ARCHIVES: Andre Woolridge

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THE GAZETTE

01/23/1994

Woolridge in waiting mode with Iowa basketball team

By Jim Ecker

Gazette sportswriter

IOWA CITY - Andre Woolridge is a thief, but that's OK.

He steals only from the best, and there are no rules against it.

One day he steals something from Damon Bailey. The next day it

could be Grant Hill, Jalen Rose, Fred Hoiberg or Kiwane Garris.

Woolridge imitated all those players in practice this season before

Iowa faced them in games.

He will take anything he can as he works to become one of the best

guards in college basketball.

That's his goal: To be among the best in the nation.

"Shoot for the moon, and if you miss you'll be among the

stars," he said.

Woolridge shot for the moon at the University of Nebraska, but

something went wrong.

He transferred to Iowa this season and from all appearances will be

a major addition to the club next season when he becomes eligible

as a sophomore.

Under NCAA rules, all Division I transfers must sit out an entire

season. Being idle sometimes drives Woolridge nuts.

"Yeah, especially the Michigan and Indiana games ... The big

games, when we're home and the crowd is going crazy," he

said last week. "I've got to sit on the bench and the

game is close ... You can kind of picture yourself out there

playing."

Woolridge is a 6-foot-1 point guard who left Benson High School in

Omaha, Neb., in 1992 with outstanding credentials.

He won the state's Mr. Basketball award. He made the

McDonald's and Converse prep all-America teams.

He set the Nebraska Class A scoring record with 1,911 points and

finished his prep career in spectacular fashion with a 50-point

explosion in the state championship game as Omaha Benson won the

Class A title.

Several recruiting services listed Woolridge as the No.2 point

guard prospect in the country, behind only Cal's Jason Kidd.

The world was his oyster. Duke wanted him. So did Kentucky. And

Syracuse and Iowa and many, many others.

"I loved Andre Woolridge," said Iowa Coach Tom Davis.

"I saw him at a summer camp ... and then I saw him out in Las

Vegas.

"Rich Walker was recruiting him for us, and I told Rich,

'That is a point guard.' I said Andre Woolridge is the

prototype point guard for the way we want to play.

"We couldn't even get him to visit."

Woolridge was a Nebraska football fan growing up, and when it came

time to pick a college, he and his buddies decided to stay home and

become Cornhuskers.

"We were all going to go there as freshmen and try to help the

program and build the program ourselves," he said.

Woolridge got about 17 minutes of playing time per game last year,

but the backcourt was crowded with three freshman guards and

veteran Jamar Johnson.

He averaged 4.9 points and 2.0 assists and shot 38.7 percent from

the field. He made the Big 8 Conference all-freshman team, but it

wasn't enough.

Some insiders say the expectations were too high. Others say

Woolridge became too impatient at Nebraska under Coach Danny Nee.

In any case, he decided to leave after one season.

"We had an agreement not to say too much, Coach Nee and

I," said Woolridge of his departure. "I'll just call

it a bad situation, and God blessed me with another chance to go

on."

Coming out of high school, he thought Nebraska was the best place

to be ... or maybe the safest.

"When you go through the recruiting process, it's so

hectic," he said. "I mean, you get calls from 7 in the

morning until 12 midnight.

"Every coach tells you different things and you're

looking at different facilities. You never know the right decision.

I don't think anyone is 100 percent sure."

Woolridge said he likes the University of Iowa. He said he's

working hard in the classroom and working hard in practice with the

scout team as the Hawkeyes prepare for games.

That's where he steals stuff from Bailey, Hill, Rose and the

rest. "So next year maybe I'll be one of the top point

guards in the nation," he said.

Mon'ter Glasper and Kevin Skillett are Iowa's point

guards this season, but they'll be hard-pressed to beat out

Woolridge for the job next year.

Woolridge said he is excited about the challenge.

"Yeah, life is full of challenges," he said. "If I

perfect my game and do my homework, I should be able to come out

here and compete for a position.

"I'll also try to compete against all the guards in the

nation to be one of the top guards."

He appears to have all the tools for the position. He can run the

club, penetrate and pass. His outside shot might need a little

work, but he looks like the genuine article in practice.

"Luckily, he's ended up as a Hawkeye and you'll see

him in action next year," said Davis. "I think

you're going to see three terrific years out of him."

High expectations might have been part of the problem at Nebraska,

so folks at Iowa are naturally a little reluctant to beat the drums

for Woolridge this early. Still, the comparisons to former Hawkeye

stars have already begun.

"I hear Ronnie Lester," said Woolridge, who bears a

striking resemblance to the former first-round NBA draft pick.

"They compare me to B.J. Armstrong, who maybe was the best

point guard that's ever played here."

"But if I don't do my homework I'll be just another

player," he said. "There are so many people who come in

with a lot of hype and never fill their shoes."

~~

THE GAZETTE

11/15/1994

Woolridge gets nod from Davis

By Jim Ecker

Gazette sportswriter

IOWA CITY - Iowa Coach Tom Davis thinks the Hawkeyes might have one

of the best backcourts in the Big Ten Conference this year. Maybe

the best, he said Monday.

