University of North Carolina Athletics
Hawks Select UNC's Marvin Williams In No. 2 Slot
June 28, 2005 | Men's Basketball
June 28, 2005
NEW YORK (Ticker) - The young Atlanta Hawks got even younger - and perhaps much better - with the selection of North Carolina freshman forward Marvin Williams with the second pick in the NBA draft. With five returnees with two seasons or less of experience and a need for a point guard, the Hawks still opted for the 6-9 Williams, whom many feel eventually will be the best player taken in this draft.
The Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year, Williams averaged 11.6 points and 6.6 rebounds despite not starting a single game for the national champion Tar Heels this season. He was a projected lottery pick out of high school after averaging 29 points, 15.5 rebounds, five blocks and five assists at Bremerton High School in Washington.
Despite his youth, Williams appears to have all the tools to become a star forward in the NBA. He has explosiveness and already is able to pull up and shoot a smooth, balanced shot when his drives are cut off. He also is an excellent free-throw shooter.
Williams is a high flyer who can go up two or three times for a rebound without losing lift. He should play right away for the Hawks, who were a league-worst 13-69 last season.
Needing A Point Guard, Bobcats Take Felton Fifth Overall
Denied their first choice of Chris Paul, the Charlotte Bobcats took the best remaining point guard in North Carolina junior Raymond Felton with the fifth pick in the NBA draft. The Bobcats were very high on Paul, the point guard from Wake Forest whom New Orleans tabbed with the fourth pick. In need of a point guard, Charlotte selected Felton, who was not expected to go this high.
The 6-1 Felton quarterbacked the Tar Heels to the national championship and received the Bob Cousy Award as the top point guard in the country. He led the Atlantic Coast Conference in assists (6.9) and 3-point field goal percentage (.440).
Felton chipped in 12.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and two steals per contest and also is a solid defender. He is expected to step in for Brevin Knight, who was second in the NBA in assists last season but is a free agent and likely not part of Charlotte's construction plan.
Bobcats Select UNC's Sean May With 13th Pick
The Charlotte Bobcats stayed on Tobacco Road with their second first-round pick, selecting North Carolina junior forward Sean May at No. 13 in the NBA draft.
With the fifth pick, the Bobcats selected Tar Heels point guard Raymond Felton, who teamed with May to lead North Carolina to the national title. Charlotte is hoping some of that winning tradition will rub off.
Sean May's father, Scott, was drafted second overall in 1976 after leading Indiana to the national championship.
The 6-9, 266-pound May is a pure power forward. He has the strength, shoulders and caboose to be effective against taller, rangier power forwards. He knows how to carve out space on the block, hold his position during an entry pass, and make a decisive move to the rim.
May's stock rose in the NCAA Tournament, when he was named Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four. He averaged 22.3 points and 10.7 rebounds and shot 67 percent in six NCAA Tournament games.
Timberwolves Tab UNC's McCants With 14th Pick
Suddenly short at shooting guard, the Minnesota Timberwolves tabbed North Carolina junior Rashad McCants with the 14th pick in the NBA draft.
Latrell Sprewell is a free agent and not expected to be re-signed by the Timberwolves, who recently learned that Fred Hoiberg has a heart condition that may shorten or end his career.
That leaves an opening for McCants, who became the fourth Tar Heel - all underclassmen - chosen in the first 14 picks.
The 6-4 McCants is not as big as former UNC stars Michael Jordan and Jerry Stackhouse but should do well in the NBA due to his athleticism and solid shooting ability. There are questions about his effort but not his talent.
A first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference performer as a sophomore after leading the conference in scoring at 20 points per game, McCants fell to a third-team selection this year, missing four games with an intestinal disorder.
On a loaded team, he averaged 16 points and three rebounds and shot 49 percent from the floor, including 42 percent from the arc. He averaged 17 points and made half of his 30 3-pointers in the NCAA Tournament, garnering a spot on the Final Four All-Tournament Team.
 Marvin Williams, Raymond Felton, Sean May, and Rashad McCants pose before the start of the 2005 NBA Draft.  |
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