WALTHAM - Leo Papile and Rick Pitino had a ''gentleman's bet'' on Wayne Turner's draft position last night. Papile thought the point guard from Mission Hill would be available to the Celtics in the second round; Pitino thought he would be gone. Papile was right. Turner, who played for Pitino at the University of Kentucky, was there when the Celtics picked 55th.
University of Texas' Kris Clack. (AP)
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And since the coach lost his bet, he and his staff drafted ...
Kris Clack, a 6-foot-4-inch swingman from the University of Texas. At the beginning of the night, Clack was not in the Celtics' plans, although he had a solid career for the Longhorns. Celtics general manager Chris Wallace had him projected ''as a late first-rounder.'' But when Clack began to slip, Wallace phoned Clack's agent, who was watching the draft in an Austin hotel room.
''Once it got to 50, I called [Randy Bowman] and asked if there was something we needed to know,'' Wallace said. The agent told Wallace that there was nothing to fear, so the team went ahead with a pick that, Wallace said, ''was a pleasant surprise.''
Where Clack will fit in with the Celtics is a mystery. Playing him at forward is a near impossibility, even though he plays big for his size and is a gifted jumper. You don't see too many 6-4 small forwards in the NBA. And when you do, those forwards have to at least make their 20-footers consistently. For his career, Clack made 30 percent of his shots from 20 feet and beyond.
''He's a streaky shooter,'' Wallace said.
Last season, Clack averaged 14.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for the Longhorns. He was the first player in school history to accumulate 200 career steals and 100 blocks. Wallace said the team will get Clack involved in its summer leagues here and in Los Angeles. He also anticipates inviting Clack to training camp.
As for Turner, Wallace said the team thought about the point guard at No. 55, but gambled that he would go undrafted when Clack became available. ''We're going to invite Wayne to our summer camps,'' the general manager said.
Actually, not being drafted helps Turner. As a free agent, he can pick a situation that he believes is best for him. The Celtics would like to add depth at point guard since they are unsure about the durability of Kenny Anderson; have discussed veteran Dana Barros in trades; and would need to re-sign free agent Damon Jones. It is also known that Turner is a Pitino favorite. Most teams respect Turner's defense and playmaking, but have questioned his jump shot.
