ATLANTA, GA ----- A quartet of talented guards, headed by Oregon’s Luke Jackson and high school standout J.R. Smith, will be on display Tuesday morning as the Atlanta Hawks hold their fourth day of pre-draft workouts on the Philips Arena practice court, starting at 10 a.m. Joining Jackson and Smith on the court will be Kirk Snyder of the University of Nevada and Morehead State’s Ricky Minard.
 Jackson |
Named to a host of All-America teams and a finalist for both the Wooden and Naismith Awards, Jackson was selected to the All-Pac-10 and Pac-10 All-Tournament teams this past season after registering 21.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 31 games for the Ducks. He was one of only six players in the country to lead his team in those three categories, and for good measure, he also led Oregon in steals (97) and FT shooting (.862). The 6-7 Jackson joined former Arizona star Sean Elliott as the only two players in conference history to reach 1,900 career points, 700 career rebounds and 400 career assists.
Jackson's stats
 Smith |
One of the nation’s top high school prospects, Smith originally signed a letter-of-intent to attend the University of North Carolina before declaring for this NBA Draft on May 3. The 6-6 shooting guard from Newark, NJ attended St. Benedict’s Prep (NJ), averaging 23.3 points and 5.4 rebounds as a senior. He finished his high school career as the holder of three school records: most points (700) and three-pointers in a season (108) and highest FG percentage in one year (.541). Smith took home MVP or co-MVP honors three postseason games, the Great Florida Shootout, the EA Sports Roundball Classic and the McDonald’s High School All-American Game.
Smith's numbers
 Minard |
An early entry candidate for the 2003 NBA Draft, Minard returned for his final season at Morehead State and averaged over 20 points (21.8 ppg) for the third consecutive year. He ended his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,381 points and ranked second on MSU’s all-time assist list and 11th in rebounding. The fourth highest scorer in Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) history, he is also the only player ever at MSU and in the OVC to surpass 2,300 points, 700 rebounds and 200 assists in a career. The 6-4 Minard’s jersey has been retired by the Eagles and hangs in MSU’s Johnson Arena.
Minard's stats
 Snyder |
Declaring for the draft as a junior is Snyder, a 6-6, 225-pounder from Nevada, who also spent time at the small forward position for the Wolf Pack. The Western Athletic Conference’s Player of the Year, Snyder was named first team All-WAC for the second year in a row after recording 18.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 34 games. He scored 21 points in a season-ending loss in the NCAA regionals to Georgia Tech.
Snyder's numbers Atlanta Hawks season tickets can be purchased by calling (404) 827-DUNK or by visiting the team's web site at www.hawks.com. The Hawks, a member of the National Basketball Association since 1949, will open the 2004-05 campaign in the newly-created Southeast Division, along with the Charlotte Bobcats, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards.
Workout Recaps:
May 18: Michael Haynes, Herve Lamizana, James Moore, Damir Omerhodzic
May 20: Terrence Hill, Royal Ivey, Lamont McIntosh, Rashad Wright
May 22: Rafael Araujo, Kyle Davis, Chris Garnett, David Harrison
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