The Herald from Rock Hill, South Carolina • C6

6C The Herald Wednesday May 30, 2012 to add bulk and strength to his frame to hold up physically against bulky NBA big men. But his person- ality ferocious, yet calm reflects a guy who easily intimidated. Thomas Robinson, Kansas power forward, 6-foot-10 junior Key ish ments: He led Kansas to the na- tional championship game before losing to Kentucky. He averaged 17.9 points and 11.8 rebounds this season. to like: a rugged, mature guy a great teammate who has weathered hard times (the sudden death of his mother and caring for a younger sister back home in Washington, D.C.).

One of former coach Paul biggest concerns about the Bobcats was a relative lack of toughness. This guy epitomizes tough physically and mentally. not to like: Does he have limited potential to improve? Remember how Emeka Okafor was ready to help right away as a rookie, but that was about the ceiling for him? This could be a similar cir- cumstance. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky small forward, 6-foot-6 freshman Key ments: He was second only to Da- vis in his impact on na- tional championship team. He av- eraged 11.9 points and 7.4 re- bounds.

to has an inten- sity and a defensive orientation that would remind Bobcats fans of Gerald Wallace. The guy is impres- sive in the fast break, filling lanes and finishing decisively. Like Wallace, you have no choice but to foul him once he gets up mo- mentum toward the rim. not to like: always a risk to use a high draft pick on a player whose skill set match the position his height dic- tates. He a jump-shooter or a ball-handler to the extent you need to be to excel as an NBA small for- ward.

Andre Drummond, Connecticut center, 6-foot-11 freshman Key ments: He averaged 10.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots. to like: His measur- ables scream, and the Bobcats certainly are in the market for one of those. (Silas thinks Bismack future is at power forward, where he give away so much height and weight on a regular basis). not to like: Drum- one college season was marked by underachievement and inconsistency. With Connecticut likely barred from the NCAA and Big East tournaments next season (for falling short of academic stan- dards), you can see why he left, but a long way from a refined NBA prospect.

Harrison Barnes, N. Carolina small forward, 6-foot-8 sophomore Key ments: He averaged 17.1 points and 5.2 rebounds in a season in which the Tar Heels fell short of their Final Four expectations. to like: He is one of col- lege better shooters and dependable scoring is still the skill valued most by NBA teams. Obviously the Bobcats need a young small forward in the pipe- line. not to like: not good off the dribble and limited in how to create his own shot.

Great games evolve and expand. game seemed to stagnate. Bradley Beal, Florida shooting guard, 6-foot-4 freshman Key ments: He averaged 14.8 points and 6.7 rebounds. Remarkably he blocked nearly a shot per game (0.8 average) as a 6-4 wing player. to like: a shooter with good mechanics who also runs the floor and defends, partic- ularly in up-tempo situations.

a ball-hawk in the passing lanes, which is often the best thing a shooting guard can do in team de- fense. not to like: For a guy who loves to take long jumpers, only a 34 percent shooter out- side the college 3-point line. not bad, but not what you ex- pect from a guy whose shooting range (he took 186 3s in his only college season) needs to be his most dependable asset. Jeremy Lamb, UConn shooting guard, 6-foot-5 sophomore Key ments: He averaged 17.7 points and 4.9 rebounds. The Huskies un- derachieved greatly for a team with two likely top-10 picks.

to like: Lamb shot 48 percent from the field when defens- es were making him their first pri- ority. He has nearly a 7-foot-1wing- span, a valuable physical trait if looking to knock down pass- es or finish over taller players at the rim. not to like: pas- sive. At the end of some big games, he demand the ball in situa- tions where he obviously should have wanted to decide a game. Draft from 1C MEL EVANS AP Bradley Beal, a freshman from Florida, blocks a shot by Dane Miller this past season in Piscataway, N.J.

years. Each phase of the offseason program carries strict restrictions, with fines for teams that do not abide by them. Phases 1 (optional strength and conditioning workouts) and 2 (limited on-field instruction) lim- ited players to four hours a day. the biggest (change) is probably the time because we only have six in Phase Rivera, who met with an NFLPA representative last week to go over the schedule. Teams will get 10 hours a day with players during mandatory minicamps.

The minicamp is set for June 12-14. In the meantime, Rivera and his staff will try to get the most out of the OTAs while stressing to players not to get too gung-ho and risk injury without pads on. Rivera, a former NFL linebacker, listens for the crack of helmets after the ball is snapped. If he hears it, he stops the drill and offers a reminder. have a Rivera said.

your hel- mets and shoulders out of the That is easier said than done at times. With offsea- son rosters expanded to 90 players, there are 10 more players vying for spots on the final 53-man roster. just the fact that guys are out here fighting for said second-year defensive end Thomas Keis- er. you really help but get more aggressive than what is appropriate for The Panthers are holding out several players com- ing off surgeries rather than risk getting them re-in- jured during OTAs. Middle linebacker Jon Beason, who had Achilles surgery last fall, initially was dis- appointed to learn he would not participate in the 11-on-11 drills.

