UNLV’s Clark has some unfinished business

Steve Carp

Monday, April 7, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

The questions were coming at him from every angle.

"Keon, why did you stay?"

"Keon, how close were you to leaving?"

"Keon, how tough was this decision?"

As the queries kept coming, Keon Clark had to feel like a hockey goalie going through one of those rapid-fire shooting drills. But he handled every question flawlessly.

If you're looking for the real reason why the 6-foot-11 junior is staying at UNLV instead of going pro, consider he'll be 22 years old next week and that he's mature beyond his years.

Yet he knows he's not really mature enough to handle the physical, mental and emotional grind that is the 82-game NBA schedule.

Then there's the matter of some unfinished business at UNLV, like winning a WAC championship and getting to the NCAA Tournament. And getting his degree in criminal justice, which would make him the first male in his family to earn a college diploma.

So when the questions were being fired at him, Clark didn't flinch. When Clark announced last Friday he was eschewing the hundreds of thousands of dollars the NBA would offer him now for the chance at millions a year from now, he was ready for the inquires.

"This is a lot of pressure for me," he said. "I've grown up a little faster than I wanted to. There aren't many 21-year-olds in my position."

Always on the move

Cynthia Brown's son has had no choice but to grow up quickly. He was going to attend Temple, but he failed to qualify on his standardized test. Instead, he went to California, played ball at Irvine Valley College, then moved on to southern Utah where he spent 1996 at Dixie College in St. George.

He only played a half a season there before enrolling at UNLV. By now, Clark was seeking stability. Had he opted to leave the Rebels, it would have meant one more move, a move to a business where you can be here today and gone tomorrow in a matter of seconds.

"When I was in California and at Dixie, I was on my own," he said. "Every decision you make is your own.

"Here (at UNLV), I don't feel alone. I feel like I have family around me, people I can trust."

Center of attention

When you're 6-11, you're going to attract attention, like it or not. Clark has come to accept it, be it the triple-teaming he receives from the opposition or the reporters who swarm his locker after every game.

He has said on several occasions that he just wants to fit in. One of his favorite lines is "There's no 'I' in 'team'" and he truly believes it.

Yet he also knows he has to be active for the Rebels to be successful. He can't disappear as he sometimes did during the season.

UNLV coach Bill Bayno wants him to get stronger over the summer so he can overcome the extra attention. And his teammates will have to do a better job of getting him the ball early so he can beat the double- and triple-team efforts.

"There's a lot more to my game than people have seen," Clark said. "I think I can be a better defender. I need to make better decisions."

This coming from a guy who shattered the school record for blocked shots with 112 and who was able to handle the ball, in his words, like a "black Bob Cousy."

Room to improve

But Clark is right. He had a propensity for picking up silly fouls or making bad decisions -- like the time he tried to alley-oop a pass to himself against Memphis in the NIT and totally botched it.

In Clark's defense, he has only been playing organized ball for four years. Perhaps experience will tilt the scales in his favor.

But has also has learned to deal with being a fan favorite. Strangers constantly stop him to talk or get an autograph. The press is constantly seeking his opinion, hoping for a good sound bite or quote.

"Nothing's going to be on a straight line," he said of the extra attention that comes with being a player of his stature. "You've got to ride it out and learn to deal with it.

"Like talking to reporters. I was pretty nervous with all those questions. But I just try to do the best I can with it. I'm learning some good life lessons here (at UNLV)."

Money can wait

Had Clark bolted for the NBA, he may have picked up a quick million. But what if he didn't stick? What if he languished on the bench? How would his game improve?

And what if he had to go to Europe because he wasn't in the right situation in the NBA?

"I don't worry about the money because I don't have it yet," he said.

"I'm patient. I know the money isn't going anywhere. It'll be there next year."

Bayno has said by waiting, the swing could be worth as much as $10 million, if Clark were to be a lottery pick a year from now. He'll also be more mature and better prepared to deal with what will be a dramatic change in his life.

Finally, he will have an insurance policy to cover him in the event he gets hurt and his hoop dreams get shattered. He bounced back from a sprained left knee early in the season to average 28 minutes, 14.8 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.

"Hopefully, I won't have any more injuries," he said, knocking on wood.

Still, Clark admitted the temptation to go for the gold now was strong.

Tough call

"I went back and forth on it a lot," he said. "It was an on-and-off question. But college is supposed to be the best years of your life and I have one year left, so I might as well enjoy it."

By staying in school, Clark also gets a chance to fulfill some obligations to himself. He wants that degree. He wants the championship and a chance to go to the NCAAs. He wants to finish what he started and he wants to bring UNLV's program all the way back.

"I'm trying to make everyone around me proud," he said. "If you're having a good season, people's expectations are going to be higher. And that's a challenge.

"It's a daily struggle trying to live up to everyone's expectations. If you don't handle it, you're going to be broken and I'm not the kind of person who breaks easily."

Clark has an appreciation for what it took for UNLV to get to the top earlier this decade.

History lesson

"Me and Coach (Dave) Rice talk a lot about it," Clark said of UNLV's basketball legacy. "He played on those teams, so I respect where he's coming from. He saw what LJ (Larry Johnson) and Stacey (Augmon) and Greg (Anthony) went through and he can relate to me and my situation."

Coming off a 22-10 season with many key components back, plus some big acquisitions, including the nation's top prep player Lamar Odom, Clark has reason to be excited about sticking around.

"With the team we've got coming back and with all the support in the community, we can have a very special season," he said. "It's a good feeling to have the Rebels back where they're supposed to be.

"But I know there's a lot of hard work ahead of me if I want to get to where I want to go. It's up to me now."

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