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Law flaunting leadership skills - AP article - ajc

mountain_jim

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mountain_jim Newbie

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http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/h...10/0710law.html

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Law flaunting leadership skills

First-round pick wants point guard role

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published on: 07/10/07

ATLANTA — Only minutes after signing his first NBA contract on Monday, Acie Law was eager to call home with the big news.

Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Woodson had other plans. Point guards must worry about calling plays before calling moms.

"It's funny," Law said. "As soon as I signed, I went into the locker room to call my mom and tell her and Coach Woodson came right behind me and said 'What are you doing? We're waiting on you to start practice.'"

The big news about the contract could wait. In his first practice Monday, followed by two more workouts on Tuesday, Law had his first opportunity to prove he can be an NBA point guard and not just another shooting guard who will pretend to play the point.

Law, the No. 11 pick in last month's draft, asks that he not be judged by short-lived experiments in recent years to move shooting guards Joe Johnson and Salim Stoudamire to point guard.

Law (6-3, 195) says critics shouldn't assume that his ability to score — he ranked fifth in the Big 12 with his average of 18.1 points per game for Texas A&M last season — means that he's not a point guard. He was third in the conference with 5.0 assists per game.

"I'm going to do whatever it takes my team to win," Law said Tuesday. "I don't get caught up in what people say about being a pure point guard or a shooting guard trying to play point guard. When I was at Texas A&M, my team was successful. That's what I'm trying to bring here — be a point guard and be a leader and a winner. That silences everything."

Law, fellow first-round pick Al Horford and second-year forwards Shelden Williams and Solomon Jones will lead the Hawks' summer league team in the Rocky Mountain Review, which begins Friday in Salt Lake City.

Law and a rookie free agent, Derek Raivio of Gonzaga, likely will be the primary point guards in Salt Lake City, but Law won't have to immediately handle the starting job next season. Veterans Speedy Claxton, Anthony Johnson and Tyronn Lue are expected to return.

"Acie is going to be fine," Woodson said. "He's going to be able to play point like we thought and be able to make plays. It's going to be a learning curve as we go along, but once he gets under Speedy's and Lue's umbrella as veteran guys, that will probably speed the process up even more."

Law played four years at Texas A&M and Horford left Florida after his junior season. Woodson said he noticed immediately the two are more developed in their first practices than were Josh Smith, who entered the league out of high school, and Marvin Williams, who played only one year at North Carolina.

"They're so far ahead of the game because they've had coaching in three or four years of college," Woodson said. "That really helps me from a coaching standpoint. They pick up things a lot faster than the young guys we've had in the last few years."

Law is wearing No. 4 to reflect his name — Acie Law IV. He says his father, Acie Law III, also was a point guard.

"He put the ball in my hand as a small child and that's where it's been all along," Law said.

So Law stuck with basketball even though his great uncle is Hall of Fame baseball player Ernie Banks. Law's uncle, Bobby Johnson, played three years for the Texas Rangers (1981-83).

Notes: Among the rookie free agents in the Hawks' camp are guard Mario West of Georgia Tech, center James Beasley of Morehouse, guard Robby Lawrence of LaGrange College, forward Brent Petway of Michigan and guard Teddy Gipson of Arkansas. Guard Devin Green, who played in 27 games with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2005-06 season and played in the NBA Development League last year, is on the summer league roster. ... Woodson said he will trim the summer league roster to 13 or 14 players for Wednesday's practices.

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coachx Newbie

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but Law won't have to immediately handle the starting job next season. Veterans Speedy Claxton, Anthony Johnson and Tyronn Lue are expected to return.

"Acie is going to be fine," Woodson said. "He's going to be able to play point like we thought and be able to make plays. It's going to be a learning curve as we go along, but once he gets under Speedy's and Lue's umbrella as veteran guys, that will probably speed the process up even more."

Woody does not mention AJ. AJ seems to be the best one of the 3 to learn the cerebral part of the PG game from.

Neither Lue or Speedy should be teaching any one how to run a team.

Lue holds the ball too long and it forces him to jack up forced shots at the end of the clock.

Craig relies on pure speed (drive and kicks) and plays out of control (leaves his feet in the land of the giants forcing a kick out).

If Woody truely believes Lue and Speedy are mentors he should be fired immediatly. I don't want Law "learning" from their bad habits.

I have been screaming for an assistant coach who's sole duty is PG development. We brought in Tyron Hill to do this for our post guys (and Rick Mahorn a few years back). Why not some one to help the PGs with recent expierence in "todays game."

We need a cerebral guy like Mark Jackson or Atlanta native Mark Price in here to teach the young fella the nuances the right way from a proven winning PG.

Mark Jackson will be the Coach of the Year in the NBA one day. He would be a great assistant to "wait in the wings" right now for the Hawks.

Mark Price may still be coaching in Austailia. If not his home is in Atlanta. He would be willing and honored to work on a part time basis like Tyron Hill does now.

Mark Jackson is a wizard with the 1/2 court offense. He would me a great teacher to help Law think one or two steps a head (5th sense / PG mentality).
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coachx Newbie

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I believe Craig was in NO when Chris Paul arrived. that turned out ok.

I'm not saying Craig helped him, I'm saying he didn't hurt him.

True but...Byron Scott is 10X the coach that Woodson is.

Scott played 10 seasons with maybe the best PG of all time (*Magic Johnson), played under the great Pat Riley, and coached the great Jason Kidd. Scott has seen 1st hand what ittakes to be an NBA Champion.

Quite a resume of working with the best floor generals and teachers in the history of basketball.

Woody leaned from Bobby Knight (hard love) and played with the likes of Billy Knight. Bobby Knight is no Pat Riley and Billy Knight was no Kidd or Magic.

Granted the Bobby Knight expierence has probably helped Woody greatly with coaching/teaching the teenagers BK drafted for him to groom.

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coachx Newbie

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I'm liking Law more and more, sounds like he really has a chip on his shoulder.

That is what makes player rise above their peers and become leaders. The no fear attitude to win ball games and take big shots. He is such a joy to watch play.

I still can't get over that he is an Atlanta Hawk !

He and Durant were the 2 most exciting players to watch in college basketabll. Players in the Big 12 will tell you it was Law they feared most, not Durant.

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D.R.P. Newbie

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I believe Craig was in NO when Chris Paul arrived. that turned out ok.

I'm not saying Craig helped him, I'm saying he didn't hurt him.

Actually Chris Paul credits Byron Scott and Speedy oops Craig as the two people who helped him adjust to the NBA the most.

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BusBoyIsBack Newbie

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Woodson said he noticed immediately the two are more developed in their first practices than were Josh Smith, who entered the league out of high school, and Marvin Williams, who played only one year at North Carolina.

"They're so far ahead of the game because they've had coaching in three or four years of college," Woodson said. "That really helps me from a coaching standpoint. They pick up things a lot faster than the young guys we've had in the last few years."

Dang right Woody. You better give them some PT this season

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