This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
With broad shoulders and a sweet shooting stroke, Pat Connaughton stood before the media on Thursday morning and answered questions about basketball and baseball.
With the roundball, Connaughton, the Notre Dame shooting guard who worked out for the Utah Jazz, has seen his stock rise since the end of his senior season. He performed well at the Portsmouth Tournament. He shot the ball extremely well last month at the NBA pre-draft combine. He measured out with a 44 inch vertical leap, and he's played well defensively when scouts have looked at him.
But he's also in possession of a 96 mile-per-hour fastball, and a nasty slider, which is why he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and why the question with Connaughton persists.
Basketball? Or baseball?
"Gee, I never heard that question before," Connaughton said, which was followed by laughter from the media.
Here's what we now know: Connaughton loves both sports, but has committed himself to the hardwood. He's thrown himself into the pre-draft process with both feet and wants to be an NBA shooting guard.
And with his attributes, Connaughton is an attractive option for someone in the second round. He's strong and sturdy at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds. He's exhibited the ability to consistently hit the NBA 3-pointer, especially so at the combine, where he was seen as one of the players who significantly helped themselves.
"I want to prove that I can do things other than shooting the ball," Connaughton said. "I thought today's workout went well. I didn't have any problems with the altitude. I had heard so much about it that I was preparing myself for it."
Connaughton said he wants to develop into the prototypical NBA 3-and-D kind of player - someone who consistently knocks in shots from deep, while being an defensive specialist on the other end.
The Jazz said they were impressed by his workout, and his ability to hit shots. With the 42nd and 54th picks, Connaughton must be considered an attractive option for Utah. This is a franchise that needs shooting and athleticism, and Connaughton is proving that he can provide both.
Tony Jones