Josh Smith was in for a 2nd workout!

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http://www.nba.com/suns/news/report_040622.html

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Doesn't look 18yrs old...

 

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With a little more than 48 hours before the 2004 NBA Draft, one of the toughest tasks for Suns Head Coach Mike D’Antoni is keeping his story straight when he talks to different members of the media.

“Okay, now let me think here, because I want to make sure I tell you the same lie I just told the last guy,” joked D’Antoni to a local beat reporter after Tuesday’s workout of high school phenom Josh Smith. The 45-minute session was the team’s last before all the hard work gets put into action at the draft.

This was the second workout at America West Arena for the 19-year-old Oak Hill Academy (Va.) forward and he continued to impress the Suns with his pure athleticism.

“This guy is probably the best athlete in the draft,” D’Antoni said. “He’s a fairly interesting player, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he were not there when we pick (at No. 7). He had a nice workout.

Phoenix was the only city Smith visited twice during the pre-draft workout process. He tried to pull out all the stops in trying to showcase his strengths to Suns management for a second time.

“I think I played harder than I did in the first workout,” he said. “I played hard the first time, but I just tried to do everything right this time.

“I think we shot more than we did last time. I’ve been good, but today I don’t think I did good, shooting-wise. I think I was putting too much on myself. If I had relaxed more, I would have knocked down the shots.”

D'Antoni did not see anything Tuesday that Smith did not display the first time around.

“He didn’t jump any higher or run any faster,” D’Antoni said in comparing Smith’s two workouts. “He’s still the same guy. He has a nice little jump shot and he can play.”

For Smith, it’s off to New York to play the waiting game before NBA Commissioner David Stern takes to the microphone on Thursday to begin announcing the draft selections.

“I’m just going to relax and have fun there,” Smith said. “I’ve got (the workouts) all out the way, but these next two days are critical.”

There will be no relaxing in the Suns’ front office the next two days as they pare down their draft wish list and try to create a game plan for every possible scenario in this wide-open draft.

“It’s always crazy,” D’Antoni admitted. “You always like a certain group of guys and we’re narrowing the process down. We’ve got different scenarios on the table and come Thursday, we’re going to have to figure it out and make a good decision.”