In the last few years Michael Richie worked as a toolmaker for Chrysler, a production manager for a biotech firm and as a machinist at Caterpillar. He was laid off from all three jobs and now wants to give professional basketball a try -- at age 34.
Richie, a 5-foot-10 guard who played for Indiana Tech, planned to play in Britain after college but a torn knee ligament derailed his plans. He's now a pastor at a church in Indiana but couldn't resist pursuing his hoop dreams one more time.
Welcome to the third installment of the NBA Development League's pre-draft camp tryouts, where 200 prospects competed last weekend in Hawthorne for a chance to be selected in the November draft -- although only a dozen are likely to end up with contracts.
"It means a tremendous amount to me," Richie said. "They've been gracious enough to give me a shot. You think no one would give me a shot at my age, but the D-League did."
The pay is modest in the D-League; the average salary is $20,000. But players would happily accept it because there's a chance of being called up by an NBA team. Last season more than 80 former D-League players spent time on NBA rosters.
"Of course you're not going to get paid that much in the D-League, but you're sacrificing for the ultimate goal," said Tracy Murray, who played 12 years in the NBA and was scouting at the D-League tryout. "If your dream is to play in the NBA, this is where you want to be."
So last weekend players filed onto a charter bus about 7 a.m., bound for a gym in a converted airplane hangar behind the Hawthorne Airport. For most players, it was their only chance to perform in front of scouts, general managers and coaches representing all 16 D-League teams.
Randy Livingston, a former Houston Rockets guard who is an associate head coach with the D-League's Idaho Stampede, spent the weekend coaching "Team 11." He generally offered the same advice to each prospect: Embrace being a role player. "Instead of worrying about scoring 100 points a game and looking pretty, do the dirty work: Rebound and hustle," Livingston said.
To draw extra attention, Jerome Ireland, a 5-foot-8 guard from Porterville College, wore bright yellow Pro-Keds with matching socks. "A couple coaches came around and said it's a good way to get some notoriety," said Ireland, 24. "I feel like I've already accomplished some of that. And that's what we're all here for, to get someone to check us out."