One reason for his optimism is Andre Woolridge, a 6-foot-1

sophomore from Omaha who already has been favorably compared to

B.J. Armstrong and Ronnie Lester, two of the best point guards in

school history.

Davis confirmed Monday that Woolridge, a transfer from the IOWA

BASKETBALL University of Nebraska, has unseated Mon'ter

Glasper as the No.1 point guard for the Hawkeyes this season. His

running mate in the backcourt will be Chris Kingsbury, a 3-point

sharpshooter from Ohio.

Woolridge and Kingsbury will be joined in the starting lineup by

Jess Settles, Kenyon Murray and Jimmy Bartels Wednesday night when

Iowa meets the Croatia Select National Team in an exhibition game

at Veterans Auditorium in Des Moines (7:05 p.m.).

Woolridge and Kingsbury give Iowa a young backcourt - both are

sophomores - and they appear to blend well together. The Hawkeyes

struggled in the backcourt last year when Glasper, Kingsbury and

Kevin Skillett all tried their hand as the No.1 point guard.

"It was trial by fire and in Turn to 3D:Hawks Hawks:Opener is

Wednesday 1D some cases we failed," Davis said.

"We're good there now, and maybe by February or March

we'll be better than that."

Woolridge averaged 28.6 points while leading Benson High School to

the Class A title in Nebraska in 1992. He was a consensus prep-All

American and Nebraska's Mr. Basketball after scoring 1,911

points in his career and 50 points in the state championship game.

He averaged 4.9 points and two assists as a true freshman at the

University of Nebraska but was unhappy and transferred to Iowa

after the 1992-93 campaign.

Davis has called Woolridge a prototype point guard for the Hawkeye

system. Woolridge can run the club, shoot, pass, penetrate, play

defense and lead the fast break.

"He's a potential 10 to 15 to 20 point-per-game

scorer," said Davis. "It will be a real off-night when he

doesn't contribute on the offensive end, so that's a real

positive for him.

"He's a little unorthodox with his shot when you watch

him, and yet it goes in," said Davis. "He's got a

good 3-point shot, he's a good penetrator to the basket,

he's good with the ball, a good free throw shooter."

When Davis became Iowa's head coach in 1986, he inherited a

young point guard from George Raveling named B.J. Armstrong, a

sophomore-to-be that year.

Davis does not mind comparing Woolridge to Armstrong, now a fixture

with the Chicago Bulls who made the NBA all-star team last season.

"I think it's a good comparison," said Davis.

They have similar skills and work ethic. Armstrong turned potential

into production, now Woolridge must do the same.

"They mention B.J.'s work ethic a lot," Woolridge

said Monday before practice at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. "They say

he was in the gym every night.

"I want to pick up his work ethic and try to be in here every

night, if possible, and try to improve my game."

Woolridge is flattered by the comparisons to Armstrong and Lester,

another Hawkeye who became a first-round NBA draft pick, but

he'd rather be his own man. He thinks he can help the Hawks

this year.

"I think I can go to the hole pretty strong and I can hit the

open outside shot, but my main job is to make sure my teammates,

when they're open, get the right shots," he said.

One of the chief beneficiaries could be Kingsbury, who averaged 8.2

points last season as a freshman after a slow start.

"Andre is a great point guard," said Kingsbury.

"He's quick and can penetrate, and if the point guard can

penetrate, they're going to dish it out and it's going to

make my jumper a little more open. Plus he can shoot it."

Settles was impressed with Woolridge in practice last year when

Woolridge worked with the scout team. Settles said there were two

guards he could not rattle on the press last year: Michigan's

Jalen Rose, now with the Denver Nuggets, and Woolridge.

"He went around us pretty easily in practice last year,"

said Settles.

Glasper has worked at both guard positions this year, but Davis

said Glasper will concentrate on being the No.2 point guard now.

Skillett is the backup off-guard behind Kingsbury.

Davis considers Kenyon Murray as the third guard in Iowa's

starting lineup. When Davis rates backcourts in the Big Ten, he

throws Murray into the mix as well.

At the Big Ten meetings in Indianapolis last month, Michigan State

Coach Jud Heathcote said the Spartans might have the best backcourt

in the country with Shawn Respert and Eric Snow. Davis respects

Heathcote's opinion, but does not necessarily agree.

"Because I thought maybe we had the best backcourt in the Big

Ten, potentially," said Davis. "As you look at our

backcourt, we're right there."

Davis also gives votes to Illinois, with Kiwane Garris, Richard

Keene and freshman Bryant Notree in the backcourt this year. As far

as the best point guards, Davis mentioned Garris, Michigan's

Dugan Fife and Penn State's Danny Earl.

~~

Publication Name: THE GAZETTE

Publication Date: 01/05/1995

Edition: F

Section: C

Page: 2

Headline: Woolridge speaks up for Hawks

Byline: Jim Ecker

Source: Gazette sportswriter

Body:

IOWA CITY - Kenyon Murray calls Andre Woolridge the "quiet

leader" on the University of Iowa basketball team.

