Posted by Pike:

In spite of contract... can't believe 29 teams passed on this kid.

Posted by nyshakespeare:

NBA Insider June 3.

11 a.m.: 18-year-old Polish forward Maciej Lampe has been warming up for two hours on an adjacent court.

He showed up at Hoops two hours early for his workout. He's been doing that for the past four days.

"I didn't know a lot about the kid when he first came in," Grover said. "But I learned real quick. He took a 10-hour flight from Spain, drove over here straight from the airport and went through a two-a-day before he had even unpacked a bag. When you have that kind of desire, good things happen."

Lampe is actually bursting with desire. After suffering through a lonely season in Spain, where he received little in the way of coaching, Lampe is ready to roll.

I ask him how he's enjoying his first trip to the U.S. "I got to see Hooters," he says with a big smile. "But it really wasn't as big of a deal as I thought it would be."

Anything else? "Not really, I came here to work," Lampe said. "And to see Hooters," he says again with a smile.

Lampe nervously fidgets with his shorts as he awaits his turn to work out. After four days of solo workouts, he's getting his first chance to work out with some Americans.

They just happen to be Elton Brand, Darius Miles, Corey Maggette and Quentin Richardson.

That's a pretty big jump from the ULEB league, in which Lampe used to play.


Polish teenager Maciej Lampe shoots over a 7-foot-5 foam defender.
"He's been unbelievable in workouts," says Greg Ryan, Hoops director of scouting. "But he still doesn't think he really belongs playing with the top guys. We think he does. Today we'll prove it to him."

Brand is the first to arrive. This is also his first week working out at Hoops. After a disappointing season with the Clippers, Brand said he felt like it was time to come in and make sure his body was in perfect shape to handle the rigors of next season. He smiles when he's told he'll be working out with Lampe: "The rookie!"

Brand and Lampe begin shooting, matching each other around the court. As Lampe gets more confidence, his superior touch from the perimeter allows him to pull away.

"That kid can shoot man," Brand said. "How do you keep up with that?"

Lampe and Brand also work with the foam dummies. Today Brand is in the post working on hooks shots over the 7-foot-5 obstacles. Lampe is working on his outside game.

At one point Lampe starts to get winded, and Grover approaches agent Keith Krieter with some advice.

"What's he eating for breakfast?" Grover asks.

"Fruit Loops."

"Not a good idea. He needs to take in about 30 percent more protein in the morning."

Where does Grover get the 30 percent number?

"I can do it just eyeballing him. He's got to start eating better. Most of these kids are the same way."

Ryan claims that when Bulls guard Trenton Hassell first arrived, his diet consisted of Kit Kat candy bars.

"I said, 'O.K., but what do you eat for meals,' " Ryan said. "He just says, 'I eat the Kit Kats for meals.' It doesn't get any worse than that."

Lampe looks ready to roll after a brief breather. He keeps working out relentlessly until Richardson and Miles arrive. Miles greets Lampe at mid-court and tells him to take it easy on Brand.

Soon Lampe and Brand are in another shooting contest. Lampe finishes 15-of-25 from NBA 3-point range. Brand was a few steps below that.

After the workout, Brand sings Lampe's praises. "That kid can play now."

Grover calls Lampe "special."

"His fundamentals for that size and age are off the charts," Grover said. "He's going to be a great player once he hits the weight room a bit and bulks up."

Richardson claims Lampe will be a top-10 pick with one caveat. "Let's just hope you don't have to play for the Clippers," Q tells Lampe. "We have no money, no coach and no clue."

Lampe laughs. One week in the U.S. and already he has figured out everything a young prospect needs to know -- where the Hooters are and how to avoid the Clippers.