NBA Draft News on POB & Cellus

[user1]

Here are a couple of reports...based on some recent workouts and evaluations.

First, numerous others in Florida came away totally impressed by Patrick O'Bryant, and the Celtics have quickly asked for and arranged a private workout with Patrick, and would love to have him with their first round pick (it will probably be the #7 pick, unless their ping pong ball gets pulled in the lottery and they get #1, 2, or 3).

The reporters and scouts at draftexpress.com are convinced Patrick will go at the #7 pick to the Celtics, that is unless he even moves up even higher.

http://draftexpress.com/mock.php?y=2006

These guys have moved POB up to #9

http://probasketball.about.com/od/nbadraft/a/nbamockdraft061.htm

these guys to #7

http://www.hoopsvibe.com/nba/nba_draft/2006_nba_mock_draft-ar22954-pa-60.html

these guy to #11

http://www.collegehoopsnet.com/Draft/mockdraft.htm

and almost everyone else has him in the top 10.

Then the great news on Marcellus Sommerville.
"representatives from 17 different NBA teams were in attendance on Thursday to watch a series of hour long workouts at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Most of the buzz coming out was, as usual with NBA types, of the negative variety, although there were a number of positives to take away."

There is a reference to James Augustine missing some shots that looked as good as "scud missles", but otherwise he did well. Shannon Brown impressed some scouts, especially with defense. Josh Boone sorely disappointed, but...........

Then Marcellus Sommerville worked out with Taquan Dean, Will Blalock, and Denham Brown.
"MOST PEOPLE ACTUALLY CAME AWAY THE MOST IMPRESSED WITH MARCELLUS SOMMERVILLE, WHO ACCORDING TO ONE SCOUT "COULD NOT MISS THE ENTIRE WORKOUT". HIS BODY APPEARS TO BE IN FANTANTIC SHAPE AND HE'S CLAERLY A SUPERIOR ATHLETE. His ball handling is still a question mark, but he may have earned himself either another look at the Orlando pre-draft camp or MORE PRIVATE WORKOUTS WITH NBA TEAMS."

http://draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=1304

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=347

[Bravesguy]

Way to go Cellus!!
Finally some respect.
(note they call him Marcus in one place)

[AV23]

Way to go Cellus!!
Finally some respect.
(note they call him Marcus in one place)

Way to go Cellus

[user1]

More nice press for Cellus. Labelled 13th best SF

"Hidden Gem: Bradley's Sweet 16 run may have made Patrick O'Bryant a star, but it was Marcellus Sommerville who got the Braves there. Like Tucker, Sommerville carries a well-built frame to the pros and a toughness to the floor that makes him play bigger than his 6-foot-5 1/2 frame.

Although he's not quite the defender or offensive rebounder that Tucker is, Sommerville's inside-outside offensive game far exceeds his Texas counterpart. Sommerville consistently shot 36% from the three-point arc, but unlike so many young guys, he shows restraint with the shot. Sommerville is a decent ball-handler, capable of backing his man down and draining the turnaround jumper. He doesn't quite have the foot speed to be a lethal slasher, but once he finds himself around the basket he's not afraid to put the ball up amid taller defenders. Call him Chris Mills with a work ethic."

http://probasketball.about.com/od/nbadraft/a/playerranking06_3.htm

POB labelled 2nd best center

http://probasketball.about.com/od/nbadraft/a/playerranking06_5.htm

[bu fan 9]

Great job Cellus keep up the hard work.

[MacabreMob]

... Sommerville carries a well-built frame to the pros and a toughness to the floor that makes him play bigger than his 6-foot-5 1/2 frame.

From Bradleys website at bubraves.com:
15 Sommerville, Marcellus F 6-7 225 Sr. Peoria, Ill. (Southwestern Illinois College) (Peoria H.S.)

Wow! The guy shrunk 1 1/2 inches!