Woolridge spoke loudly again Wednesday night with a strong

performance against Indiana in the Big Ten opener.

The 6-foot-1 sophomore from Omaha just missed a double- double with

13 points and nine assists as Iowa dumped the Hoosiers, 74-55, at

Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Woolridge has enjoyed a string of solid games the last two weeks,

starting when the Hawks landed in Hawaii.

He scored 17 points against BYU-Hawaii, helping Iowa escape with a

61-57 victory.

Then came three solid performances in a row at the Rainbow Classic:

- 14 points and 5 assists in the 81-71 upset over Duke.

- 13 points and 8 assists in an 84-82 victory over Hawaii.

- 16 points and 9 assists against Arkansas in a 101-92 loss in the

Rainbow finals.

"He's kind of gone unnoticed," said Coach Tom Davis,

"because Settles will have a terrific game, and Kingsbury has

had some unbelieveable performances, and then Kenyon Murray against

Arkansas really played his best game of the year.

"And so Andre is just a guy who's going along playing

really solid night in and night out. He kind of makes us go."

Woolridge outplayed Duke's guards. He outplayed Indiana's

guards. He held his own against Arkansas.

"Andre has become the quiet leader on this ballclub,"

said Murray. "We really haven't had a point guard the

last few years who can score like that."

When he scores is important, too. Three times the shot clock was

about to expire last night, but Woolridge went one-on-one and got

Iowa an important bucket.

On defense, he contributing to IU freshmen Neil Reed and Michael

Hermon shooting 2-for-9 and combining for six points.

Indiana Coach Bob Knight was impressed with Woolridge and the

Hawkeyes.

"Iowa either did a great job preparing for us - which I think

they did - or we did a lousy job preparing for them, or kind of a

combination of both," said Knight.

The Hawkeyes jumped on Indiana in the first half last year but

wilted over the course of 40 minutes, losing 89-75. Not this time.

"They just weren't about to let that happen," said

Knight. "I thought they played very, very well."

The Hawkeyes gained confidence in Hawaii and carried their

self-assurance into the Big Ten opener.

"I'm pleased with our team," said Davis. "I

thought we played pretty smart, played pretty tough and got a win

over a fine opponent."

Davis tempered his enthusiasm with the road ahead. The Hawks visit

Michigan State Saturday, travel to Michigan Wednesday, then return

to host Purdue and Wisconsin.

"I guess after those four we'll know where we

stand," he said.

So far, so good.

"It was a big win for us," said Hawk guard Chris

Kingsbury. "In the Big Ten you've got to win your games

at home, and that's what we did. We're definitely

excited."

~~

THE GAZETTE

04/22/1995

Settles, Woolridge share MVP

IOWA CITY - Jess Settles and Andre Woolridge, a

pair of sophomores, were named co-winners of Iowa's Most

Valuable Player award for the 1994-95 basketball season. The

announcement came at the squad's awards banquet Friday.

Woolridge, a 6-foot-2 point guard from Omaha, Neb., averaged 14

points and 5.8 assists per game in his first season with the

Hawkeyes.

Settles, a 6-7 forward from Winfield, averaged 15.6 points and 6.2

rebounds. Settles missed seven games with a back injury and did not

start seven additional games due to the injury.

Jim Bartels, a 6-6 senior from Freedom, Wis., received the Chris

Street Award, which is presented annually to "a Hawkeye player

who best exemplifies the spirit, enthusiasm and intensity of Chris

Street," Iowa Coach Tom Davis said.

Bartels and Woolridge shared the Captains Award, while Settles

earned the Most Dedicated Award for the second consecutive season.

The Most Improved Player Award was shared by senior John Carter and

sophomore Chris Kingsbury. Kenyon Murray, 6-5 junior forward, and

Ryan Bowen, a 6-9 freshman forward, were named Best Defensive

Players.

~~

THE GAZETTE

12/10/1995

Woolridge takes over in 2nd half

Hawkeye junior scores 14 points in 10-minute stretch

By Jim Ecker

Gazette sportswriter

AMES - Andre Woolridge kept his head while everyone around him was

losing theirs.

That's one reason Iowa beat Iowa State, 56-50, before 14,267

fans Saturday night at Hilton Coliseum.

"Woolridge stepped up and took over the

game in about an eight-minute stretch in the second half with some

big buckets," ISU Coach Tom Floyd said afterward.

"Give Woolridge credit. He took it over for a 7-8 minute

stretch and was outstanding."

Woolridge, Iowa's 6-foot point guard from Omaha, scored 14 of

his team-high 16 points in the second half with the Cyclones

threatening to pull an upset.

Woolridge scored 14 points during a 10-minute span of the second

half. His final basket, a 3-pointer with 6:10 remaining, gave the

Hawkeyes a 46-33 lead.

That seemed comfortable at the time, but was not. The Hawkeyes

needed every bit of that 13-point lead as ISU clawed within one

point, 48-47.

"We don't care how we win, as long as we win,"

Woolridge said. "It doesn't have to be pretty."

