By Anthony Bosco
October was not a stellar month for Queens basketball players vying for spots on NBA rosters. But even while some local products struggled, some veteran borough hoopsters have found a way to hang on in the world’s toughest basketball league.
The month started with St. Albans native and former St. John’s standout Mark Jackson, a veteran of 17 NBA seasons with six different teams, signing on with the Utah Jazz. But from there it was mostly downhill for several players with borough ties.
Nine days after Jackson inked his deal, another former St. John’s star, Omar Cook, out of Christ the King High School, was waived by the Orlando Magic. The Magic originally drafted Cook following his freshman season at the Jamaica school in the second round two years ago before trading him to Denver for a first-round pick. Cook was subsequently waived by Denver.
Since his departure from the mile-high city, Cook has had stints in the Developmental League as well as with Dallas and Boston before catching on this pre-season with the Magic. Despite spending time with four NBA teams, the Brooklyn-bred point guard has yet to play in a regular-season game.
Less than two weeks later another point guard with Queens ties was waived, as former Cardozo High School standout Rafer Alston was let go by the Golden State Warriors. Alston was a back-up in Milwaukee for three seasons until testing the free agent waters following last season with the Bucks.
Alston was praised by Warriors’ coach Eric Musselman during the pre-season and his abrupt departure from the club came as a surprise to many who have followed the Queens product’s sometimes tumultuous basketball career.
“He’s a very good pick and roll player,” Musselman said. “He understands who to get the ball to and when to get them the ball. I think he’s extremely well liked by all his teammates, both on the court and in the locker room. He’s a pretty flashy player, but he’s also one of the more under-control guys we have in camp. People don’t understand how fundamentally sound his game is.”
Another St. John’s product out of Floral Park, Zendon Hamilton, failed again to make an NBA roster when he was waived by the Denver Nuggets a day after Alston’s release. Hamilton has kept his name on the periphery of the NBA, but has yet to make a meaningful impact on any team.
On Oct. 25, yet another former St. John’s product was waived when Erick Barkley, who spent most of the pre-season working with the San Antonio Spurs, was traded along with an undisclosed amount of cash to the Çhicago Bulls in exchange for future considerations.
The Bulls then quickly released Barkley, who, in three years in the NBA since leaving St. John’s, has yet to earn a starting job or even garner meaningful minutes.
Duane Causwell, a veteran of 11 NBA seasons, worked with the Spurs in camp this year, but left early on during the pre-season when, according to his former high school coach at Cardozo Ron Naclerio, it became apparent he would not make the club. After missing all of last year in the league, Causwell is still working to sign with another team, Naclerio added.
Injuries sidelined two more players linked to the borough, as New York Knicks back-up forward Lavor Postell had surgery to repair his knee, which is expected to keep the St. John’s product out of action for more than a month of the regular season.
Postell’s former SJU teammate, Felipe Lopez, of the Minnesota Timberwolves, suffered a season-ending knee injury on Oct. 19 in a pre-season game against the Boston Celtics. Lopez was helped off the court after tearing both the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee.
Lopez had signed with Minnesota as a free agent in August 2001.
Despite all of these setbacks, the borough will still be well represented at the start of this NBA season, with several players comfortably holding onto their jobs.
With Jackson at Utah, another point guard, former Christ the King standout Craig “Speedy” Claxton, was still with San Antonio as of Monday, having edged out his friend and high school teammate Barkley for a roster spot. Claxton spent his first two seasons with Philadelphia.
Kenny Anderson, the Archbishop Molloy product out of Lefrak City, was traded by the Boston Celtics in a five-player deal in July to the Seattle Super Sonics, his fourth NBA team in 14 seasons. Anderson is expected to share time with Gary Payton at the point guard slot.
Queensbridge product Ron Artest is safely locked up by the Indiana Pacers for the season, while Springfield Gardens product Anthony Mason will patrol under the boards for Milwaukee this year.
Rounding out the borough roster is Lamar Odom, a 6-foot-10 forward who has averaged better than 16 points per game in three seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers. The South Jamaica native will once again be one of the standouts on L.A.’s other team.
Reach Sports Editor Anthony Bosco by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 130.
