New Zealand's Penney

[signoftimes]

This the second article I've seen today about Kirk Penney. He'll be in Dallas tomorrow(hopefully this will help with some of you second round draft picks).

Penney chasing hard for a break into the NBA


A crucial week for Kirk Penney and his hopes of getting a break in the NBA as he gets a workout before the draft



19 June 2003

Houston, Dallas, and Memphis are all in a week's work for New Zealand's aspiring NBA basketballer Kirk Penney.

Penney has another workout in front of NBA coaches on Thursday, with the Dallas Mavericks.

He had a trial with the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, then next Monday is off to show his wares to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Penney is enjoying having a chance to impress some major teams, but he admits the unpredictability of his future is a little frustrating.

He will have to wait until next Thursday when the NBA draft is made in New York.

Amongst several draft predictions, Penney is now seen as a late second round pick to go into the professional ranks of the NBA.

He says that if an NBA team in the States does not draft him, then he will consider his options in Europe.

[Mandyahl]

do you know anything else about him? i haven't heard of this guy, so i am just wondering where to go for more info.

[mavsfanforever]

What position does he play. His height & weight?

[signoftimes]

6-5 shooting gaurd from Wisconsin. expected to 45th in the draft

Tall Black Kirk Penney has laid to rest doubts over his speed ahead of the National Basketball Association draft.


The Aucklander posted the fastest sprint and agility times at the NBA's pre-draft camp this month and is now touted as a second round pick bound for the Chicago Bulls. If selected the former Wisconsin player would be only the second New Zealander, behind Sean Marks, to make it to the NBA.

Penney finished the camp, which included 82 players in the June 26 draft, fourth overall after testing for strength, speed, lane agility, body fat and vertical jump.

Penney's results at the Chicago camp were well ahead of Darko Milicic and Carmelo Anthony, the projected second and third picks behind high school sensation Lebron James.

Penney has not featured prominently in many draft predictions, with commentators suggesting he would be too slow to mark the speedy guards in the NBA.

But some observers are now talking up the Tall Black.

"While some of the NBA's greats failed to get the job done (at the world championships), finishing sixth, New Zealand's Kirk Penney was helping the Kiwis to an improbable fourth place finish, enough, one would think, to lead some GM to look past his average size and realise the kid can play," Brian McCormick wrote yesterday on the website BasketballTimes.com.

Website nbadraft.net projects Penney as the number 45 pick.

[aexchange]

kirk penney scouting report

Role: Starting wing. The number-one option on offense.

Career to date: Played club ball in his native New Zealand, competing with professional teams but maintaining his amateur status. Accomplished little in his initial season of Division I basketball, though he did set a Wisconsin freshman-record for games played with 34 (3.7 ppg, 12.7 mpg, .333 FG%, .299 3p%). Looked much more comfortable as a sophomore (11.2 ppg, 28.4 mpg, .441 FG%, .432 3P%), largely due to the confidence he gained over the summer playing in the 2000 Summer Olympics for the New Zealand National team. Played in the last-ever Goodwill Games the following summer. Led Wisconsin to their first Big Ten Championship since 1941 during his junior year (15.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, .384 FG%). Played for New Zealand in the 2002 World Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana. Averaged 16.9 points per game and 31.1 minutes per contest, both second on the team, for the fourth-place finisher.

Scouting Report: Has emerged as one of the country's top 3-point shooters ... Simply fearless on the perimeter, he doesn't hesitate to pull the trigger on difficult long-range jumpers if he feels the club needs a lift ... Needs very little time or room to get off his shot ... Has an incredibly quick release on the catch and shoot ... Can go to the basket, but his lack of explosiveness can make for a difficult time when finishing ... Hangs for the wrap-around reverse, but lack of height in his lift often makes him ineffective going at shot- blockers ... Defense has improved ... Solid rebounder ... Excellent passer.

Professional Outlook: There is do doubt that Penny is an NBA prospect. His experience in international competition has aided him immensely. Scouts will give Penny a serious look during the second round of the upcoming draft.

Stat Stuffer: Had several notable games as a junior. Posted 33 points and 29 points and 13 rebounds in back-to-back games versus Marquette and UW-Milwaukee, respectively. Scored 30 points on only 13 shots, including an incredible 27 in the final 15:13 of the game, as Wisconsin rallied to a 67-62 victory over Minnesota. As a senior had six 20-point games 28 vs. Penn State, 25 vs. Eastern Washington, 23 vs. Texas Southern and at Northwestern, and 22 vs. Minnesota and Indiana.

Fun Fact: Penney was coached by the son of former Wisconsin head coach Dick Bennett, Tony, at the club level in his native New Zealand.

Six Degrees of MJ: Penney's Wisconsin teammate Devin Harris played high school basketball with Scott Merritt who competed at the Marquette University with Cordell Henry who played high school basketball in Chicago with Quentin Richardson who teamed at DePaul University with Bobby Simmons who competed on the Washington Wizards with Michael Jordan.

[veruca salt]

I've never seen the kid play, as he wasn't in the team that beat us in the WC qualifiers...but
I know he was NZs top scorer (only averaged about 15 though) at the Goodwill games.
All this news about him actually be a prospect now is quite surprising to me though, as I knew there was a Kiwi kid
called Kirk Penney playing college ball..but that's about it until recently.

[Chicago JK]

Penny is a gutsy tough kid. I was at the final 4 in Indy when Wisconsin was there and I believe he led the team in scoring as a freshman. He only averaged 12-14 points though. Nice college player, but I didn't think he was an NBA player. Just my 2 pennies worth.

[Lonely PSU Mavs Fan]

Penny is a hustle guy, and a decent defender. From what i have seen with him playing against psu he is not great at getting his own shot, but he is unselfish and a team player. thats my take, i think he will be a pretty solid back up, but never a real star in the NBA.