Beason is going through individual drills and an installation period when players are supposed to walk through their assignments at half-speed or slower. At least the theory. full speed, Beason said. techni- cally Rivera said there is a silver lining to having the players at the stadium only half the day: Coaches can get more prep work done. we (take a break) and we stayed with the Rivera said, would never get a chance to watch practice tape to prepare for the next Person: 704-358-5123; Twitter: Panthers from 1C Newton says he was a Echoing comments he made last season, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton told Yahoo! Jason Cole he was a during his record-breaking rookie year.

was very Newton said in the Yahoo! story. be the first one to tell you, the pouting and the moping, I kind of overdid it. I know that. I was a bad teammate. I shut off to some people who gave unbelievable effort.

where I have to brooding sideline act after bad series and his down-in-the-dumps locker room demeanor after losses wore on teammates last season. is not a bad teammate; just a young guy learning how tough this game can Panthers tight end Greg Olsen told Cole in the Yahoo! piece. Joseph Person By Tim Reynolds Associated Press MIAMI The Boston Celtics have bigger issues than being upset about a perceived slight. Yes, LeBron James dribbled be- hind his back. Then between his legs, five times.

Then threw a be- hind-the-back pass. And after grab- bing an offensive rebound while getting fouled by Kevin Garnett, he smiled and shouted three times while holding the ball out for referee Jason Phillips to collect. All that came on one possession in Game 1 of the Eastern Confer- ence finals. The Celtics called it showboating. probably right.

But not the problem. The Heat got 19 layups and dunks in Game 1on Monday night, with James and Dwyane Wade fu- eling what became a 93-79 win. And if defensive issues enough cause to concern the Celtics, Ray Allen said his ailing right ankle is getting to be even more problematic. can tell they believe by their anger after the Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Tuesday when asked how his team is han- dling the emotions of a Game 1loss. a lot of happy guys in our locker room yesterday or in film today when we start out by show- ing 19 straight layups.

Who wants to watch that? I I watched it four or five Along the same lines, the Heat said there were elements of the game film that they like ei- ther. James and Wade did their part in Game 1, combining for 54 points. The rest of the Heat added 39 points, 32 rebounds, seven assists and six blocked shots, but there were a slew of missed shots and one second-quarter defensive lull that had Miami addressing some is- sues on the practice court Tuesday. There are some predictable ele- ments that seem to pop up after the opening game of a playoff series, with the team that lost Game 1 say- ing it had to get more physical and the winning team saying that a 1-0 lead mean anything. And both apply in this case as well, with Boston guard Rajon Rondo among the voices saying things had to be made tougher for Miami.

James and Wade responded to that with shrugs, insisting typical for any series. already think going to happen in every James said. I have to prepare for Talking points like that can be dismissed. The Allen situation, however, seem like go- ing away. Allen has been dealing with pain in his right ankle for several weeks, and missed all but one of his seven field-goal attempts in Game 1 loss.

He even missed four free throws, just the third time in his career that done that. Allen said he did not work out Tuesday, which is a rarity. my predicament, only going to do myself further dam- Allen said. Rivers said the Celtics will stick with Allen, who made it clear that he wants to play. CELTICS AT HEAT 8:30 P.M.

ESPN DAVID SANTIAGO MIAMI Kevin Garnett works against Ronny Turiaf during the third quarter of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday at the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami. Celtics say intensity must rise vs. Heat in Game 2 By Joseph Person The Carolina Panthers have a pass-catching tight end named Rosario again. Former UCLA standout Nelson Rosario has joined the Panthers three weeks after being waived by Jacksonville. Rosario is not relat- ed to Dante Rosario, a tight end in 2007-10.

Nelson Rosario, 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, led the Bruins last season with 64 catches and 1,161 receiving yards. Rosario, who lined up at wideout and H-back for the Bruins, is fifth in UCLA his- tory in receptions (146) and re- ceiving yards The Panthers waived undraft- ed running back Princeton McCarty to make room for Rosario on the 90-man roster. Elsewhere Arizona: Quarterback Kevin Kolb is wearing a new helmet, which he chose in part because it gives added protection to the back of his head. Kolb has suffered at least two concussions during his NFL career. Buffalo: At 6-foot-6 and 292 pounds, defensive end Mario Wil- liams is so big and showed such great burst that quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick likened his new team- mate to someone cooked up by a video gamer.

Selected by Houston with the No. 1 pick in the 2006 draft, Wil- liams is a two-time Pro Bowl selec- tion out of N.C. State who set the Texans record with 53 sacks. Coach Chan Gailey said line- backer Shawne Merriman could be cleared to begin practicing as early as this week. Merriman is re- covering from surgeries to repair both his right Achilles tendon and shoulder.

Gailey expect receiver Stevie Johnson to be cleared for practice until the start of training camp. Johnson had groin surgery this month. Detroit: Defensive tackle Nick Fairley and receiver Titus Young were on the practice field with security escorts to keep reporters away. Fairley was arrested in Ala- bama for the second time in two months and charged Sunday with driving under the influence. Young, a second-year pro, punched teammate Louis Delmas this month when the veteran safe- ty looking.

Jacksonville: The Jaguars signed second-round selection Andre Branch, the 38th overall pick in April. The defensive end from Clemson is the first of the six draft picks to sign. Miami: HBO announced the Dolphins would be the newest subject of its popular reality series document ing NFL ra ining camps. The seventh season of will premiere Aug. 7, with four more one-hour epi- sodes airing on subsequent Tues- days.

News Services NFL NOTEBOOK Panthers add TE Nelson Rosario.