Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
USC freshman wing DeMar DeRozan will work out for the Knicks on Thursday.
The 6-foot-7 DeRozan averaged 13.9 points and 5.6 rebounds last year for the Trojans and is projected as a Top 10 pick. He worked out solo on Wednesday for Toronto and will do the same for Knicks GM Donnie Walsh and head coach Mike D’Antoni.
“I felt like coaches get the chance to see everything I’ve improved on without paying attention to other players, their whole focus is on me,” DeRozan told The Canadian Press.
“It’s not (easy), but you get in good reps, it gets you in better shape, prepared for how the NBA life is, playing one night, travel, play again.”
Toronto assistant GM Masai Ujiri told The Canadian Press DeRozan needs to work on his shooting and compared him to Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala, Portland’s Travis Outlaw or Charlotte’s Gerald Wallace.
“Those are guys we kind of compare him to, athletic guys in the beginning, they were crazy athletes, but the game was yet to be put together,” Ujiri said. “I think those guys have put their games together. He has to work on a couple of things, but I think he’s a great athlete, a great kid.
The Knicks hold the No. 8 pick and are expected to pick a point guard, while Toronto drafts at No. 9.
DeRozan was part of a mass exodus from USC both immediately after the season and since head coach Tim Floyd resigned in the wake of the O.J. Mayo scandal.
USC has lost five recruits and four of their best returning players since the end of the season.
As for the Nets, Jrue Holiday (UCLA), Ty Lawson (North Carolina) and Gerald Henderson (Duke) visited today, and Terrence Williams (Louisville), Jodie Meeks (Kentucky) and Patty Mills (St. Mary’s) visit Friday, per The Star-Ledger of Newark.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
