Basketball: Former area star honing skills in Europe,... -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 8/1/2001
Last Visited: 8/1/2001
Former Serra High and Duke guard Ricky Price is still trying to hit the NBA jackpot.
And it's not that the 6-foot-6 swingman hasn't scored his share of winners , but the NBA is still a goal for the multi-talented Price.
The NBA has been real elusive for me , Price said.I've had tryouts with ( the Grizzlies ) and Orlando , but it has been real elusive for me..
Price went undrafted and ended up playing in Slovenia for Union Olympia.He averaged 19.1 points per game but lost headway when an injury cost him most of the 1999-2000 season.He finished the season in Amsterdam , then played in France the following year.
At first , I ( disliked ) Europe because I thought I belonged in the NBA , Price said.
But you have to have a healthy alternative to everything.Overseas is a pretty good life..
The former Serra star seemed especially pleased with his last season with Nancy , a Division I French club.
...
Price averaged 12.3 points per game for Nancy before returning to Southern California for the Summer Pro League at Long Beach State's Pyramid.
In his fourth season at the Summer Pro League , Price averaged 22.9 points , 4.86 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 30 minutes per game.His numbers were good enough to lead West Coast into the playoffs.
I'm having a great summer , Price said.I've had the most fun playing basketball.It's always good to be home.To see family and friends is always good and to play in front of family and friends is even better.Every game is a home game..
...
Price was poised to take the nation by storm after a phenomenal senior season at Serra.Price , a McDonald's All-American , averaged 25 points , eight rebounds and two steals per game his senior year.Besides being named to the Daily Breeze's All-Area first team , Price was named to the All-CIF ( all divisions ) team and All-CIF Division IV first team.
He looked ready to rise into college basketball's upper echelon when he made the All-Atlantic Coast Conference third team and was named Duke's Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore.He averaged 9.4 points in 33 games as a junior after breaking his pinkie on his shooting hand.
He expected to parlay a great senior season into being a high NBA draft pick.Instead , Price sat the first half of his senior season because he was academically ineligible.
When he returned to the team , Price no longer had his starting position at small forward.After starting 54 of 91 games his first three years at Duke , Price started just once in 21 games as a senior.
Price had 970 career points heading into his senior campaign.He barely eclipsed the 1 , 000-point barrier with 56 points in his final year.
It was a crazy situation , said Price , who said talking to Coach Mike Krzyzewski was a huge factor in choosing Duke over Kansas.
...
Basketball has afforded me a great opportunity to see the world , said the 25-year-old Price , who left his last game with an injury.I've seen Russia , I've seen Spain , France , Italy.I've pretty much been everywhere in Europe..
Price has accepted that most of the scouts attending Summer Pro League games are interested in recruiting him for the European leagues , not the NBA.
Ricky can play in the NBA , said Mike Moore , Price's agent.
...
With Ricky , you're getting a very intelligent guy..
Smart enough to realize that even outside of the NBA , being a professional basketball player is a big prize.Ricky Price.
- AGE : 25
- HEIGHT : 6-foot-6
- POSITION : Swingman
13 online sources [ view sources ]
Profile is not claimed [ claim profile ]
