June 29, 1995
KG's Rookie Year
As an assistant basketball coach at Michigan, Brian Dutcher has earned a reputation as one of the country's top recruiters at recognizing talent. Year after year, Michigan head coach Steve Fisher and his staff have recruited either the top class in the country or a close second. Dutcher, the son of former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher, is one reason for the success.
So, you listen when Dutcher tells you that Kevin Garnett, the Wolves' top draft choice, "is darn near the best high school player I have ever seen." "If I had my choice of Rasheed Wallace, who has played two years at North Carolina, or Garnett, I would have taken Garnett," said Dutcher, who has been involved in recruiting Garnett for the past two years and has seen him play. "Garnett is like Chris Webber was when Webber came out of high school," Dutcher said. "He is not lazy and works hard. He plays with great emotion and always competes. He really loves and enjoys the game. He has a great upside in his game. He can run, he can pass."
Dutcher said Garnett could have been an All-America candidate as a college freshman. Dutcher said that because Garnett is a 19-year-old, the Wolves will have to spend a lot of time with the young man. "What is this kid going do once 2 1/2 hours of practice is over?" Dutcher asked. "The question I would ask is, who is going to spend time with him? Who is he going to live with?" Kevin McHale, Phil Saunders, Jerry Sichting and the Wolves coaches saw Garnett work out and perform in all-star games, and they studied him on videotape. This was not a decision made without a lot of thought and study. They fell in love with the guy.
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