NEW YORK -- Being selected sixth in the 2001 NBA Draft might not have been the perfect professional beginning for last season's national player of the year, but make no mistake about it: Shane Battier is happy to be in Memphis.
After picking up foreign standout Pau Gasol with the third pick in the draft--which they received in a trade from Atlanta--the Grizzlies selected Battier. The recent graduate--the only player with a college degree in the first 19 selections--was ecstatic about his new team from the beginning.
"It's time to go to work," Battier said. "I'm going to give the Grizzlies my best effort and try to contribute immediately."
In fact, Battier's refined skills and ability to perform immediately at a high level were his biggest assets when he auditioned for NBA teams throughout May and June. While teams like the Wizards and Bulls chose high school players who seemed to have the most potential, the Grizzlies decided to go with the "old man" of the draft. And so far, Memphis coach Sidney Lowe has no regrets about his team's choice.
"I like Shane's communication with other players, his court awareness and the fact that he plays at 100 percent effort," Lowe said. "He knows how to play the game."
After signing a three-year, $7.1 million contract July 3, Battier immediately started practicing with his new teammates and has joined the NBA's Southern California Pro League. In his inaugural game--his first five-on-five affair since Duke beat Arizona 82-72 for the NCAA championship--Battier recorded 20 points in a 100-93 Grizzlies victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. In his next two games, he continued his solid play, scoring 27 and 20 points, respectively.
After his first game, Clippers coach Alvin Gentry expressed high praise for Battier, whom Gentry has known for almost a decade.
"There's no way that kid is going to fail," Gentry said. "He can shoot and he can shoot with range. He'll always be okay."
Battier joins an ever-growing list of Duke players drafted into the NBA. In all, 62 Blue Devil lettermen have been selected in the NBA Draft since 1952; 21 of them were chosen in the first round. In addition, Battier is the 11th Duke graduate selected as a lottery pick in the draft.
"It may sound old or archaic, but I had the best time of my life [in college]," Battier said. "I was in no rush to get out of there, and now I want to go to Memphis and help the Grizzlies."
Note: The Grizzlies organization has moved from Vancouver to Memphis since the NBA Draft June 25. The NBA approved the franchise move unanimously in a vote July 3.
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