OAKLAND With a half a smile, point guard Brandon Jennings said he's heard the Warriors are interested in drafting him with the No. 7 overall pick.
But it was evident in his grin, his evasive answer, that he knows Golden State is considering him as their selection. If the mock drafts and media speculation weren't enough to convince him, if the Warriors' need for a true point guard doesn't do the trick, if he wasn't sold by general manager Larry Riley's weeklong visit to Italy, then Jennings got another hint Thursday. After his workout with the Warriors , the lefty from Los Angeles had a brief chat with Riley and coach Don Nelson.
"They were just thanking me for coming by and said 'See you soon, hopefully,'"?" said Jennings, who after his senior year at Oak Hill Academy (Va.) was named the 2008 Naismith and Parade Magazine Player of the Year. "I think (they like me), a little bit."
Of the players the Warriors have brought in, Jennings is the one most linked to the Warriors . He joined Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn, Washington State center Aron Baynes, North Carolina State forward Courtney Fells, Stanford forward Lawrence Hill and Utah State forward Gary Wilkinson at the Warriors facility Thursday.
Jennings, who passed on going to Arizona to play with Lottomatica Virtus Roma (Italy), matched up against Flynn, a rising point-guard prospect who some are linking with the Warriors , in 3-on-3 full-court action.
Jennings, at 6-foot-1, 169 pounds, definitely fits into the small point guard category. But to some who saw the workout, Jennings' athleticism and quickness did not disappoint.
He showed he can work the pick-and-roll, distribute the ball and create off the dribble. He displayed the instincts and intangibles of a true point guard, even some of the flash that has marked his game.
"I have a year under my belt of playing professional Basketball," Jennings said, "so I know what a team needs ... Everybody thinks I'm a shoot-first point guard. But I'm really just a pure, pass-first point guard."
Jennings also showed one of his major knocks was true: He can't shoot.
The Warriors had them do shooting drills at the end of the workout, see how well they can shoot while tired.
"I didn't shoot it pretty well," Jennings acknowledged. "I was pretty tired, and the fatigue got to me a little bit. (My shot is) ok. It could be better, though. I'm not a great shooter, but I can score."
The Warriors don't have a pure point guard on the roster, although Monta Ellis is slated to start there next season.
If the Warriors do draft a point guard, Jennings will be up against the likes of Flynn, Davidson's Stephen Curry (who is expected to work out with the Warriors closer to draft day), UCLA's Jrue Holiday and Memphis' Tyreke Evans.
Contact Marcus Thompson II at mthomps2@bayareanewsgroup.com