Iowa lost a string of close games last season. Woolridge said the

Hawks have learned from those bad experiences.

"We're definitely used to it from last year," he

said. "That resembled some of those Big Ten games from last

year."

Woolridge said ISU left an entire side of the floor open, so he

took advantage and pulled up for his jumper.

"It's one of those things you learn as a point

guard," Iowa Coach Tom Davis said. "When you have a hot

hand, take it."

Woolridge was so hot, he rushed a few shots coming down the stretch

with the Cyclones furiously trying to catch up. Davis said

Woolridge will learn when to slow it down, but he felt his junior

floor leader was taking good shots.

"The worst thing you can do is sit back," Davis said.

Woolridge agreed. Quick shots in the open are better than no shots

at all.

"Last year when we got in a situation like that we were back

on our heels," he said. "This year we're ready to

attack."

~~

THE GAZETTE

03/12/1996

Settles, Woolridge 1st-team All-Big Ten

By Jim Ecker

Gazette sportswriter

Big Ten basketball coaches don't always agree with reporters,

but they did Monday: The Iowa Hawkeyes had two of the best players

in the league this season.

Jess Settles and Andre Woolridge Close solidifies Hawks, 2D earned

first-team spots on both Big Ten all-star teams announced Monday,

the one picked by coaches and the other selected by the media.

Both groups agreed on a third Hawkeye, naming Russ Millard a

third-team selection.

Both groups honored Indiana's Brian Evans as Player of the

Year and Purdue's Gene Keady as Coach of the Year. The media

named Wisconsin's Sam Okey as Freshman of Year. Coaches picked

Purdue's Porter Roberts as Defensive Player of the Year.

Settles ranked third in the Big Ten in scoring at 15.8 in

conference games. Woolridge led the league in assists with 116 in

18 games (6.4 average). Both are juniors.

Millard, a 6-foot-8 senior from Cedar Rapids, averaged 11.9 points

and 6.7 rebounds in Big Ten games.

Evans was the only unanimous pick on both teams. He led the league

in scoring at 22.2 and ranked in the top 10 in every Big Ten

category except blocked shots.

The media picked Evans, Settles, Woolridge, Kiwane Garris of

Illinois and Geno Carlisle of Northwestern for the top unit. The

coaches selected Evans, Settles, Woolridge, Carlisle and Matt

Gaudio of Penn State for the No.1 squad.

~~

THE GAZETTE

12/11/1996

Woolridge passes muster with ex-Hawk

By Jim Ecker

Gazette sportswriter

IOWA CITY - Ronnie Lester scribbled a bunch of

notes about Andre Woolridge on his official Los Angeles Lakers

stationery Tuesday night.

Most of the notes were good.

Lester, an All-American guard for the Hawkeyes in 1979 and

'80, thinks Woolridge has a chance to play pro basketball if

he improves a few parts of his game.

Lester, a scout for the Lakers, saw Woolridge collect 31 points,

seven assists and six rebounds as Iowa defeated UNI, 72-63, at

Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

"I like him," Lester said. "He's got good speed

and quickness. In this game at least, he's able to penetrate

pretty much at will. He's a good player. I think he's got

a chance to make a team next year."

The 1997 NBA draft will consist of two rounds and 58 picks.

"It's kind of early to tell where he'll go in the

draft, but I think he's a draftable player," said Lester,

who was a first-round pick in 1980.

Woolridge is chasing Lester on the career assists chart at Iowa.

B.J. Armstrong is the leader with 517. Lester collected 480.

Woolridge is third with 428.

Woolridge eclipsed 1,000 points in his U of I career Tuesday night

with his 31-point outburst. He's at 1,009.

Woolridge scored most of his points last night on drives to the

basket. Lester thinks he needs work on outside shooting.

"He's reluctant to take perimeter shots beyond the

arc," Lester said. "He can get in the paint and finish

around the paint at this level, but at the next level it's

going to be tougher."

As a former point guard, Lester appreciates the way Woolridge runs

a club.

"He's a pure point guard, and there's not many pure

point guards out there in college basketball, any good ones

anyway," Lester said. "And that's the advantage he

has."

~~

THE GAZETTE

02/26/1997

Woolridge 1st-team all-America

IOWA CITY - Andre Woolridge's leadership is paying off.

A senior guard for the University of Iowa basketball team and the

Big Ten Conference leader in scoring and assists, Woolridge was

named a first-team all-American by Basketball Times.

Woolridge, who is averaging 19.4 points and 5.9 assists per game,

has led the Hawkeyes to an 18-8 overall record despite the absence

of Jess Settles, a preseason conference player of the year pick.

Iowa State's Dedric Willoughby and Kansas' Raef LaFrentz,

a junior from Monona, earned second-team honors.

Woolridge was joined on the first team by Tim Duncan of Wake

Forest, Danny Fortson of Cincinnati, Keith Van Horn of Utah and

Chauncey Billups of Colorado.

The second team also consisted of Tony Battie of Texas Tech, Ron

Mercer of Kentucky and Bobby Jackson of Minnesota.

Duncan was named Player of the Year and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski

was tabbed Coach of the Year.

