Wesley Still Left Guessing

June 18, 1997

For Celtics free-agent point guard David Wesley, the waiting game began on the final day of the regular season. Two months later, little in his life has changed besides the weather.

Wesley, with the exception of a six-week commitment he's made to the Beantown Pro-Am Basketball League, has no idea where his basketball future lies. He worked out for coach Rick Pitino and his staff last week, leaving the decision whether to re-sign Wesley in the hands of the Celtics' new brain trust.

"There's not much I can say at this point that would shed any light on the situation," Wesley said last night before playing in the opening game of the Beantown League at Harvard's Lavietes Pavilion. "I really don't know what's going to happen."

Wesley wouldn't even venture to guess, but he knows the suspense won't last much longer. Like most Celtics fans, he will watch the NBA draft on TV a week from today, intensely interested in how Pitino uses the third and sixth overall picks. If a point guard (Colorado's Chauncey Billups?) is coming to town, Wesley can assume he's leaving.

"The ball's in their court now," said Frank Catapano, Wesley's Boston-based agent. "David has done his part. He's done absolutely everything asked of him since he came here (three years ago)."

He's done it well, too. Wesley, 26, a marginal player when he first entered the league with the New Jersey Nets, has developed into a quality NBA point guard. During two of the worst seasons in Celtics' history, he distinguished himself as one of the team's few bright spots.

"I've enjoyed playing here," said Wesley, whose priority since the season ended has been to remain with the Celtics. "But right now I'm trying to focus on playing basketball in the (Beantown) League and getting out to play golf. My daughter's visiting, I'm also going to spend a lot of time with her."

Brittany Wesley, 6, isn't the only member of the family in town. Wesley's younger brother, Desmond, is playing in the Beantown League for Sullivan Insurance. The Wesleys squared off in the league opener last night, David's Reebok squad prevailing, 106-93, behind his 28 points and seven assists.

"I'm pretty used to playing against him," said Desmond, 23, who graduated from Jarvis Christian last month. "We've been playing one-on-one the last month back home in Texas. David has got his game together."

The Celtics will have to decide that for themselves.