Ex-Rebel stars gearing up for short NBA campaign

Steve Carp

Tuesday, Jan. 12, 1999 | 10:27 a.m.

They've been spending the past few months watching others play. But it's time for some former UNLV stars to get back to work.

When NBA training camps open next Monday, you'll see some familiar faces getting ready for the abbreviated 52-game 1999 season.

* In New York, Larry Johnson's back should be well rested as he and the rest of the Knicks get going.

* In Milwaukee, 12-year veteran Armon Gilliam should enjoy the shorter schedule with the Bucks, who recently hired former UNLV assistant Ron Adams to be a member of George Karl's staff.

* Down in central Florida, Keon Clark will return to the game as a member of the Orlando Magic. Thanks to the new agreement, Clark's rookie salary is locked in. As the 13th pick overall in the 1998 draft, he can make only so much money.

* On the West Coast, Tim Grgurich will reunite with Stacey Augmon and J.R. Rider as the Portland Trail Blazers get going. Grgurich opted not to follow Karl to Milwaukee after working with him in Seattle for seven years and instead stayed closer to his family by joining Mike Dunleavy's Blazers' staff.

The Sonics still have a UNLV influence with guard Greg Anthony. The team's player rep, Anthony is an unrestricted free agent. If new coach Paul Westphal wants him back, he'll have to wait until Monday. Ditto Larry Brown in Philadelphia with one-time Rebel Kebu Stewart, who also is a free agent.

Three other former Rebels -- Tyrone Nesby, Dexter Boney and Elmore Spencer -- are also free agents and could find themselves in NBA camps next week. All three are playing in the CBA with Nesby averaging nine points a game and Spencer 7.5 points and 4.8 rebounds for Sioux Falls. Boney is averaging just under 13 a game for Idaho.

Several former Rebels are playing overseas, including David Butler in Turkey, Patrick Savoy in Belgium and Warren Rosegreen in Korea.

* TOUR STILL ON: Though plans haven't been finalized and won't be for a couple of months, UNLV is going ahead with a summer overseas tour. The trip, which will take place in early August, will have the team either playing in a club tournament in Italy or a series of exhibitions in several European countries.

"We're still trying to figure that out," Bayno said. "I'm also trying to figure out how we're going to pay for it."

Finding someone to sponsor the trip shouldn't be too difficult, though it would probably run into six figures to cover the entire travel party, including players, coaches, trainer and equipment personnel.

"We should have everything set by April," Bayno said of the tour, which under NCAA rules would only be eligible to current members of the team who will be competing next season. Former players and incoming freshmen are not eligible.

The last time the Rebels took a summer foreign tour was in 1987 when the team played a series of games in Australia and New Zealand.

* RPI UPDATE: UNLV improved eight spots in this week's Ratings Percentage Index poll, moving from 98 to 90. Texas Christian is the highest-rated WAC team in the RPI at No. 14. The WAC is rated No. 11 among 31 Division I conferences.

* HOOP DU JOUR: Perhaps it's coincidence but Donovan Stewart's improved play during UNLV's four-game winning streak can't be overlooked. Stewart, who is averaging 6.4 points and 2.2 rebounds this year, has averaged 10.5 points and 3.2 rebounds during the Rebels' four-game run. When he started last Saturday against Air Force, it was the first time since Dec. 5 against Arizona State that the 6-foot-4 sophomore was in the starting five. ... The first 2,500 fans through the turnstiles for Thursday's game with Rice will receive a free UNLV mini-basketball. ... Through 10 home dates, the school's paid attendance average is 13,554. UNLV does not use actual turnstile counts in listing attendance.