Spreading the wealth...

Arizona Summer Wildcat File Photo
Sophomore guard Mike Bibby (10) looks for an open player during a game last season. Bibby, Michael Dickerson and Miles Simon waiting to hear which team they will go to as the NBA college draft decisions are made tonight.

The NBA Draft kicks off tonight with Arizona guard Mike Bibby expected to go as the number one pick to the Los Angeles Clippers.

With Bibby possibly going first and both Michael Dickerson and Miles Simon also expected to go in the first round, the notoriety it brings the UA has not gone unnoticed by a number of key people.

Athletic director Jim Livengood called the possibility of three Wildcats going in the first round "tremendous.

"I would say it says volumes about the young people at this university and their ability to move on and play at the next level," he said. "(Head coach) Lute (Olson) does a phenomenal job with every player who comes through here."

Arizona has had 13 players drafted in the 1990's, more than any other school, something potential recruits pay special attention to, said UA assistant coach Rodney Tention.

"They were not just drafted, but they're all playing," he said. "We've got a pretty good pipeline to the NBA going."

Overall, Arizona has had 20 players drafted in the 10 years Olson has been head coach.

"It shows that our kids are fundamentally sound and can play in the up-tempo style of the NBA," Tention said.

Livengood said that combined with the national title in 1997, tonight's draft could help push Arizona to the next level.

"If you're a young player in high school who's being highly recruited you're going to think about Arizona," he said. "It used to be that the only knock teams used against us was that you couldn't win a national championship if you came here, but we proved that wrong."

While Livengood said that there is "no question" in his mind that Bibby will go first, he's more excited about how the draft will further enhance Arizona's image.

"A lot of free publicity on draft day never, ever hurts," he said.

The publicity the program receives doesn't just benefit the men, said women's head coach Joan Bonvicini.

"I think it makes the university as a whole more prominent," she said.

Bonvicini also has had a player drafted into the professional ranks, as Adia Barnes was taken by the Sacramento Monarchs of the WNBA on April 29. DeAngela Minter is also in the WNBA, though she is currently on injured reserve for the Detroit Shock.

"It definitely has helped now when we go out recruiting," she said. "I think women's basketball at Arizona is growing by leaps and bounds."

Being a coach, Bonvicini offered her own pre-draft analysis of Arizona's three players.

"Bibby is deserving of it," she said in regards to possibly being picked first. "He's a great athlete and has a lot of talent and can definitely take it to the next level.

"Mike Dickerson should go in the mid-first round. He's got a great shot and has gotten a lot stronger in the time he's been here.

"Miles has a good shot at going in the first round, too. His (jump) shot may not be pretty at times, but he's not afraid to take the big shot and he knows how to win."

Tention said that one "never knows until the last minute" what the NBA teams may have planned for the three players.

"I could see it," he said of Bibby going first. "They (the Clippers) could use a pretty good point guard."

ESPN projects Bibby to go first to the Clippers, though Pacific center Michael Olowokandi could leap over him if the Clippers decide to go with a project rather than a sure thing.

Dickerson is favored to go to the Houston Rockets as the 14th pick overall. He would hope to replace the retired Clyde Drexler as the Rockets' shooting guard.

ESPN did not predict that Simon will go in the first round, though some reports say that the Clippers may take him with the 22nd pick in order to ensure that Bibby will sign and rebuild their entire backcourt at the same time.

Livengood said the draft will make clear basketball's biggest impact on the UA athletic program.

"The TV coverage, the amount of time people see the cactus logo on Fox, ESPN, ABC, CBS and so on, has really gone up," Livengood said.

Livengood credits his coach with everything that has happened.

"That's what Lute came here for," he said. "The entire coaching staff we've had the last 10 years has been great, but by far the impact that Lute has made has been the key to the success of the program. And the most important thing is that he has done it the right way."

Want to see the most up to date information on the 98' draft picks? Then visit the Official NBA Draft 98' website at www.nba.com/draft98 to see how well our U of A players stack up.