~~

THE GAZETTE

03/16/1997

Woolridge his only critic

Hawkeye senior goes out in style, drawing raves from everyone but himself

By Jim Ecker

SALT LAKE CITY - Everybody heaped praise on Andre Woolridge

Saturday night.

Rick Pitino, Tom Davis, players on both sides, the fans, the

television announcers ... everyone was very impressed with the

6-foot guard from Omaha.

Everyone was totally impressed except Woolridge himself, who found

a flaw in his game.

"I wish I didn't have four turnovers," he said.

"That may have been the difference in the game, especially the

travel late," he said. "Then I forced the pass to Darryl

Moore."

Typical Woolridge. He plays a sensational game, then looks for ways

to improve.

"I can't say enough of this Andre Woolridge,"

Kentuck Coach Pitino remarked. "He even banked in a 3-pointer

from the corner."

"He's one of the greatest players I've ever

seen," offered Kentucky forward Jared Prickett, who has known

Woolridge since their days on the high school all-star trail.

"He's a great all-around player," agreed

Kentucky's Ron Mercer, a first team All-American.

Woolridge poured in 29 points and collected five assists Saturday

night with a sparkling display of his all-around skills.

"I hope this is just the beginning of some great things

you're going to see and read about in the future," said

Iowa Coach Davis, bidding farewell to his captain.

Woolridge scored eight straight points in the first half, turning a

25-22 deficit into a 30-25 lead all by himself.

He scored 13 straight for the Hawks in the second half, keeping

them in the game when Kentucky threatened to blow it open.

His teammates eventually got more involved and made it a memorable

affair.

"I think we gave it our all," Woolridge said. "We

gave 100 percent."

Woolridge finished with 1,525 points, the sixth most in school

history. He broke the school record for most points in a three-year

career, eclipsing Don Nelson's total of 1,522 from 1960 to

'62.

He also finished with a school-record 575 assists, tied for the

sixth most in Big Ten history.

Woolridge sparkled on the big stage of the NCAA tournament, then

paid his respects to Kentucky.

"With a star player like Mercer, what impressed me the most

was how they played team ball," he said.

"Not only do they try to wear you out physically, they try to

wear you out mentally," he said.

It was a game of upper-cuts and jabs, Woolridge said, and he was

standing tall at the end.

"If we were going to go down, we were going to go down

fighting," he concluded.

~~

THE GAZETTE

04/25/1997

Ex-Hawkeye Woolridge faces a brand-new game of basketball at the point

By Mike Hlas

Gazette sports columnist

Watch John Stockton in the NBA playoffs. Or Tim Hardaway. Or Penny

Hardaway.

You'll see players who know how to do what Iowa

NBA-rookie-to-be Andre Woolridge hasn't yet learned.

That's how to play point guard successfully in pro basketball.

Dan Panaggio, coach of the CBA's Quad City Thunder the last

six years, saw Woolridge and 39 other college senior players at

last week's Desert Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

"The biggest thing I noticed about all the point guards

there," Panaggio said, "is that they really don't

understand how to play the position in pro ball.

"That's understandable. Without question, it's the

biggest adjustment of any level in basketball. There's a lot

to the pro game. It probably takes three years to learn it."

Panaggio's 1994 Quad City team won the CBA title. His point

guard was Chris Childs, who now starts at that position for the New

York Knicks. Five Thunder players got NBA call-ups this season.

Panaggio knows of what he speaks.

"I can't say I've got a complete handle on Andre

Woolridge," he said. "Last week was the first time I saw

him in person. He did some good things. He has a strong body, a

reasonable amount of quickness, and the desire to penetrate.

"I believe he can go to the left or right to the basket,

though he's a better scorer to the right.

"He has an unorthodox shot, but he seemed to hit it with a

reasonable amount of frequency.

"I think he's fairly highly regarded by a lot of NBA

people. I don't think he played particularly well in Phoenix.

I think he can play better."

Now it's a matter of Woolridge's learning to play in the

pros. That isn't simply adapting to a higher talent level.

"The point guard has to be so much smarter, for one

thing," Panaggio said. "In the pro game you have to

exploit weaknesses and match-ups, and make opponents pay. Because

of the defensive rules, the object is to find the weak link on the

other team's defense. You can make a mistake in the college

game and never have to pay for it. In the pro game, you pay just

about every time.

"In college you see a lot of motion offense, which is

basically a five-man continuity. In a typical college offense,

it's five men sharing the ball even if the point guard handles

it a little more.

"In the pro game, the point guard directs everything that

happens on the court. That doesn't happen in the college game

on a lot of teams. In the pros you have to spread 'em out and

pick 'em apart. It's a different mentality. You've

got to know where your weapons are and where your advantage is, and

you've got to attack. You need a lot more court-awareness as a

point guard."

Woolridge had his hands on the ball more than most point guards in

the 1996-97 college season. And he's run his share of the

pick-and-roll, an NBA staple in which a player sets a screen for

the ballhandler and then rolls to the basket. Stockton and Utah

Jazz teammate Karl Malone have made variations of that play work

about a million times.

