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AG's Wildcat Report - Dispatches on the Wildcats, from Anthony Gimino

Posts Tagged ‘NBA’

NBA video: Derrick Williams behind the scenes

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

The NBA posted this video to YouTube on Tuesday, giving a behind-the-scenes glimpse as Arizona Wildcats forward Derrick Williams watched the draft lottery and went through workouts to get ready for Thursday’s draft.

If you’d prefer to read than watch (or if you wanted to do both), check out this profile of Williams from the Los Angeles Times’ Baxter Holmes.

In the feature he quotes an NBA scout as saying that Williams “is going to cause havoc on the offensive end.”

Baxter writes that Williams’ “defense and rebounding are potential weak spots. On average, Williams grabbed one rebound every 3.6 minutes last season. For his size, he should be closer to grabbing one every three minutes, the scout says.”

One more tidbit from that story: Ex-Cat Luke Walton recently offered this piece of advice via text message to the soon-to-be-millionaire: “Don’t spend your money.”

Lute’s recruits: Ex-Cats closing in on $1 billion in NBA salaries

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011
Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Arenas, despite a troubled career of late, will have made around $160 million in salary when his current contract expires. Photo by Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

When Arizona’s Derrick Williams is selected in Thursday’s NBA Draft — with likely the No. 1 or No. 2 pick — it will start a new era for the Wildcats: He’ll be the first of Sean Miller’s recruits to move on to the next level.

But the meter is still running on Lute Olson’s former players … and that meter has passed three-quarters of a billion dollars in NBA salaries for the more than 30 ex-Cats who have (in many cases) gone from Lute to luxury.

Not counting money from endorsements, appearance fees, autograph shows, camps or any of that other stuff — strictly NBA salary — the grand total is approaching $770 million.

And that doesn’t include the very good living that several former Wildcats have made playing in leagues overseas.

There is still plenty of money on the books, too. Gilbert Arenas, now with the Orlando Magic, is still owed $62 million over the next three seasons, for example. The San Antonio Spurs are on the hook to Richard Jefferson for about $30 million over the next three years.

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