Basketball Capsules: Thunder introduce newest additions

OKLAHOMA CITY - Thanks to some advice from his mother that stuck with him through the years, James Harden found himself standing beside two Oklahoma City Thunder teammates Saturday with his brand new jersey in hand.

Harden held up his uniform with the number 13 - his lucky number since he wore it as the only freshman on his high school team - as he, center B.J. Mullens and swingman Robert Vaden were introduced to fans in their new NBA home for the first time.

"It's finally here. It's just a great moment," said Harden, the former Arizona State guard who was taken third overall in Thursday night's draft. "You work so hard and you put so much extra time just to get to this point. So many people wish they were in our positions right now. It just feels great to finally be here, and now the dream begins."

Harden didn't really think he was NBA-bound until he started creating some buzz as a freshman in college. He credits his mother for reminding him that "there's always somebody out there better than you," advice that helped keep his head on straight.

"That keeps me humble. That keeps me stable," Harden said. "I think coming into this program, all the guys here are in the same situation I am as far as being humble and stable, and they're young as well. I feel that I can come in here and learn from those guys and all grow together."

Joining a team coming off a 23-59 season, Harden said he's most excited about the Thunder's youth. He's only 19 years old, while cornerstones Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are 20. All told, eight of the players who'll be back from last season's roster are 25 or younger - and that doesn't count the three draft picks.

"I know it's a young team. I could come in and I could definitely play a lot of minutes, or whatever the case might be," said Mullens, a 20-year-old who went with the 24th pick before getting traded to the Thunder. "The only thing that I can control is how hard I work every day, how hard I want it and just getting better and making my teammates better. So, that's what I want to do."

Harden enters a competition for the starting spot at shooting guard with Thabo Sefolosha, who took over the role after coming over in a February trade with the Chicago Bulls. Harden led the Pac-10 with 20.1 points per game last season and averaged 4.2 assists.

"I don't want to just label myself as just a scorer, because they already have that here," Harden said, referring to Durant. "I want to be a facilitator. When the shot's there, take it. But other than that, come in here and be a facilitator and play hard."

Mullens, who will wear No. 23, and Vaden (30) could provide help at two positions where Oklahoma City could lose depth if they don't re-sign swingman Desmond Mason or center Robert Swift next month.

Mullens, a 7-footer from Ohio State, could turn into a backup for center Nenad Krstic and allow Nick Collison to move back to his more natural power forward position. In Vaden, the Thunder get a 38 percent 3-point shooter in college who could improve one of the NBA's worst perimeter shooting teams.

"I know you're not supposed to talk yourself up a lot, but I really feel like I was just as good as a lot of players in this draft, even in the first round," said Vaden, who finished his career at Alabama-Birmingham after two seasons at Indiana. "But you can't dwell on things in the past. I'm just excited about the opportunity that Oklahoma (City) gives me, and I've got the opportunity to show everybody what I have."

Thunder players Jeff Green, Kyle Weaver, Serge Ibaka and D.J. White - Vaden's former college roommate at Indiana - showed up to greet their new teammates.

"We're very excited about all three of our guys. Thursday night was a great night for us," coach Scott Brooks said. "One of the things that we value is high character, and we all agree on that. They're hardworking guys, they're going to add to our team. We're a team that is getting better."

Maynor back in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY - Eric Maynor is logging major air miles between North Carolina and Utah this week.

Just two days after interviewing with the Utah Jazz, Maynor was introduced by his new team at a news conference Friday.

A little weary from the return trip, Maynor finally felt like the angst and uncertainty of the draft was really over.

"It was crazy," said Maynor, who was presented with a No. 3 Jazz jersey after the news conference.

Maynor played four years at Virginia Commonwealth and averaged 22.4 points and 6.2 assists as a senior, when he led the Colonial Athletic Association in scoring and assists and was the league's player of the year for the second time.

Maynor missed his scheduled workout with the Jazz because of back spasms, but made it to Salt Lake City for an interview the day before the draft. He impressed the Jazz enough that they were pleased to see him still available when the 20th pick came up Thursday night.

"We didn't need a workout," general manager Kevin O'Connor said. "I think there's questions that you ask and you kind of want to look into his eyes and see who he is. I think we saw somebody that is committed."

During the interview, Maynor passed along a "hello" to coach Jerry Sloan from his father, George, a former East Carolina player who was cut in training camp by the Chicago Bulls - when they were coached by Sloan. Sloan didn't make the connection until the younger Maynor told him.

