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Nets pick maturity over potential
Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Once the New Jersey Nets were
convinced that Kenyon Martin's broken right leg was OK, they didn't
hesitate to make the Cincinnati forward the first overall pick in
the NBA draft on Wednesday night.
As soon as commissioner David Stern opened the draft at 7:30
p.m. ET, Nets president Rod Thorn was on the telephone to the
team's representative in Minneapolis telling him to write down
Martin's name.
|  | | Kenyon Martin was the man of the top of the hour Wednesday night, going No. 1 to the New Jersey Nets. |
"It was difficult, with the difficulty having to do with the
injury," Thorn said. "We had to make sure that that was not going
to be a chronic problem. Once we did, we came to the conclusion
that Kenyon was the right pick for us."
A tough, hard-nosed player who can rebound, block shots and
score, Martin was the consensus choice for the No. 1 pick most of
the season.
However, that changed in the Conference USA tournament when he
broke his leg and sustained ligament damage to his ankle.
Because of the injury, Martin has not been able to work out for
teams. But team doctors have assured Thorn that he will be ready
for the season.
Thorn would not say when he decided to take Martin, but new
coach Byron Scott knew when he left the Nets' headquarters at
midnight on Tuesday that Martin would be the man.
"He's a guy we won't have to baby and get him ready in two or
three years," said Scott, who was introduced as the Nets coach on
Tuesday. "He's been there for four years of college. This guy is a
man, and we're just going to throw him in the fire and go along
with him."
Thorn said the Nets entertained trade talks for weeks but none
of the options was considered seriously on Wednesday. He added they also
considered taking high school phenom Darius Miles.
"He is a player we feel still has a ways to go to realize his
full potential," Thorn said of Miles. "If you look at our team, we were
one of the worst teams in the league defensively and one of the
worst rebounding-wise. Kenyon Martin can give us a lot of those."
With the retirement of Jayson Williams earlier Wednesday, the
Nets are expecting Martin to step right into the starting lineup.
Surprisingly, Scott said Martin is expected to be the small
forward with Keith Van Horn playing the power forward.
"You don't replace a Jayson Williams, the intangibles, the
affinity he had with the fans, the way the fans reacted to him, the
rebounding he gave," Thorn said "We're just sad Jayson is no
longer with us."
Martin, who has tears in his eyes after being taken, didn't know
if the Nets were going to take him.
"It's big, it's like a sigh of relief for me," Martin said in
a telephone interview. "I feel like I'm getting a new life."
Point guard Stephon Marbury said Martin is only going to improve
as a pro.
"I think he is the best guy in the draft," Marbury said.
"He's very mobile, quick on his feet and can block shots. I think
there is more to come with him. We haven't seen the things he can
do on the basketball court. The NBA is one on one and you can rally
show your skills when you are on the court."
Martin averaged 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.45 blocks last
season when he swept national college player of the year honors.
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Kenyon Martin talks with ESPN's Scott Walker about being the first pick.