North Carolina State University Athletics
Grundy Awaits NBA Draft
6/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
June 25, 2002
By Tony Haynes
While he wasn't named the ACC's Player of the Year last season, some would argue that NC State's Anthony Grundy would have been the league's Most Valuable Player had such an award existed.
A first team All-ACC selection, Grundy was the best player on a team that won 23 games and made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 11 years. But those accomplishments may not matter very much when the NBA holds its annual player draft on Wednesday night.
And though the 6-3 Grundy led the Wolfpack in just about every major category-- including scoring (17.8 ppg.), rebounding (5.5 pg), steals (70), assists (120) and minutes played--he may not enjoy the pleasure of hearing his name called during Wednesday's draft.
Most pro scouts question whether Grundy can make the transition from college shooting guard to NBA point guard. They also wonder if the Louisville, KY native will be a consistent enough perimeter shooter to survive long-term.
Nearly a 49 percent shooter in his senior season, Grundy made steady if not dramatic improvements with his perimeter shooting during his college career. One intangible that some NBA clubs should not overlook is Grundy's overall basketball intelligence. On several occasions last season, NC State head coach Herb Sendek often stated that Grundy was one of the smartest and most instinctive players he had ever coached.
Labeled as a "combo guard" by the pro scouts, Grundy did see plenty of action at the point, especially in his sophomore and junior seasons.
Even if he doesn't have his name called on Wednesday, Grundy will have several options available to him. He could catch on with a team in need of guard depth, or he could land with the NBA Developmental League. There will also be plenty of interest from the European leagues, which have offered a fairly lucrative living for a number of American players. Former NC State guards Chris Corchiani and Rodney Monroe have enjoyed long and profitable careers by playing basketball oversees.
If he is selected on Wednesday, Grundy would become the first NC State player to be taken in the draft since Todd Fuller in 1996 (No. 11 by Golden State).
