis, he was still nervous.
Kansas coach Roy Williams said he would enjoy watching the latest Jayhawk to enter the NBA.
Gooden joins Raef LaFrentz of Dallas, free agent Danny Manning, Greg Ostertag of Utah, Paul Pierce of Boston, Scot Pollard of Sacramento and Jacque Vaughn of Atlanta.
"When the number was called, it was like my mind went blank and everything went in slow motion for a moment," Gooden said. "When I heard them say 'the fourth pick is Drrr...' I thought this might be it but I am going to wait until he said 'Drew.'"
"I really did expect Drew to not go past
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN
Drew Gooden greets participants of the Roy Williams Basketball Camp at Horesji Athletic Center. Gooden recently was drafted no. 4 by the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA.
fourth," Williams said. "As time went down I thought Golden State would take Mike Dunleavy. I would have been really disappointed if they (Memphis) had not
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