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Thursday, 5/29/97 Don't discount Dollar out of NBA yet COMMENTARY: Bruin has enough heart, defensive talent to meet challenges

Larry Bird was too slow and he couldn't jump. There was no way he could make the transition from college and hang with the 6-foot-9-inch acrobats of the NBA. Similarly, some say UCLA's Cameron Dollar flat out can't shoot and doesn't handle the ball well enough to be a point guard on basketball's highest court. Bird could shoot. He could pass, too. But the critics argued that he lacked the physical tools to play small forward, the position in which the most versatile athletes were traditionally placed. The critics, however, forgot to take one crucial thing into consideration, the one thing that makes the biggest difference in sports and in life. They forgot to measure his heart. And so, ladies and gentlemen of Westwood, don't wave goodbye to the playing career of Mr. Dollar just yet. If he gets the opportunity, he will make one last heroic effort at pulling off the impossible. It will be tougher than stepping in for Tyus Edney in the national championship game. It will be tougher than driving the length of the court against Iowa State in the waning seconds of a Sweet 16 battle. And it's more of a long-shot than the one against Washington last year. But give 'em the rock, and he may surprise us. Actually, a pro team should give someone else the rock and watch Dollar breathe down his neck. Dollar was one of the premier defenders in the nation during his senior season, and he may have been the best at his position. His quickness and raw intensity on the defensive end of the floor make him a weapon on any level. The naysayers will argue that Dollar would be a liability on offense. Defenders, this line of argument goes, would be able to sag off of Dollar on the perimeter and jam up the offense. While he might contribute on the defensive end of the floor, some would say that his net value to an NBA team would drop below zero because of this. I have three responses to this. First, it didn't seem to hurt the Bruins last season, as UCLA was one of the best field-goal shooting teams in the nation. Moreover, as the season progressed, Dollar stepped up his aggressiveness on the offensive end and proved he could hit from the outside when called upon. Surrounded by Toby Bailey, Charles O'Bannon, J.R. Henderson and Jelani McCoy, Dollar was never able to get a rhythm going at the beginning of the year because he was only looking to give the ball up. When he gained the confidence to shoot, the whole Bruin offense picked up. Second, unlike the college game in which teams are allowed to play zone defense, the pros have strict man-to-man rules. If Dollar wasn't a liability on offense in college, there seems to be little reason to suspect that his presence on the floor in an NBA game would neutralize the effectiveness of his teammates. Third, Dollar's possible ticket into the NBA is primarily as a defensive role player. He won't be expected to come into a game and score a bunch of points. Instead, it is likely that Dollar would be inserted into the lineup to help short circuit an opposing team's offense with his tenacious, in-your-face style of defense. In the same way that Steve Kerr comes in for the Chicago Bulls to nail three-pointers, Cameron Dollar might be able to nail down opposing players. Is Dollar going to be at a disadvantage because of his size? Against guys like Anfernee Hardaway, yes. But he could be used to slow down players like Gary Payton, John Stockton and Tim Hardaway. Ultimately, NBA general managers will have to weigh Dollar's talent against that of other "bubble" players. Some will have more polished offensive skills, and others may be comparable defensively. With 29 teams, though, a player with Dollar's character, toughness, and winning attitude deserves a shot. The mental approach Dollar takes to meeting the challenge is important. He does not have to pass like Magic or shoot like Larry. Dollar will create his best chance at making it if he becomes clearly aware of his strengths and limitations and plays within his game. Undoubtedly, Dollar will have to work hard at improving certain elements of his game. But his ticket to the Big Show is contingent upon continuing to do the things that made him a national champion and the heart and soul of the Bruins. Whether or not he makes it, one thing is certain: this is another big time shot Dollar is sure to take. Zucker is a former Daily Bruin sports editor and a Daily Bruin sports columnist. He can be reached via e-mail at bzucker@media.ucla.edu. Brad Zucker