Sunday, September 18, 2005

Ron Anderson

Indiana Pacers
6-7 215 Forward

Obtained from Cavaliers, he started 27 of 60 games after his arrival, averaging 10.4 ppg and getting career-high 28 in one game... Was 26-year-old rookie with Cavs in 1984-85... Began his college career at age 22 at Santa Barbara College... Finished it at Fresno State... Cavs drafted him No. 27 overall in 1984... Didn't play high-school ball... Pro career began with 27 point explosion against 76er's Julius Erving... Then he was injured and missed 46 games... Born Oct. 15, 1958, in Chicago... Will earn $150,000 this season... Raised field-goal accuracy to .493 last season and seems to have a future in the league.

Relevant Stats:
9.2 ppg, 49.3 FG%, 3.56 rpg

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Clint Richardson

Indiana Pacers
6-3 195 Guard

Started 61 of 82 games after being acquired from Philadelphia for two second-round draft choices... Had mediocre year, at best... Longed to get away from the 76ers since they wouldn't raise his salary, which will never be above $275,000 during contract that runs through next season... All the losing probably made him wish he were back in Philadelphia... Was drafted No. 36 overall by Sixers in 1979, out of University of Seattle... Born Aug. 7, 1956, in Seattle... Had his brightest moment during 1985 playoffs, when he made 24 of 37 shots during Sixers' sweep of Bucks... No playoffs for him or Pacers last season... Using slingshot jumper with that astoundingly flat trajectory, he shot .455 from field... Excellent under offensive boards for a guard... Had similar season to onces he had with Sixers, but Pacers need more than that from him.

Relevant Stats:
9.7 ppg, 45.5 FG%, 4.54 apg

Friday, September 16, 2005

Terence Stansbury

Indiana Pacers
6-5 170 Guard

Biggest moment remains 1984-85 Slam Dunk contest, when he finished third... Started 17 games last season, but averaged only 17.9 minutes... Shooting percentage tumbled to .433, thanks in part to .169 mark on three-point attempts... Born Feb. 27, 1961, in Los Angeles... Drafted 15th overall by Mavericks in 1984... Signed deal worth $165,000 for this season... Capable of offensive explosions as single-game high of 22 points showed... Temple's first-rounder since Guy Rodgers in 1958... His pro career figures to be a short one.

Relevant Stats:
6.7 ppg, 2.78 apg, 43.3 FG%

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Steve Stipanovich

Indiana Pacers
7-0 245 Center

Will he ever play up to his potential?... Was his potential grossly overstated?... Does he know he is a center and not a guard and that centers are at least supposed to be vaguely acquainted with the paint area? "Stipo" stands 20 feet from the hoop and lets fly with far too much alacrity... Career scoring average is a lot less than was expected from second player taken in 1983 draft... Missouri product was Pacer pick right after Rockets took Ralph Sampson. That's like having Phyllis Diller finish as runnerup to Farrah Fawcett in a beauty contest... Born Nov. 17, 1960, in St. Louis... Must get tougher -- not in the sense of fisticuffs -- but in game situations when a seven-footer is supposed to plant himself low and dare the opposition to move him... Will make $600,000 this season.

Relevant Stats:
13.6 ppg, 47.0 FG%, 7.89 rpg

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Wayman Tisdale

Indiana Pacers
6-9 238 Forward

Blubbery and out of shape when he reported to the Pacers, he was a major disappointment in the first half of his rookie season... Lefty shooter did slim down and his performance perked up... Led Pacers with .515 field-goal accuracy en route to 14.7 ppg... Didn't rebound as well as he should have with only 7.2 rpg and shot only .684 from free-throw line... Had averaged 25.6 ppg and 10.1 rpg in three seasons at Oklahoma before leaving school early to become Pacers' top pick and second choice overall in 1985... Born June 9, 1964, in Tulsa, Okla.... All-time leading scorer in Big Eight with 2,661 points ... Led 1984 gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic team with 6.8 rpg.

Relevant Stats:
14.7 ppg, 51.5 FG%, 7.21 rpg

Monday, September 05, 2005

Vern Fleming

Indiana Pacers
6-5 195 Guard

Georgia product continued his progress after strong rookie season in 1984-85... Led team in assists with 505 and steals with 131... Developing into a pro point guard who can shoot... Smart player who shows little selfishness... U.S. Olympian in 1984... No. 18 pick overall by Pacers that year... Born Feb. 2, 1962, in Long Island City, N.Y.... Scheduled to earn $210,000 this season... Good rebounder for his size... Fouled out only once... Scored 1,777 points at Georgia, replacing Dominique Wilkins as all-time leader... Seems entrenched as Pacer starter... Was one of two Pacers to make more than 50 percent of field-goal attempts (.506) in 1985-86.

Relevant Stats:
14.2 ppg, 50.6 FG%, 6.3 apg, 4.8 rpg

Sunday, September 04, 2005

Herb Williams

Indiana Pacers
6-10 240 Center-Forward

Another so-so season for a guy who, on occasion, looks like he could be one of the best... Earned embarassingly small salary of $275,000 last season... Drudgery of playing for a lousy team year after year may be taking its toll... His scoring output of 19.9 ppg led team and was a career high, but he should be able to do more with that wondrous body... Born Feb. 16, 1959, in Columbus, Ohio... Was Clark Kellogg's teammate at Ohio State... Pacers drafted him 14th overall in 1981... Had best year ever from free-throw linewith .730 mark,compared to career norm of .682 at the start of 1985-86.

Relevant Stats:
19.9 ppg, 49.2 FG%, 9.1 rpg

Friday, September 02, 2005

Clark Kellogg

Indiana Pacers
6-7 225 Forward

Played only 19 games due to knee injury and surgery... Did manage single-game high of 30 points, third-best on team... Had been counted upon to give Pacers four-man frontcourt rotation, along with Herb Williams, Steve Stipanovich and rookie Wayman Tisdale... Had plenty of time to spend on refining his skills as Ms. Pacman player... Will earn $516,000 this season... Born July 2, 1961, in Cleveland... Pacers made him No. 8 pick overall in 1982 after hehad been named Big 10 MVP at Ohio State... Injury could take spring out of his knees, affecting the leaping ability which allowed him to lead club in rebounding two seasons ago... His return to health is vital to pitiful Pacers.

Relevant Stats:
17.6 ppg, 47.3 FG%, 8.84 rpg