20 THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, JULY2, 2003
BASKETBALL
Former Jayhawk sees himself meshing with young Bulls team
The Associated Press
CHICAGO — Kirk Hinrich won't be expected to carry the Chicago Bulls as a rookie, just their bags.
Hinrich was drafted with the seventh pick overall by the Bulls, who see him as an unselfish and skilled role player who can feed the ball to promising big-men Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry.
As a rookie, he also can expect to deliver their bags to them.
"I'll do it. They've been here," a grinning Hinrich said of the razzing he'll face as an NBA rookie. "They've put in their time. I respect them, even though I'm probably older than they are."
He is, by nearly two years. That's one of the things Bulls general manager John Paxson liked about the 22-year-old Hinrich.
The Bulls have one of the youngest line-ups in the league with the preps-to-pros duo of Curry and Chandler and third-year guard Jamal Crawford, who played just one year at Michigan.
"When I took the job back in April, I told all of you I'm looking for people who will play the game the right way. Play unselfishly, work hard," Paxson said on Tuesday after Hinrich arrived in Chicago. "Kirk is that type of guy."
A 6-foot-3,190-pound guard from Sioux City, Iowa,Hinrich played all four years at Kansas and led the Jayhawks to two Final Fours,losing in the title game this past season.
He was a third-team All-American and
first-team All-Big 12 selection as a senior and averaged 17.3 points.
He also was the team's toughest defender and their sharpest outside shooter, averaging 43 percent from three-point range over his career.
"Isee myself fitting in really well. I know it's a really young team, on the way up," Hinrich said. "The number one thing is I'm going to come in here and earn the respect of my teammates."
Hinrich is stepping into a delicate situation in Chicago.
The Bulls took Hinrich only after guard Jay Williams slammed his new motorcycle into a pole on June 19, a week before the draft.
The former college player remains hospitalized with a fractured leg, pelvis and torn knee ligaments. The team hasn't commented about the extent of his injuries, nor have the doctors or the Williams family. Sources close to Williams have said the injuries are severe enough to jeopardize his career.
Hinrich said when he's able, he'd like to visit Williams in the hospital. The two played against each in college, and were in the same high school recruiting class.
"That something I've been thinking about. It's very unfortunate." Hinrich said. "I know Jay, I consider him a friend."
Hinrich joins a Bulls team that finished 30-52,an improvement over previous seasons. Chicago has missed the playoffs five straight years, though things could finally be turning around for the franchise that dominated the NBA in the 1990s.
TENNIS
Williams sisters move on after each dropping a set
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) Nothing came easily for the defending champion Serena or her sister Venus Williams in the quarterfinals yesterday. Serena lost the opening set against Capriati, and Venus also dropped a set for the first time this fortnight, against Lindsay Davenport.
But by straightening out their strokes and using the game's top serves, the sisters won and moved within one victory each of a sixth all-Williams Grand Slam final.
On the other hand, Justine Henin-Hardenne and Kim Clijsters are within one victory each of a second straight all-Belgian Grand Slam final.
"I've been in this position so many times," Serena said, "I have no nerves."
NCAA
Miami chooses long-term profits over five-year deal
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Money played a large role in Miami's decision to leave the Big East and join the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Miami officials relied less on the amounts of the offers from the two conferences and more on the ways the leagues distributed profits to all sports.
Shalala and athletic director Paul Dee would have kept the Hurricanes in the Big East.
If guaranteed money over the next five years was the most important factor, then university president Donna
"Frankly, the Big East made us a better financial offer," Shalala said after the announcement Monday. "It was a sense of the future. They're fundamentally different in the way in which they distribute money."
So, Miami went to the ACC largely because that conference paid all its members the same amount.
In the 2001-02 academic year, ACC members received $9.7 million each, the highest disbursement in that conference's history.
Miami earned a reported $9.3 million that year and made less than every other ACC school.
BASEBALL
Hammonds signs contract with San Francisco Giants
ST.LOUIS (AP) — Outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds, released last month by the Milwaukee Brewers, signed a minor-league contract yesterday with the San Francisco Giants.
Hammonds batted. 158 with one home run and three RBIs with the Brewers before going on the 15-day disabled list with a high ankle sprain He was released June 4.
Hammonds will work his way into playing shape in the Arizona League, then go to Triple-A Fresno, the Giants announced here before the start of the second game of their four-game series against the Cardinals.
Hammonds was in the final season of a three-year, $21.75 million deal.
PICKS: Fans, residents tuned into draft CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19
to $1.3 million dollars in his first season,
and then up to $1.4 million and $1.5
million for his second and third seasons.
"Are you serious? You have Duncan, Webber, Garnett and Shaq," Bouwie said. "He is going to get killed."
Norman Bouwie, Wichita graduate said he didn't think Collison would perform well in the Western Conference.
Norman Roberts, Kansas assistant men's basketball coach, said that might not be the case. The only one of those players Collison will guard is Sacramento forward Chris Webber, Roberts said.
Collison will not have it easy because the West has the biggest men in the league,
but Collision should pull through, he said.
Besides, Robert said, the West was no where close to the high physical play of the Eastern Conference.
The last time two players from Kansas were drafted in the first round was in 1998, when the Denver Nuggets made Raef LaFrentz the third pick and the Boston Celtics selected Paul Pierce 10th overall.
"To say Collison is going to get killed is silly," Roberts said. "Nick will hold his own. He will adjust his game and with his work ethic, he will do well."
— Edited by Maggie Newcomer
FEVER: Powder blue back in fashion CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19
"The other night we had a friendly fight over the televisions," Davis said, "Some wanted to watch the draft; others wanted to watch the Royals."
With the majority of KU students out of town, Royals fever has been a blessing, said James Neumann, Buffalo Wild Wings manager.
Neumann said he has noticed an increase in business and powder-blue, vintage Royals uniforms around his bar.
"People seem to be getting them out of their closet and sporting them around," Neumann said. "I have not seen those uniforms in years. It is crazy."
Ali Littlefield, bartender at Louise's Downtown, 1009 Massachusetts St.
said he thought the Royals would go the playoffs and possibly the world series. If that happens, Littlefield said, then the Royals fever will become an epidemic.
"Right now people are loving it," Littlefield said. "Whenever the Royals play, it gets a little rowdy in here. People are hollering and jumping around."
Ian Carrillo, Joplin, Mo., senior, said he adhered to this year's unofficial Royals slogan. "We believe."
"Yes, I believe," Carrillo said. "I believe they can win, and I believe they can go all the way."
— Edited by Richard Gintowt