When Scott Padgett told reporters on Thursday that he was happy to have been selected by the Utah Jazz in the annual NBA draft on Wednesday night, he wasn't just being a spin doctor trying to say the right things to impress his new employer.
Padgett truly thought even before the draft that the best possible outcome for him was to be picked by the Jazz."My perfect scenario would be to go to an established playoff team that's going to win some games but also has playing time available," Padgett told the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader on Tuesday. "I'd say Utah is the best fit because of style of play. They're really a cerebral team. I'm a smart player. I'd be able to fit into their system."
Still, the nearly three-hour wait for NBA commissioner David Stern to call his name on Wednesday night was a killer. He watched pick after pick from a television set in his parents' Louisville home as teams that had shown interest in him went with other players. Utah, in fact, had two previous chances to pick him -- at No. 19 and 24 -- before finally selecting Padgett with the 28th pick, the second-to-last in the first round, on Wednesday night.
"You talk about a sense of relief," said Padgett about being selected by the Jazz. "You definitely want to stay in the first round, and you're just sitting in front of the TV watching with absolutely no control over anything."
Being selected in the first round wasn't just an ego thing for Padgett, either. A drop off of even two picks -- to No. 30 overall -- would have meant losing, at least initially, hundreds of thousands of dollars to him. As a first-rounder, Padgett will be guaranteed a three year contract of $566,500 next season, $609,000 in 2000-01 and $651,400 in 2001-02. As a second-rounder he would probably have had to play for the one-year league minimum.
Utah used the 19th pick on high-scoring Minnesota swingman Quincy Lewis and 18-year-old Russian Andrei Kirilenko. Lewis and Padgett, both of whom worked out for the Jazz earlier this week in Salt Lake City, are expected to participate in the Jazz's free agent/rookie camp beginning on July 21 and be members of Utah's Rocky Mountain Revue team. The Revue, which was lost to the lockout last season, will be back in the Delta Center this year from July 26 to Aug. 2. Other likely players on the Jazz's Revue team include third-year point guard Jacque Vaughn, last year's second-round draft pick Torraye Braggs and this year's second-round pick Eddie Lucas. Utah would like to have center Todd Fuller play, but he's currently a free agent and can't officially sign with the Jazz or anyone else, by NBA rules, until Aug. 1. It remains to be seen if Fuller would be willing to play for the Jazz in the Revue without a contract.
Padgett, for one, is looking forward to being in rookie camp. The 6-9 former Kentucky star who helped the Wildcats beat the Utah Utes in the 1998 NCAA title game will be asked by the Jazz to play both forward spots where he could be a reserve for Karl Malone and Bryon Russell. He spoke to Jazz coach Jerry Sloan on Thursday with Sloan telling him to make sure to be in shape when rookie camp rolls around. Padgett said that wouldn't be a problem. He couldn't be happier being in Utah.
"I'll get a chance to contend for playing time, play with two of the greatest players ever, and play on a winning team," Padgett said. "I think it's a great situation."
Padgett, who has a fine perimeter shooting touch for a big man, appears to have gotten over his feud several years ago with Utah coach Rick Majerus. As a commentator on TNT's broadcast of the draft, Majerus had nothing but accolades for Padgett.
"Tell you what," Majerus said. "He's got a great feel for passing the ball . . . He's among the three or four best shooters in the draft. In a draft not ripe with shooters, this guy sticks out."
Majerus wasn't always such a Padgett fan. In fact, the two had a publicized run-in during the summer of 1997 when Majerus was the coach of the U.S. entry in the Under-22 World Championships. Majerus accused Padgett of not playing hard, and sent him off the bench in an exhibition game.
Padgett said the incident with Majerus, almost without fail, came up during his interviews with various NBA teams. He chalks the experience up to his youth at the time, just like when he was suspended from the Kentucky basketball team for poor grades following his freshman year. He came back, after missing a full season, to become a two-time Academic All-SEC player, even earning a 4.0 last fall semester.
He's been working out this off-season with former NBA player Kiki Vandeweghe in Los Angeles, trying to improve his footwork. Incidently Padgett's L.A.-based agent is one the Jazz know well -- and will get to know better this summer. Dan Fagan not only represents Padgett and Howard Eisley, but he is also free agent Shandon Anderson's new agent.
Following the Rocky Mountain Revue, Padgett has to go back home to Kentucky to take care of some unfinished business. He's engaged to be married on Aug. 7 to his fiancee Cynthia Dozier.
For that reason, he already knows where his first NBA paycheck will go.
"I'll be paying off my wedding," he said.