"That's an art," Panaggio said. "There are

about five or six ways to defend the pick-and-roll. If you're

a point guard and running a pick-and-roll, you have to know how to

react to each different defensive strategy against it."

What else will Woolridge and other potential NBA point guards need

to do? Pressuring the opposing point guard all the way up the floor

and chewing up some of the 24-second shot clock in doing so is a

start.

Anyone who says defense isn't played in the NBA knows

absolutely nothing about basketball. Rookies with glaring defensive

weaknesses in NBA training camps usually find their way to Panaggio

and his CBA col- Turn to 5C:Hlas Hlas:A different game 1C leagues

by November. And if they don't 'D' up in the CBA,

they don't stay there long, either.

Woolridge was a fabulous scorer at Iowa. But being considered a

scorer in the NBA is vastly different than doing likewise in

college.

"One thing I think he'll need to work on is an in-between

game," Panaggio said. "Some guys can go to the hole, and

he's one of them. Some can go to the hole and hit the 3-point

shot. But in the pros it's how you get by your man and pull up

and hit that shot before you meet the second line of defense.

That's where your scorers are.

"Most of Michael Jordan's points come from that

in-between game."

As the NBA playoffs will surely again prove, winning comes from the

head and heart as much as any body part.

"There's a certain amount of it that's athleticism

and talent," Panaggio said. "But what wins is above your

shoulders. You've got to have talent, but being mentally tough

is such a big part of winning.

That is why you doubt Panaggio will ever find Woolridge washed upon

the CBA's shores.

~~

THE GAZETTE

06/08/1997

Much to learn for Woolridge

By Mike Hlas

Gazette sports columnist

CHICAGO - In 1994, Andre Woolridge was a face in a crowd of 48

players at U.S. Olympic Festival men's basketball play in St.

Louis.

Last week, he was pretty much the same thing in a crowd of 60

players at the NBA's Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago.

In between, he had three seasons as the Iowa Hawkeyes' point

guard that were far from undistinguished.

If there is anything to be learned, it may be that Woolridge has to

adjust to playing with those at his own skill level and beyond. You

might think it would be easier playing with better teammates.

That isn't always the case for guards who were dominant

ballhandlers and scorers in college, however. Wherever Woolridge

goes from now on, he won't be asked to be a primary scorer as

opposed to the 20-points-a-game guy he was last season at Iowa.

"The Iowa team probably needed Woolridge's scoring,"

said Dallas Mavericks Coach Jim Cleamons. "Now he's

surrounded by people who can score. He has to adjust his game. All

of a sudden, his game becomes different. That takes time. It takes

maturity. The NBA is a man's league.

"In my opinion, the toughest thing about playing point guard

in this league is understanding a system, who's playing with

you in it, and what their various skills are. Your job is basically

taking care of the basketball, distributing it, and getting your

team organized. The team's not necessarily concerned with your

scoring production if you're doing your job efficiently."

For those of us who saw Woolridge throughout Iowa's 32-game

1996-97 season, it may be hard to believe he ranks no better than

fifth in the NBA's pecking order for incoming point guards.

Believe it. The draft is based on pro potential, not past

performance. The skinny on the rankings at the point:

1. Antonio Daniels, Bowling Green.

2. Chauncey Billups, Colorado.

3. Brevin Knight, Stanford.

4. Jacque Vaughn, Kansas.

5. Either Woolridge or God Shammgod of Providence, with Kiwane

Garris of Illinois close behind the two. Each of the three could be

a late first- round draft pick.

But what about this Daniels fellow? Who is he, and how did he climb

to the top five or six of the entire draft list?

"He has the best size (6-foot-4) of all the point guards in

the draft, and he probably has the best court sense," said Rob

Babcock, the Minnesota Timberwolves' director of player

personnel.

Jim Larranaga, Daniels' coach at Bowling Green and now coach

at George Mason, makes it sound like Daniels is the only sensible

choice as the top point guard in the draft.

"He averaged 24 points a game, which was fifth in the

nation," Larranaga said Turn to 11B:Hlas Hlas:Who drafts you

more important than when you're drafted 1B here last Thursday.

"He averaged seven assists, which ranked ninth. He made 45

percent of his three-pointers, and 55 percent overall. He shot 80

percent from the line.

"Combine all his statistical elements and then compare him to

the other point guards coming out this year.

"I've seen Andre Woolridge, and I think he's a very

good player. I think you can make a strong comparison between him

and Antonio.

"But the statistical comparison favors Antonio a little

more."

Why haven't we seen Daniels? Because he was at Bowling Green,

silly.

"If you polled college coaches," Larranaga said,

"most would say 'Who is he?' But if you polled NBA

coaches, they'll tell you who he is."

BABCOCK TABS BILLUPS as point guard Numero Uno. One reason he could

be specific about that position when some other NBA executives and

coaches weren't so open is because the Timberwolves already

have a fine young point guard in Stephon Marbury.

"Billups has the most upside physically, and he's the

best defender," Babcock said. "I think he has the most

upside of anybody as far as room to grow as a player."

