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Bobcats Add 4 MoreThe summer rolls, and the Bobcats continue to add players. Out of 44 invited players, 4 made the cut. Guards Pierre Wooten and Patrick Jackson, forward Anthony Greenup and center Moustapha Diouf were picked to participate in the rookie/free agent minicamp that begins Tuesday. "I knew I had a really slim chance," Greenup said. "But I worked hard and chased after loose balls and that got me picked. I'll have to work a lot harder in camp to make it past that." "It was a good first step for me and it was very hard," said Diouf. "I got a letter about three weeks ago to come to this and I was so excited. We'll see what comes next." "It was a good session, very organized," coach and general manager Bernie Bickerstaff said. "No one embarrassed themselves and it was a great opportunity for them to play some basketball." Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Raptors Snatch Mitchell From Bobcats as New Head CoachOne second he's evaluating talent on the Bobcat's roster, the next he becomes the Raptor's new head coach while still on the job in Charlotte. According the Toronto Sun, the Raptors had chosen Mitchell over Seattle SuperSonics assistant Dwane Casey and Detroit Pistons assistant Mike Woodson. The paper said an announcement on the hiring could be made on Tuesday. "The Raptors have nothing to announce on the coaching search at this time," Toronto spokesman Jim LaBumbard said. Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Bobcats Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets A Little Friction Right from the Get-GoEmeka Okafor said Friday that he will keep his spot on the U.S. Olympic basketball team. But the heads of the Charlotte Bobcats, the team that drafted him No. 2 overall last night, are not exactly delighted with the decision. They would prefer that he commit to summer league play to ready himself for his rookie NBA season. Okafor was selected over Brad Miller and Theo Ratliff. The official announcement is expected next week. "It's a great honor, especially since it kind of came out of nowhere," Okafor said. "It's almost like a chance of a lifetime, to be an Olympian at 21." "We are somewhat concerned because all that basketball causes a lot of wear and tear and prevents you from being fresh at the start of the season," Bobcats head coach and general manager Bernie Bickerstaff said. "We have many concerns that we want to address." Besides preparation and summer league play, Okafor's health is also a concern. He has had a back injury and the straing of extra basketball could be a dubious choice. But Okafor's agent disagrees. "There are a lot of guys at his position, so who knows how much he'd even play," Jeff Schwartz said. "But even so, he's a young kid and he's not going to get worn out playing basketball." On the other hand, Bickerstaff can point out the famed "wall" that most rookies hit as their basketball season extends from 36 to 82 games. "It's good to represent your country," Bickerstaff said. "But I am looking at it from a selfish point of view. I don't want him worn down." Concerns aside, Okafor's decision seems largely based on the honor and pride of playing for his country. "It was a no-brainer, I jumped at the opportunity," Okafor said. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Bobcats Jun 2004 Archive
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