[Da Coach]

Some new links with mentions of Patrick O'Bryant--

POB works out for the New Orleans/OK City Hornets--

http://www.klfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=4961972&nav=7k7f

POB also worked out for the Utah Jazz--
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,635211456,00.html (see 18th line)

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_3879475

Here is an article suggesting the Portland Blazers might consider POB with their #4 pick! See last line of the first section--

http://www.portlandtribune.com/archview.cgi?id=35481

POB is a 20-1 chance to be the #1 overall pick. There are only 7 players with lower odds--

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-26-2006/0004369595&EDATE=

This one was already posted, but it lists Marcellus Sommerville among the top small forwards in the draft (see #13)--

http://probasketball.about.com/od/nbadraft/a/playerranking06_3.htm

One more note of interest-- The #5 player on the list of small forwards is a kid from Brazil named Marcus Vieira de Souza. He is projected as a late 1st round or early 2nd round pick by all the mock drafts. Bradley had a player in 1975-75 named Marcel de Souza who played 1 year for Joe Stowell, then returned to Brazil and became one of their all time great players, playing on several Olympic teams. I think the younger Marcus de Souza is related to Marcel, but can't confirm it. I tried to research it on the web, but most of the articles about him are in Portugese.

http://nbadraft.net/profiles/marcusvieira.asp

Here he is pegged as the #20 pick to the Knicks--

http://www.sportsline.com/nba/story/9459207

If anyone knows for sure, please let us know.

[thefish7]

... Sommerville carries a well-built frame to the pros and a toughness to the floor that makes him play bigger than his 6-foot-5 1/2 frame.

From Bradleys website at bubraves.com:
15 Sommerville, Marcellus F 6-7 225 Sr. Peoria, Ill. (Southwestern Illinois College) (Peoria H.S.)

Wow! The guy shrunk 1 1/2 inches!

Hehe, have you ever stood next to Cellus? I have trouble believing he's even 6'5".

[tornado]

Cellus is almost identical in height, maybe a little taller, to Ray Brown and Saihou Jassey. He is at least 6'6"

http://www.bradleyfans.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1259

[thefish7]

Cellus is almost identical in height, maybe a little taller, to Ray Brown and Saihou Jassey. He is at least 6'6"
http://www.bradleyfans.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1259

I'm guessing you're saying that he's "at least 6'6"" because thats what Bradley lists Brown and Jassey at and that he's around the same height. I don't doubt at all that he's around the same height as Brown or Jassey, but Bradley overheights their player listings all the time (like every other program). If Cellus is 6'6, I'm 6'3, and I'm not (6' even here). I'd give him 6'5"... but think he's more like 6'4". That's based on standing next to him, not Bradley's listing for the player.

[tornado]

thefish, you are certainly entitled to believe what you see fit to believe, but allow me to prtesent some evidence.
And I don't have any direct measurements of Cellus myself, but only what others have gotten.

When Cellus went to the Portsmouth Invitational, the people at the camp do precise measurements and supply this info not only to the NBA scouts, but also to the media.
This stuff is posted on the web, and is not likely to be incorrect or faked.


Here you will find Marcellus Sommerville listed as 6'7", 225lb.

http://www.portsmouthinvitational.com/rosters.html

Cellus was then also seen at a private workout a month later in Chicago and listed by an independant online scouting service as
6'7" and 230lb.

[Fetz86]

Cellus is probably closer to 6'7 than 6'5 judging from standing next to him, but i think Brown and Jassey are closer to 6'3 or 4 than 6'6, atleast there is no way Jassey is 6'6 from when i walk past him on campus, unless he slouches a lot in his stride.

[Da Coach]

The NBA usualy measures in bare feet, while other measurements, such as the college's own, measure with shoes on. Some shoes can add 1 to 1 1/4 inches to the height.

[Da Coach]

A new ESPN/Andy Katz article about Villanova guard Kyle Lowery that mentions Patrick O'Bryant and his agent Andy Miller.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=2462972

[user1]

Some late NBA news:

Saer Sene, a 7-ft Senegalese player who is projected as a 1st rounder and possibly as high as the lottery, has refused to work out at either of the camps he is attending and especially at Orlando, is going to hurt his stock by doing so. He has played very little competetive ball on the North American continent, and scouts will assess his refusal to play or workout as a hint that he may be trying to hide known deficiencies. Usually only the very top players in the draft will refuse to work out, as they have more to lose than to gain.
He has however planned a couple private workouts with individual teams.

Tyrus Thomas, projected as one of the top 3 picks but still a relative unknown because his name was barely mentioned anywhere until just a couple months ago, is also declining to work out for any team that isn't among the top 3 in the draft.
There are rumors he has been assured he will be picked by the Bulls.

Boston's interest in POB may have waned a bit, as the Boston Herald reports Celtics' GM Danny Ainge was very impressed with Sergio Rodriguez, who is being compared to Steve Nash.

http://celtics.bostonherald.com/celtics/view.bg?articleid=141891