Kaniel . . . who?
That's Kaniel Dickens, thank you very much, a late early entry (it's possible) into the NBA Draft who landed Wednesday night in the lap of the happy-to-have-him Jazz.
Utah used its No. 50 selection in the second round of the 2000 draft on the 6-foot-8, 235-pound Dickens, a well-traveled but little-known small forward who can also play power forward, and maybe even shooting guard, but who doesn't like to play center, so much so that he left the University of Idaho so he did not have to.
"He was an unknown until late," Jazz assistant coach/director of scouting Dave Fredman said of Dickens, who was slow to declare his eligibility for the draft.
Kaniel . . . who?
"I know I'm the mystery man of this draft," said Dickens, who wasn't even listed among the 'Others-to-Watch' section of background material for the media that is prepared and distributed by the NBA with input from well-known NBA Director of Scouting and draft guru Marty Blake.
"Maybe it's because of where I played, and nobody knows who I am," Dickens added. "But soon a lot of people are going to know who I am."
The hopeful long-shot is a Denver high school product who stopped at two junior colleges (one in Kansas, where he never did play, and one in Texas, where he did) before stopping last season in Idaho.
His career there was undistinguished (averaging 6.6 rebounds per game, 12th-best in the Big West Conference), perhaps attributable in part to the fact Dickens felt he was playing out of position. So rather than return to Idaho for his senior season and another year in the pivot, he opted to go pro.
"He felt he wanted to be more of a wing player," Fredman said, "so he decided to try the next level."
The Jazz apparently thought it was a decent idea.
They had liked him ever since seeing a videotape, prepared by his agent, that included scenes of Dickens working out with other draft prospects, including a session in Vancouver with No. 2 overall selection Stromile Swift. And that was enough to convince Jazz scouts they should have Dickens in for a private workout themselves. When they did, they decided he was as good in person as on tape.
"He's a very athletic player," Fredman said. "We were surprised when he decided to enter the draft. And our coaches thought he had NBA talent, so they picked him."
Fortunately for Dickens they knew who they wanted and got that guy. It's Kaniel . . . Dickens. That's who.
E-MAIL: tbuckley@desnews.com