With just a week until next Thursday's NBA Draft, Kevin Palmer
is busy finishing up a frantic spring schedule that has included
working out for no less than six NBA teams and competing in the
Portsmouth Invitational in hopes of his name being one of the 60
called by NBA Commissioner David Stern.
Palmer, who was in Atlanta working out for the Hawks on Friday,
has worked out for NBA teams coast-to-coast. The Islander leading
scorer the past two seasons at just under 20 points a game has
worked out for the Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Charlotte
Bobcats, Washington Wizards and the NBA Champion Los Angeles
Lakers. He was also named to the all-tournament team at the
Portsmouth Invitational.
"It has been a lot of hard work," said Palmer, who finished his
Islander career in March earning first-team All-Southland
Conference and NABC All-District 23 honors for the second-straight
year. "I've done a lot of traveling visiting different teams. It
has given me the opportunity to experience different things besides
getting to be seen. While it has been a lot of work, I have enjoyed
it."
Palmer has been taking the constructive criticism he has heard
to heart from coaches and scouts. A native of Baltimore, he has
spent the spring working out with other draft hopefuls in the
Baltimore-Washington D.C. area such as Ricky Harris of
Massachusetts and Devin Sweetney of St. Francis (Pa.) with trainer
Joe Connelly. The time in the gym has been spent trying to improve
different facets of his game.
"I have been working on getting stronger and holding the release
of my shot longer," said Palmer, whose gym workouts last up to
three hours. "Teams have also wanted me to work on my quickness. We
have tailored our personal workouts to what the NBA workouts are
like so we aren't blindsided."
He feels he has improved in those areas and others as well
thanks to everyday practices.
"I do think I have been able to get stronger since the season
ended," said Palmer. "My shot has also improved and my
ball-handling is much better. When you work on your game on an
everyday basis like we have been doing you can't help to get
better."
As the draft day approaches, Palmer is getting anxious.
"I am nervous just wondering what is going to happen," said
Palmer, who is ranked amongst the top five Division I small-school
players in this year's draft by The Draft Review Website. "My dream
has always been to get drafted, but if I am not drafted it won't be
the end of the world.
"If I am not drafted, I am going to keep trying to get on a team
as free agent. If not, I will go to the NBDL or I will go overseas
- whichever will get me to the NBA quicker is the route I will
go."
