July 8, 2005
ATLANTA – Jarrett Jack became a first-round draft choice of the Denver Nuggets on June 28, and the 22nd overall pick of the NBA draft was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, where he will begin his pro basketball career. But he isn’t the only Yellow Jacket working toward a pro career.
Four seniors on Tech’s 2005 team are getting an opportunity via the free agent route. Guard Will Bynum signed a free agent contract with the Boston Celtics, center Luke Schenscher with the Denver Nuggets and Isma’il Muhammad with the Dallas Mavericks. They are all in Las Vegas this weekend for the NBA’s Reebok Vegas Summer League, beginning their quest to make an NBA roster for the upcoming season.
B.J. Elder, who also completed his Tech career last March, has been inviged to play on the summer league team for the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, which will compete in the Rocky Mountain Revue in Salt Lake City.
If they succeed, they wouldn’t be the first Tech players to make an NBA roster without being drafted. Most recently, guard Fred Vinson and center Ivano Newbill signed free agent deals with the Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons, respectively, in 1994. Vinson played a year with the Hawks and one with Seattle, while Newbill played parts of three seasons with the Pistons, Hawks and Vancouver.
Forward Duane Ferrell was Tech’s most successful undrafted alumnus in the NBA. He signed with the Hawks as a free agent in 1988 and played six years with the team, followed by three seasons in Indiana and two with Golden State. In his 11 years, he averaged 6.4 points, including two years with the Hawks in which he averaged in double figures. He also participated in five NBA playoffs, three with the Hawks and two with the Pacers, averaging 5.3 points.
