It was rumored that Duke 7-footer Mike Plumlee had impressed at the NBA combines and sure enough he was drafted in the first round by the Indiana Pacers. Almost no one saw that coming a week ago. He’ll play alongside former UNC star Tyler Hansbrough.<\/p>\n
Already, probably because he is white, Plumlee is being called a Hansbrough type that can’t score. One know-nothing Internet sports writer named Riley Schmitt (who is still in college by the way) even went so far as to write, “Apparently the Indiana Pacers thought Tyler Hansbrough needed someone to hang out with. Taking him at 26 is just comical. Bad move by this team.” I wonder if someone would write that about two black players on the same team in the NHL for instance.<\/p>\n
Maybe Larry Bird does have a soft spot for hard-working white players like himself, don’t know, but the Pacers are not going to select someone in the first round that they don’t think can play. He might not become a star but there are few of those in the NBA. While he probably isn’t as talented as either of his younger brothers, he fits a need for the Pacers.<\/p>\n
“We think he can play for us right now,” Pacers GM Bird said. “We don’t have a center on the roster…He’s a great fit for what we want to do.”<\/p>\n
Coach Mike Krzyzewski said he believes in Plumlee. \u201cBasically, he\u2019ll be a complementary player, like most of the guys in the NBA,\u201d Duke\u2019s Mike Krzyzewski said before the draft. \u201cAt 6-11, 255-260, he\u2019s an incredible athlete. I think he\u2019s still growing as a player and he\u2019ll only be asked to do things he does well.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe can run. He can play defense. He can rebound. He doesn\u2019t have to be a great shooter. He\u2019s an adequate shooter, but he can physically play right away. And he can do the things you would ask a complementary player to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fellow Duke teammate Austin Rivers was selected No. 10 by New Orleans. “I love New Orleans more than anything in my life right now,” Rivers said after being selected on Thursday. “Coach Monty Williams is a great coach. Anthony’s coming. They have a great city. I’m looking forward to going there and working hard and helping out in the community and doing everything I can to help this organization win.” <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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