Like Shammgod, Billups left college after his sophomore season.

Babcock said Knight is the quickest of the point guards in the

draft, and "is the best at creating some things."

Vaughn, he said, "is very solid and steady, and he works his

tail off."

And Woolridge?

"He's not a classic point guard," Babcock claimed.

"He's looking to shoot a little bit more than set things

up. He doesn't have any real quickness, especially

defensively, laterally.

"But he is strong. He's not a consistent shooter

(Woolridge was 3-of-19 from the field in three games at the camp.),

but he's done some good things here.

"He's going to be drafted, no question about that."

Over and over at this camp, we heard that who drafts a player is

more important than when his name is called June 25. Better to go

to a point-less Vancouver than somewhere with a Hardaway like Miami

(Tim) or Orlando (Penny) entrenched at that spot.

The Phoenix Suns have Jason Kidd at the point, with Steve Nash

backing him up. They drafted Nash out of Santa Clara last June as

the heir apparent to Kevin Johnson. But in December, Phoenix traded

for young Kidd. Ever since, Nash's future with the Suns has

been cloudy.

"I THINK (WOOLRIDGE) WILL be in the NBA, someday," said

Suns Coach Danny Ainge. "It depends who he is drafted by. If

Phoenix drafts him, he'll have a tough time making our team

right now.

"Andre certainly has the athletic ability, the shooting touch

and the body. I think he'll make it."

As you see, opinions on Woolridge vary. But there are 29 NBA teams.

He needs just one that likes him enough to make a commitment.

~~

THE GAZETTE

06/25/1997

Woolridge another Hardaway?

Davis thinks NBA hopeful's game compares favorably

By Jim Ecker

Gazette sportswriter

IOWA CITY - University of Iowa basketball coach Tom Davis does not

make reckless comparisons. He never called Acie Earl the next

Kareem Abdul Jabbar, for example, and he never said Roy Marble

would eclipse that Jordan fellow in Chicago.

Now comes the 1997 NBA draft, and Davis is comparing Andre

Woolridge to Tim Hardaway, an all-star point guard for the Miami

Heat and one of the top players in the league.

"And if I can get some of these other NBA guys to think the

same way, maybe we can help," Davis said.

A phone call from a Miami Heat scout triggered the comparison.

"The minute I started thinking about Tim Hardaway and Andre, I

realized they're a lot alike," Davis said.

Hardaway, 6-foot, 195, was taken in the first round of the 1989

draft by Golden State. Woolridge, 6-1, 199, hopes to be a

first-round pick tonight.

"They're both strong in the upper body. Their shots are

not what you'd call classical or pure outside shots, and yet

they go in," Davis said. "They're both good in the

clutch. They can both dribble penetrate, take it to the hoop. Real

strong. Both are tough competitors, and both are kind of on the

quiet side.

"You know, they're not showmen, they don't yell at

the referees a lot, stuff like that," he said.

"That's a pretty good recommendation of Andre, to compare

him to Tim Hardaway, if in fact that's true."

Davis didn't know anything about Hardaway when he coached a

college all-star game in Orlando, Fla., prior to the Turn to 4C:NBA

draft NBA draft 1C 1989 draft. Davis was selected as the coach

because he had three draftable players that year in B.J. Armstrong,

Marble and Ed Horton.

Armstrong was supposed to be the point guard on that all-star team,

but he broke a bone in his hand the second day of practice.

"And I'm thinking, 'Oh my gosh, what am I going to

do for a point guard?"' Davis recalled. "I've

got to come up with something different."

Marty Blake, the NBA's director of scouting, assured Davis he

was still in good shape.

"He said, 'You have another point guard there, don't

worry about it, this other guy is not too bad,"' Davis

said. "I had never heard of the other guy. And the other guy

was Tim Hardaway."

Golden State took Hardaway, from Texas-El Paso, with the 14th pick

in the 1989 draft. The Chicago Bulls grabbed Armstrong with the

18th choice that year.

Woolridge probably won't go that high. Most draft analysts

think he'll go late in the first round or early in the second,

with a good chance of playing in the league.

"He's a little small, but very talented," Atlanta

Hawks President Stan Kasten told the Associated Press. "I love

his presence, his physicality, that quickness."

Woolridge etched his name into the Big Ten record book this season

when he became the first player to lead the league in scoring (20.9

ppg) and assists (6.1). He broke Armstrong's school record for

career assists and finished with 575.

Woolridge accomplished something else at Iowa: He got his degree

this spring. Davis hopes somebody in the NBA is impressed.

"He's not selfish, he's not just out for the money.

The education is important," Davis said. "I think there

are some people that will look at it that way, that he made a smart

decision by getting his degree from Iowa and getting finished

up."

Woolridge is ranked among the top eight point guards in the draft

with Antonio Daniels (Bowling Green), Chauncey Billups (Colorado),

Jacque Vaughn (Kansas), Brevin Knight (Stanford), God Shammgod

(Providence), Kiwane Garris (Illinois) and Bobby Jackson

(Minnesota).

