Author: David Shama

It obviously doesn’t have the potential of the NBA’s all-time greatest player rivalries, but Randy Foye and Brandon Roy could have something going in the years ahead. No, it won’t be Russell versus Wilt, or Bird and Magic.  Still, there are some “seedlings” that could make Roy versus Foye interesting to watch. 

In last year’s draft the Timberwolves chose Roy, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, with the sixth pick and immediately traded him to Portland for the draft rights (through Boston) to Foye, a 6-foot-4 combo guard.  Last week Roy was named by a media panel as the NBA’s Rookie of the Year while Foye, the seventh pick in the draft, finished fifth in the voting. 

Roy led all NBA rookies in scoring at 16.8 points per game. He became a starter for Portland and impressed scouts with his ability to score inside and out.  In a recent article in the Sporting News an NBA scout said that in a 2006 draft do-over scenario his first three picks would be Andrea Bargnani, Tyrus Thomas and Roy.

Foye didn’t make the scout’s top five picks.  Foye had an okay rookie season, sometimes starting and also being an early sub off the bench. Perhaps most encouraging were his fourth quarter performances. He scored 48% of his points (398 of 832) in the fourth quarters and overtimes. In those late game situations he made 48.2% of his field goals, 39.3% of three point field goals and 87.5% of free throws. His game averages in those categories: 43.4%, 36.8% and 85.4%. He averaged 10.1 points and 2.8 assists per game.

Fred Hoiberg, Timberwolves general manager, was asked about Roy and Foye.  “I think both those guys are going to be tremendous NBA players,” he said. 

What was the team’s thinking in letting Roy go to Portland?  “I won’t give (you) exactly what our thought process was on it,” Hoiberg said. “But we saw Randy as a guy who was going to find a way to get to the rim…a guy who could break down the defense…to create for himself and also create for his teammates.” 

Although the Wolves need a backcourt leader and star at the point guard position, Hoiberg doesn’t categorize Foye as just a playmaker.  “He’s a combo guy,” Hoiberg said.  “He can play one (point guard) or two (shooting guard). It’s going to be an important summer for him to develop new aspects of his game.  It’ll be big for him to play in the summer league with Craig (Smith) and Rashad (McCants) and develop chemistry with these guys and to keep working.  He needs to be more consistent with his outside shot.  He needs to get better with his ball handling but I thought he progressed a lot last year. …” 

Hoiberg said Foye “has expressed a desire to be a great player.”  Roy is already headed in that direction.  On Tuesday Roy and Foye were named to the NBA’s All-Rookie team, selected to the first team as voted by the league’s coaches. The two play for Western Conference rivals, teams that are trying to build for playoff success.  They play similar positions and come to think of it, their last names rhyme.  Stay tuned.

It’s expected that Randy Foye will be the Timberwolves representative at the NBA draft lottery in New York on May 22 in Secaucus, New Jersey. 

Tony Dungy, the former Gopher quarterback and Vikings assistant coach who was in Minneapolis last night to speak at the University of Minnesota’s annual alumni celebration, has been named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. 

Vikings second round pick Sidney Rice talking on draft weekend about the possibility of becoming a starting wide receiver:  “There’s no telling. I’m going to come in and give 100% and be ready to go when I get there. I’m going to fight for a starting position, and I’m not going to count myself out.” 

Former Gopher Thomas Vanek, 23, is turning heads in the NHL.  During the regular season, his second in the league, he led Buffalo in goals with 43.  In the playoffs he’s already scored five goals for the Sabres, a Stanley Cup favorite. 

Ralph Jon Fritz, a WCCO TV sportscaster for parts or all of five decades, is host of the Out N’ About show seen at 10:30 p.m. on Saturdays on Ch. 4.  Fritz makes 18 shows per year with 54 segments. 

St. Thomas won its fourth consecutive MIAC softball tournament championship last weekend and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. St. Thomas junior pitcher Maria Bye was named the tournament MVP. Bye pitched 12 1/3 innings during the playoffs, allowing only one earned run and six hits. She finished the tournament with a 0.57 ERA and 12 strikeouts. As a hitter, Bye was five for eight (.625 average) with five runs batted in.  

Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners recently there’s a possibility his franchise will acquire another team’s No. 1 pick for the 2007 NBA draft in June.  The Timberwolves already own a No. 1 pick and their position in the draft will be determined by the NBA lottery on May 22. 

The beleaguered Wolves had a 32-50 record last season, the team’s worst since 1996.  The club needs changes to slow fan apathy and contend for the playoffs next season and beyond. 

“We’re leaving all options open,” Taylor said.  While there may be just a few teams willing to sell a No. 1 pick, the Wolves’ owner said a trade could also bring an extra first round choice to his team.  A team might be persuaded to part with its No. 1 pick for $3 million to $5 million.  Not having to pay $8 million or so to a No. 1 draft choice represents a nice savings, too. 

With about two-thirds of the roster having players that are either guards or small forwards, Taylor admitted he wants to acquire “fairly tall players,” adding such draftees need physical strength, too.  The idea is to find rebounding and defensive help for the Wolves’ primary physical players, 7-foot-1 Kevin Garnett and 6-foot-7 Craig Smith. 

Fred Hoiberg, the Wolves assistant general manager, is impressed with the quality of potential players in the draft, including college underclassmen.  Those players need to remain eligible for the draft, rather than opt to return to school, to make the 2007 draft class as good later as it looks now.  “It’s a very deep draft both domestic and international,” Hoiberg said.  

Taylor said he will be more involved than in the past regarding draft and trade decisions this off-season.  As much as he wants to improve his team, the Wolves “won’t change, just to change.” 

Taylor said he doesn’t have the final figure but the franchise’s financial loss for last season will be “substantial,” in the range of “$10 million to $15 million.”  He’s budgeting for a loss next season, too.