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Warriors might assign 3 rookies to Bakersfield

BY JEFF EVANS, Californian staff writer
e-mail: jevans@bakersfield.com | Thursday, Oct 25 2007 11:30 PM

Last Updated: Friday, Oct 26 2007 7:34 AM

Golden State Warriors officials were happy with the progress made by last year's No. 1 draft pick Patrick O'Bryant during his playing time with the Bakersfield Jam.

With another season approaching, the Warriors appear poised to send at least one rookie and possibly a total of three rookies to Bakersfield this season. The Jam is the NBA affiliate of Golden State.

Jam coach Jim Harrick was at Golden State's practice on Monday.

According to the Contra Costa Times, the most likely candidate to be assigned to Bakersfield is 7-foot-2 center Kosta Perovic, from Serbia.

"We're definitely going to send him to Bakersfield," Warriors' coach Don Nelson told the Times last week. "Kosta is just not ready. It's going to take a few years for that guy, or he could get it like O'Bryant did. I don't know when they're going to get it, but when they do, then they can become players."

Harrick said he is in a wait-and-see mode.

"You don't know until it happens," Harrick said Wednesday. "But I venture to say the guy guy, Kosta Perovic, will play for us. But I don't know about anyone else."

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, other potential candidates for assignment to Bakersfield are 6-foot-9 forward Brandan Wright, the No. 8 pick in last June's amateur draft from North Carolina, and Stephane Lasme, a 6-8 forward from Massachusetts who was the Warriors' second-round draft pick.

Wright was drafted by Charlotte and traded to Golden State shortly after he was selected for guard Jason Richardson and the rights to Jermareo Davidson.

"They were real queasy about Wright," Harrick said. "They said, 'Well, maybe we'll send him to you.' But ... I want to wait until it actually happens."

O'Bryant played 25 games during three stints with the Jam last season. He averaged 12 points and 9.6 rebounds and led the Jam with 72 blocks.

D-League teams have 10-man rosters, and up to two additional players can be added from NBA affiliates.

The D-League draft will be held Thursday.

Notes

* The Jam announced that the second annual Jam draft party will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday at Tailgaters, 900 Truxtun Ave.

Jam coaches Jim Harrick and Sean Rooks and other team personnel will be present, with the D-League Draft, which will be televised on NBA TV, on the restaurant's TV screens. Fans are invited to attend free of charge.

* The D-League announced Thursday that all 14 teams will participate in one exhibition game prior to the start of the regular season in late November.

The Jam will play host to Rio Grande Valley at 7 p.m. Nov. 20 at Rabobank Arena.