"Let's not talk about that," Sloan chuckled during the news conference. "I guess I cut his dad when I was coaching in Chicago."

Maynor grew up outside Fayetteville, N.C., but was overlooked by the Atlantic Coast Conference schools in his home state. He exacted some revenge as a sophomore when he hit a 15-foot jumper at the buzzer to give the Rams a 79-77 win over Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Maynor is the first VCU player to be drafted in the opening round and the first player from a CAA school to be picked in 10 years.

"I showed people what I could do in college for four years. Now I've got to show people I can do it on this level," he said. "I've got the ability to score also, but I make the game easier for my teammates. I think that's my biggest strength."

Maynor's opportunities will be limited. Maynor will be the second or third point guard behind starter Deron Williams.

Maynor said he looked forward to learning from him.

Maynor's career with the Jazz starts next week with the summer league in Orlando. After that, the Jazz will expect him to eat some hearty meals and hit the weight room. The 6 feet 3, Maynor weighed in at 164 pounds at the pre-draft camp in Chicago.

Maynor's flight was delayed, so the Jazz introduced their second-round pick first Friday.

Utah selected Michigan State center Goran Suton with the 50th pick, liking his size (6-10, 245) and the way he played as the Spartans advanced to the NCAA championship game this spring.

Suton said he knew after Miami passed on him with the No. 43 pick that he was likely headed to Utah, where he felt he had a good workout before the draft.

The Jazz could already be pretty well stocked at his position, but he's going to get a chance in the summer league and training camp.

"It hit home I think before I went to sleep last night," Suton said. "This is my dream. I was so happy. There were so many emotions going on in my head. I think this is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

-- Doug Alden

WNBA

Despite knee injury, Lynx star Augustus optimistic

MINNEAPOLIS - While her teammates were getting dressed for Saturday night's game against Phoenix, Seimone Augustus leaned on crutches to hobble down a few steps.

Somehow her smile was still there.

The Minnesota Lynx star tore the ACL in her left knee June 17 in Phoenix, ending her fourth season. She is expected to meet with doctors Monday to determine a date for surgery.

"I haven't had to take any pain pills, so that's good, but I'm still down about not playing," she said, speaking to the media for the first time since the injury. "I just want to get back to 100 percent to help my team out next year."

Augustus, who averaged 21.0 points in the Lynx's first six games this year and 21.2 points in her first three seasons, said she has gotten tremendous support from her teammates and has spoken to former Lynx star and current Detroit Shock forward Katie Smith about her experience coming back from a torn meniscus in her right knee in the 2004 Olympics.

Augustus said UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who is scheduled to coach the United States at the 2010 World Championships, has also offered words of encouragement and told her to be ready for the competition.

"I'm just thankful that I've got a lot of people who've been very supportive and helped me understand what to expect over the next coming months," Augustus said. "If I didn't have any motivation, I think they've given me enough."

Still, she wants to be on the court, not on crutches.

"After the injury, the first two days I probably cried more than I ever have in my life," Augustus said. "It's tough to watch the game, but after the New York win, I know they're out there playing for me, just trying to make me happy."

Led by 25 points from Candice Wiggins, Minnesota beat the Liberty 69-57 Tuesday.

"It's still tough because you see spots in a game where it's like, ‘Man, I could have been there, I could have shot the ball, I could have done this,"' Augustus said.

Minnesota is averaging just 65.5 points in the two games since its go-to player went out, compared with 88.4 points per game in its first five full contests with Augustus.

But Augustus isn't worried about the Lynx.

"I think it's going to be a team effort," she said. "The way Wiggins played last game, I think she's going to step into that role and do a great job of leading this team and taking over the scoring load if she has to. But just great team basketball all the way around is going to help us get over that hump and win games."

College

Ex-Duke player says he'll transfer to Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Ex-Duke basketball player Elliot Williams says he'll transfer to the University of Memphis.

Williams, a rising sophomore guard, was granted his release Wednesday from Duke because his mom is sick.

He told The Commercial-Appeal on Saturday that he's planning to transfer to Memphis, in his hometown, because being closer to his family is the most important thing. It was one of the four schools he'd been considering, along with Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Tennessee.

He's declined to be more specific about his mother's illness.

He says he's seeking a waiver of the NCAA rule forcing student-athletes to sit out a year after transferring.