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Knicks tab Frye with eighth pick in NBA draft


Photo
CLAIRE C. LAURENCE/Arizona Daily Wildcat
Channing Frye, former UA forward, is congratulated by NBA Commissioner David Stern after he was chosen by the New York Knicks as the eighth overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft Tuesday in New York's Madison Square Garden.
By staff and wire reports
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
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Former UA men's hoops star Channing Frye may not have drawn a cheer from every New York Knicks fan in attendance at last night's NBA Draft, but he did undoubtedly garner the approval of the team's most recognizable.

Film director Spike Lee, famous not only for his contributions to silver screen but also for his courtside hijinks as the unofficial first fan of New York Knicks basketball, stood from his seat and cheered loud after the National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern's announcement that Frye would wear the Knicks famed blue and orange this upcoming season.

The Knicks chose Frye with their first selection in last night's draft, the eighth pick overall. It was a clean sweep for the 6-foot-11, 250-pound Frye, who was the first college senior chosen, the first Pac-10 player selected and the first player from the state of Arizona to be drafted. Arizona State's Ike Diogu, the Pacific 10 Conference's 2005 Player of the Year, was selected immediately after Frye with the ninth overall pick by the Golden State Warriors.

Frye, who averaged 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game as a senior for the Wildcats while leading Arizona to its second Elite Eight berth in three seasons, joins a Knicks team in need of immediate help after finishing tied for last in the Atlantic Division with a 33-49 mark last season.

"I love New York and I love to come back home," said Frye, born in White Plains, N.Y. but most recently from Phoenix, to ESPN anchor Stuart Scott during the sports television network's coverage of the event.

"It's a lot of pressure but it's nothing I don't put on myself," Frye added, speaking to Scott not only in front of his new hometown crowd, but also in his new home building. The draft was held in the Theatre at Madison Square Garden, built above Penn Station in midtown Manhattan, adjacent to the court that will serve as Frye's new home with the Knicks.

Frye struggled in a pair of games at the Garden during his season at Arizona. The Wildcats defeated Michigan 61-60 in overtime in the Preseason National Invitational Tournament semifinals just two days before falling 63-60 to Wake Forest in NIT championship round. Frye managed a combined 15 points over the two-game stretch, but did pull down 13 rebounds in the semifinal victory.

Frye's draft stock had risen significantly since the college season ended, despite his own repeated contention that he'd yet to work out privately for any NBA team.

Frye continued to deny reports, but UA head coach Lute Olson told Tucson sports radio host Ryan Radtke, during Radtke's daily radio show yesterday afternoon on KCUB 1290-AM, that he suspected Frye had worked out for some teams.

Olson also told Radtke that Knicks general manager and former NBA All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas was impressed with Frye's off-court personality as well as his basketball skills. Olson said Thomas had visited Tucson in April and spent the better part of a day and a half with Frye.

Frye may have been the first college senior chosen in the draft's first round, but he was the seventh college player chosen overall. Utah junior center Andrew Bogut, the consensus National Player of the Year, was chosen first overall by the Milwaukee Bucks, while North Carolina freshman Marvin Williams, the Tar Heels sixth man during their run toward the National Championship, was chosen second.

Stoudamire taken by Hawks in second

For a player who doesn't miss often on the basketball court, Salim Stoudamire barely missed a shot at first round money during last night's draft. The 6-foot-1, 190 pound Stoudamire was the first selection of the draft's second round, taken 31st overall by the Atlanta Hawks.

Stoudamire scored 18.4 points per game as a senior at Arizona, leading the NCAA in 3-point shooting with a .504 clip from the arc.

Atlanta finished with the NBA's worst record in 2004-05, winning just 13 of 82 games. The Hawks also had the second overall pick in last night's draft, using it to pick up North Carolina freshman forward Marvin Williams.

- Compiled from staff and wire reports



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