Sunday, October 17, 1999
NORTHERN KENTUCKY INSIDER
Hughes in NBA camp, but spot not certain
BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Wednesday night, Rick Hughes donned a Utah Jazz uniform and entered an NBA game for the first time. Don't yet call it a dream come true. The Walnut Hills High and Thomas More College grad is so close, and yet so far.
“There are a lot of options of what can happen the next few weeks,” he said. “Hopefully the right thing happens. Whatever situation I'm in is for a purpose.”
The 25-year-old Hughes is playing for Utah in the preseason, which began Wednesday and ends Oct. 28. But as one of 19 players on a roster which must be trimmed to 12 — with 12 of those players already under contract for the season — Hughes could be on a fruitless foray.
Or his exhibition appearances could get another team interested. Or he could begin the season in the CBA but be picked up by a team beset with injuries.
“If ever there's a gray area,” said Sam Foggin, Hughes' Florida-based agent, “this is it.”
Since graduating in 1996, Hughes has endured 31/2 years of basketball purgatory, playing overseas and on traveling teams stateside. Gradually increasing name recognition — his 36.3 scoring average last year in Lebanon was tops of any pro league in the world — he finally got an extended look from NBA teams this summer.
Starring in the Atlanta Summer Shootout for the Orlando Magic, Hughes seemed ready to fill a void. He was a 6-foot-9, 235-pound power forward on a team lacking for such.
“Then Orlando went out and made all the trades in the world,” Foggin said. “The next thing you know, Mother Hubbard with the cupboard bare is suddenly loaded at his position.”
Hughes had inquiries from Houston, Dallas and the Los Angeles Clippers, and briefly went to camp with Milwaukee before landing in Salt Lake City. Karl Malone, Adam Keefe and Pete Chilcutt are Utah's established players at his position, while Torraye Braggs — a 1998 Xavier grad — and Bakari Hendrix (Gonzaga) are other power forwards struggling like Hughes to gain the Jazz's notice.
Hughes has been with Utah since Sept. 30, attending training camp and workouts. He had four points in his debut Wednesday against Vancouver, then made ESPN's SportsCenter for the first time by leading the Jazz with 19 points Friday against Seattle.
“He has had a nice camp and performed well,” said Kevin O'Conner, Utah's general manager/vice president of basketball operations. “He's not used to competing against guys his size, so he probably needs to get stronger and work on playing defense without fouling. But he's got a natural knack to score.”
The Cinderella story of making a jump from Division III to the NBA could be only weeks away. Or the longest wait may last a bit longer.
“I'm just doing all I can,” Hughes said. “The season is getting close. Anything's possible.”
Want to see Hughes in action? The Jazz play an exhibition at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Lexington's Rupp Arena against the Boston Celtics. That's also a homecoming of sorts for former Kentucky coach Rick Pitino and UK products Antoine Walker, Walter McCarty, Wayne Turner (all Celtics) and Scott Padgett (Jazz).
EVISTON HONORED: Thomas More College senior tight end Brian Eviston was honored as a Burger King College Football Scholar-Athlete at halftime of Saturday's game against Bethel (Tenn.) College. A $10,000 check in his name was given to TMC's general scholarship fund.
Eviston, a Newport Central Catholic grad, has a 4.0 GPA majoring in business administration. He has worked for the College Youth Football Camp and volunteered at Cincinnati Housing Co-Op.
MORE PLANNED AT TMC: Thomas More football coach Dean Paul has been pleased with the crowds — all numbering about 2,000 — for the three home games at the school's new on-campus field. More additions should come in future seasons.
“We're planning a combination locker room/concession stand/restroom facility, which would be a great addition,” he said.
Currently, the field has portable toilets, and the teams use the Connor Convocation Center's basketball locker rooms and walk to the field.
“And we plan more seating,” Paul said. “The seats have all been full so far.”
SMITH HONORED: Kentucky football freshman Derek Smith will return to Highlands Oct. 29 to be given his Kentucky Male High School Athlete of the Year Award. The presentation will be made on the field just before kickoff of the Highlands-Conner football game.
CLASSIFIEDS: Highlands' girls basketball team seeks an opponent for a game in December. Call Luci Cecil at 781-5900, ext. 149.
Neil Schmidt is The Enquirer's Northern Kentucky sports reporter. Call him at 578-5582 or send e-mail to nschmidt@enquirer.com.
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