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.