Iowa State center Kelvin Cato could be a high first-round pick,

according to NBA personnel. Cato, 6-11, runs the floor well, blocks

shots and has the potential to develop his offensive skills.

Iowa State guard Dedric Willoughby, 6-3, also has impressed NBA

scouts with his shooting ability and all-around game.

~~

THE GAZETTE

06/26/1997

Woolridge snubbed in draft

By Jim Ecker

Gazette sportswriter

Andre Woolridge got stiffed by the NBA Wednesday night.

The All-American guard from the University of Iowa was not picked

in the 1997 NBA draft, a surprising development considering his

stellar Big Ten career.

When Woolridge performed at the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago three

weeks ago, such NBA executives as Don Nelson and Rick Pitino

predicted he would be a late first-round or early second-round

selection.

It never happened.

Fifty-seven players were picked in the two-round draft, including

players from France, Spain, Australia, Slovenia, Serbia, junior

colleges and a high school.

But no Woolridge.

Woolridge became the first player in Big Ten history to lead the

league in scoring and assists last season. He also broke

Iowa's school record for assists.

It didn't mean a thing when the 29 NBA clubs made their picks

last night.

Woolridge probably will get a chance to make an NBA roster as a

free agent, but it's a longshot after getting snubbed in the

draft.

Woolridge shot poorly at the pre-draft camp in Chicago. Pitino

suggested the 6-foot-1 point guard was a little too fat, saying he

needed to become quicker on defense.

Woolridge did not want to answer telephone calls Wednesday night in

Iowa City. He tentatively scheduled a press conference for this

afternoon.

Iowa State guard Dedric Turn to 3C:Bypassed Bypassed: Willoughby

not drafted 1C Willoughby also was bypassed in the draft.

Willoughby, 6-3, was viewed by some NBA analysts as too small to

play the off-guard position in the pros, although he was considered

one of the top pure shooters in the draft.

C.J. Bruton, an Iowa State recruit from Indian Hills Community

College, was drafted by Vancouver with the 53rd pick in the second

round last night.

Bruton's status with the Cyclones is unclear. The NCAA has

declared him ineligible at ISU next season because he received

money to play pro basketball in Australia, but Iowa State has

appealed that decision.

Since Bruton declared himself eligible for the draft as an

underclassmen, he has 30 days to decide whether to turn pro or

return to school.

~~

THE GAZETTE

07/01/1997

Woolridge still confident about future in NBA

By John Shipley

Gazette Johnson County Bureau

IOWA CITY - When Andre Woolridge decided the University

of Nebraska wasn't the perfect fit he'd envisioned as a

high school senior, he went another route.

Woolridge enrolled at the University of Iowa, sat out a year and

became one of the top college point guards in the nation.

Snubbed in last week's NBA draft, Woolridge is again taking an

alternate route to the next level, and he's confident

he'll emerge with similar results.

"I'm not really worried about it," he said Monday

evening. "I know eventually I'll be there."

Woolridge said he was shocked not to be among the 57 players

selected in last Wednesday's draft, but wasted little time on

self-pity, instead jumping head first into the free agent market by

participating in the Charlotte Hornets' three-day rookie camp

last weekend.

Charlotte is reportedly looking for a point guard to replace Tyrone

Bogues, who is 32 and plagued by knee problems. Woolridge said

Charlotte "was interested, but they couldn't offer me a

contract until after July 1st."

"You have to see what your options are, but I like the city

and I like the program and feel that I could fit in there with no

problem," Woolridge said of Charlotte. "It's just a

matter of dealing with the numbers and what's in the contract.

"When you're a free agent, you've got to find where

you fit in. I think (Charlotte) is one of the teams I could fit in

with."

Woolridge said he has talked with as many as six other teams about

tryouts.

"Some of them want me to come and work out, so I'll be

going different places trying to get the best deal I can," he

said.

"It may not even be about the money because it may be about

the opportunity of seeing if I can fit in and eventually start, as

soon as possible."

Woolridge returned to Iowa City Monday and played in a Prime Time

League game at Iowa City West last night, leading Hills Bank to a

double-digit victory over Iowa recruit Ricky Davis and Gatens Real

Estate.

He said no one was more surprised than he was when his name

wasn't called on draft day.

After his workout at the NBA camp, and hearing what league

executives had to say about his game, Woolridge felt save in

believing he was a solid first- round pick between 15 and 25.

"The draft is strange sometimes and it's an awkward

thing, but it's no time for me to roll over," Woolridge

said.

"It's a dream I've had all my life and I think I

would chase it for another five years if I have to."

~~

THE GAZETTE

11/01/2002

Woolridge drafted by Asheville

Gazette staff report

Former Iowa guard Andre Woolridge was the third player selected in

Thursday's National Basketball Developmental League draft.

Woolridge was taken by the Asheville (N.C.) Altitude of the

second-year NBDL, the NBA's developmental league. He was a

first-team All-Big Ten player and third-team Associated Press

All-America in 1997 when he averaged 20.2 points and 6.0 assists

per game for Iowa.

He has played in Turkey, France, Greece and Italy.

~~