Bandits set to address need for a point guard at draft

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2000 | 11:13 a.m.

Even if Isaac Burton and Michael Johnson return to play for the Las Vegas Bandits of the International Basketball League this fall, first-year head coach Lionel Hollins said getting a point guard in Thursday's draft will be a top priority.

"I think that's probably our spot that we need to shore up if we can do it through the draft," Hollins said. "We need to have a young player we can develop behind Michael Johnson.

"Even if Isaac returns, I don't know if Isaac is going to be my starting point guard. I feel we need a truer point guard."

Burton, a second-team all-league selection, started 56 of 57 games for the Bandits last season. He led the league with 144 steals and averaged 16.1 points and 6.8 assists a game. Johnson, a Rancho High School graduate, appeared in 33 games averaging 5.6 points and 2.7 assists.

The IBL draft will begin at 4 p.m. with a three-round supplemental draft in which each of the nine teams will be able to draft second-round NBA picks. Each of the nine teams will then have the rights to the players they pick who do not make their respective NBA teams.

Following the supplemental draft, there will be a 10-round college draft. Each team will be allowed three territorial picks in both drafts giving them the rights to draft players in their geographical region. The Bandits have the rights to players from Nevada, Colorado and Utah.

Barry Hecker, Bandits assistant coach and director of player personnel, hopes Burton, Johnson, Harold Ellis, Doug Swenson and George Ackles will be back from the squad that made it to the Western Conference championship of the inaugural IBL playoffs.

"We can keep the whole team if we want, but that's not going to happen," Hecker said. "Harold Ellis is in the Philippines, but we want him back and we think Isaac Burton will be back.

"Rocky Walls might take an offer in Spain, but we're not sure and I think Marcus Liberty is playing overseas."

To prepare for the draft, Hollins, Hecker and assistant coach Robert Smith have been making a list of eligible players and trying to figure out which players may not be signed to NBA contracts.

Former UNLV point guard Mark Dickel, Colorado State's Ceedric Goodwyn and Utah's Alex Jensen, Hanno Mottola and Tony Harvey are among the territorial players the Bandits are interested in.

"We're looking for guys who can get up and down the floor," Hecker said. "We're just going to take the best players available."

Hollins said he wants to assemble a balanced team of veterans and rookies so that the team can start winning early in the season.

"We'll look at some players who are overseas, some veteran players we may be able to get and some young players," Hollins said.