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Tuesday, July 10, 2001
Hicks trying out with Knicks
Former Islanders star to play for N.Y. summer team
By Darrin Scheid
Caller-Times

Hicks

Former Texas A&M-Corpus Christi forward Michael Hicks has landed a spot on the New York Knicks summer league team and will begin practicing today in preparation for a six-game season against prospects from other NBA summer teams.
   Hicks is one of eight rookies on the team's roster. He is one of six invited players who were not taken last month in the NBA draft.
   Hicks, a 6-foot-5 guard who can also play small forward, ended his senior season with the Islanders last February. After attending a summer tournament in April at Portsmouth, Va., and the Chicago pre-draft camp in June, Hicks waited for the draft on June 27 to see what his next move would be.
   Despite being ignored in the 58-player draft, Hicks performed well enough in the summer events to earn a tryout with New York, said Jeff Blakely, his agent.
   "The Knicks first saw him at the Portsmouth tournament, and they said that they were impressed with his ability to score and hit the midrange jumper," Blakely said. "I think they are a team that could use somebody versatile enough to play two positions, and Michael could be that guy if he plays well."
   The practice sessions for Hicks and the rest of the 16-person roster begin at 9 a.m. today.
   After five practices, the team opens the season with a 6 p.m. game July 16 against a similar summer league team from the Boston Celtics. After six games, team officials will decide who has a chance to make the team.
   Along with Hicks, the two players selected in the second round of last month's draft will with the Knicks summer team. New York took 6-7 forward Michael Wright from Arizona and 7-1 center Eric Chenowith from Kansas in the draft.
   Of the eight rookies on the summer team, five are small forwards.
   "I talked to Michael today, and he asked me if there really was a shot for him to make the team," Blakely said. "What I understand is that he can make it, but mostly like, it will be only if he outplays every other forward on the roster. If he doesn't, then he won't."
   Hicks returned home before the draft and joined the Panama national team for its upcoming season. Before leaving Corpus Christi, Hicks said he did not plan to spend much time attending several individual workout sesssions, tryout camps and summer leagues. Instead, Hicks said he prefered signing a contract with a team in Europe.
   But Blakely said this opportunity for Hicks in New York is good because of the team's need for perimeter players.
   Toward the end of last season, New York used Mark Jackson, Charlie Ward, Rick Brunson and Allan Houston most often at the point guard and shooting guard positions. Brunson is a free agent. The Knicks didn't snag any potential guard in the draft last month, taking inside players Chenowith and Wright.


Contact Darrin Scheid at 886-3747 or scheidd@caller.com

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