SHAW GOING TO ITALY?

August 10, 1989

SHAW GOING TO ITALY?

Brian Shaw, the guard the Celtics drafted No. 1 in 1988, reportedly has agreed to a two-year, $2 million contract to play in Italy this season. Both ESPN and Channel 4, quoting unnamed sources, reported last night that Shaw had committed to Messaggero, the Rome-based team that last week signed Los Angeles Clippers' No. 1 pick Danny Ferry. The Globe reached Shaw's mother, Barbara Shaw, by telephone at her home in Richmond, Calif., last night, and, while she could not confirm the deal, she said, "It appears as though it's happened.

"The Italian team has been very persistent," she added. "They seemed willing to give him whatever he needed. I think he very much wanted to stay with Boston." As of yesterday, there appeared to be no progress in negotiations between Shaw and the Celtics. Shaw's agent, Leonard Armato, remained in Los Angeles at his Century City office while Celtics general manager Jan Volk met with team owners in New York yesterday.

Meanwhile, Shaw is working at a basketball camp in Saco, Maine."Boston is my No. 1 choice," Shaw said earlier yesterday. "It is one of the best organizations. And the fans and the people I was able to meet were great. I'd like to stay there. That's all I can say." The pressure for Shaw to decide has been increasing because Messaggero opens training camp soon. Messaggero had also made overtures to Minnesota rookie Jerome (Pooh) Richardson and Dallas veteran Brad Davis, both of whom signed with their NBA teams yesterday. "You have to understand," said Andy Brandt, a player agent at Pro Serv Inc. of Arlington, Va. "Gardini's firm is worth $55 billion. To them it is nothing to throw away $1 million."

Previously, the highest-paid American in Italy was Bob McAdoo, who earned about $450,000 last year with a Milan team. But Ferry's contract is worth "more like three times that much," according to Brandt."If Danny hadn't signed with them," Brandt said, "they were going after Sean Elliott. And they have the money to do it." Ferry is an exception to the usual Italian league prospect since he was the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft. Ferry is considering his time in Italy an educational experience (and a profitable one, at that) similar to the Rhodes Scholarship year Maryland congressman Tom McMillen spent in Europe, according to Pro Serv's David Falk. However, neither Shaw nor Richardson have expressed a similar interest. The league is still considered fit only for fringe NBA players and over-the-hill types such as McAdoo. This image could change should the Italian teams continue to disbelieve in a salary cap.