<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">GREENBURGH, NY, June 2, 2005 -- So what exactly are the Knicks looking for in a draft pick? Youth, or experience? A shifty guard, or a thundering forward? For the Knicks, there seems to be something different on the menu every day leading up to the NBA Draft. On Wednesday, all four players that worked out had at least one year of college eligibility remaining. Thursday?s session at the Madison Square Garden Training Center included only one such early-entry candidate. And only one day after watching stellar small guards like North Carolina?s Raymond Felton and high school phenom Monta Ellis showcase their skills, the Knicks brought in a quartet of big men who together tip the scales at more than half a ton and average 6-foot-9 in height. Headlining the fearsome foursome was Wooden Award finalist Wayne Simien of Kansas University, who hopes to turn a standout senior campaign into a first round selection on draft day. The powerful forward tallied 16 double-doubles in 26 games in 2004-05, including 11 games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. His regular season averages of 20.2 points (25th in the nation) and 11.1 rebounds (7th) made Simien one of only seven players to finish in the top 25 in both categories. ?I was able to win at that level. I played against a great group of players and was successful,? he said. ?That?s definitely prepared me, both on and off the court, for the NBA game and lifestyle.? Simien scored 30 or more points twice in splitting the season series against fellow Big 12 power and eventual Elite Eight participant Oklahoma State. The senior was one of few bright spots for the Jayhawks in their NCAA opening-round loss to Bucknell, notching 24 points and 10 boards in his final collegiate game. Simien?s scoring, rebounding and assist averages all increased each season he remained at Kansas, and he credits staying in college for all four years as a major factor in his possible success in the NBA. ?Having a solid foundation will help me at the next level,? he said. ?Obviously, everyone [in the NBA] can run and jump, so it comes down to skill level and knowing the game mentally, and I think I can do that.? </div> Knicks.com
