CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kendall Gill, the Illinois guard who can do it all, was drafted Wednesday night by the Charlotte Hornets in a move that may signal trades before the season begins.
'He does everything,' said Forddy Anderson, chief scout with the Boston Celtics. 'He really makes a difference and he's responsible for a lot of wins in really close games.'
That may be just the ticket for the Hornets, coming off two years of down-to-the-wire losses. With a new coach, new vice president and now a new guard, the Hornets still need players who can stay alive in the last minutes of a game.
'What I like are his competitiveness, his desire, his will,' said Hornets Vice President Allen Bristow. 'If you look at his toughness, his defense -- that's the thing about Kendall Gill.'
The NBA flew Gill to New York for draft night while about 12,500 fans attended a draft party at the Charlotte Coliseum. The Hornets were No. 5 in the lineup and fans grew impatient as the first four teams announced their picks.
The New Jersey Nets went first, choosing Syracuse forward Derrick Coleman. Next was Seattle, tapping Oregon State guard Gary Payton. Third was Denver, choosing Lousiana State guard Chris Jackson.
Then came the Orlando Magic, walking off with Georgia Tech's Dennis Scott. That drew boos from the Hornets fans who have seen a good bit of Scott during Atlantic Coast Conference play in the Carolinas.
With shooting guards Dell Curry and Rex Chapman, the Hornets don't really need Gill, so his selection poses a scenario for trades before the season begins. Coach Gene Littles said Gill was too good to pass up.
'We felt that Kendall Gill has so much talent that we had to take him,' said Littles. 'If we have to we can make some deals later.'
Gill said he is not unhappy to be going to Charlotte.
'I'm looking forward to Charlotte,' he said. 'I think I'm going into a good situation because the team is right on the verge of winning and I look forward to playing with Rex Chapman and J.R. Reid.'
Chapman and Reid were each tapped by the Hornets as early entries, so they are the same age as Gill -- 22. Reid, who watched the draft from the sidelines, said Gill reminds him of Chicago Bulls standout Michael Jordan, a North Carolina native.
'He's a good defender. He knows how to win. He's got long arms,' said Reid. 'His mannerisms, the way he moves, remind me of Michael Jordan. They wanted to get the best player available in the draft for that position and he's the best.'
