Pro Basketball News - The voice of pro basketball

By Sam Amico

Pro Basketball News

Editor's note: The following article was originally posted May 28, 2008.

One day after the NBA draft, 200 basketball players will be aiming to start a

career in the pros. Only not in the NBA.

Instead, they'll be hoping for a shot in the NBA Development League. The site is Suwanee, Ga., the event is the D-League Pre-Draft Camp. It will be held June 27-29 at The Suwanee Sports Academy.

Anyone age 18 or older can register to participate. Of those who apply, 200 will be invited to attend.

Why a pre-draft camp for the D-League?

“No 1, it provides guys who think they can play professionally to get closer to their dream,” said D-League director of basketball operations Brandon Williams. “Everybody thinks they have what it takes. This camp gives players the opportunity to put their games on display.”

Everyone from D-League scouts to coaches to league brass will be in attendance (as will some NBA scouts). When the camp ends, a few lucky participants will be added to the player pool from which the league conducts its own draft in November.

Last season, 20 players from the camp were drafted. One of them, Ramon Dyer, played in all 50 games with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds.

The D-League operates its camp in similar fashion to the NBA's camp, held each May in Orlando. Players are put through a variety of drills and placed on a team, guaranteeing them at least two games to strut their stuff.

“We feel it’s a well-organized event, and anytime you give players a platform, it is a win-win situation,” said Chris Alpert, the league's vice president of basketball operations and player personnel . “And it's not only beneficial to the players but to us as a league."

Or as Williams said, “No matter how many scouts there are, you can always miss a potential player. This gives us another chance to see those type of under-the-radar guys.”

As a former NBA and D-League swingman, perhaps Williams understands the value of a minor-league camp as well as anyone.

“There are several layers to it, beginning with the fact there are a lot of talented and qualified players who, for whatever reason, haven’t been able to get exposure,” said Williams, who played his college ball at Davidson before catching on with the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors. “Some guys may have played for smaller colleges, some may have used up their (junior college) eligibility.“

Others may have played at major programs such as North Carolina or Kentucky or UCLA -- but never became a major part of the offense.

“Whatever the case may be, there are plenty of players out there looking for a way to make their name relevant in NBA circles,” Williams said. “The D-League camp is a good place to start.”

Former NBA center and current D-League coach Sean Rooks will be among those providing direction. The good news for the 200 players at the camp? Rooks said his job is to take top athletes with limited basketball skills and turn them into pros.

“Along with finding talent, obviously, our mission is to develop that talent,” Rooks said. “That’s where I come in. Some players are great athletes, but if you want to get to the NBA, it takes a lot more than athletic ability. So I will be at the camp assisting the other coaches and helping the players in a hands-on sort of way.”

And Rooks won’t just be teaching low-post moves or the proper defensive stance. Camp invitees will already understand the importance of bending their knees and shuffling their feet on defense, or sticking their backside into an opponent when boxing out for a rebound.

“For me, a big part of becoming a better basketball player is the mental process,” Rooks said. “A lot of guys have the tools. Some of them just need to learn how and when to better use those tools. Those are the types of things that can be the difference between being a pro or not being a pro, and what level you’re able to reach.”

Williams added, "By the time a player is done with the camp, they will be more skilled and more prepared to play in our league. As a league that develops talent, that's what we're aiming for."

Sam Amico is the editor of Pro Basketball News. Contact him or sign up for his free e-mail newsletter at amico@probasketballnews.com.