Sports - Bobcats

WILMINGTON, N.C. --

When Jared Dudley came on the floor during a Charlotte Bobcats scrimmage this week, it appeared he'd be overmatched against the quicker and more athletic Gerald Wallace.

Only the Bobcats' first-round pick found a way to irritate Wallace. He knocked the ball away once. He hit him in the chin twice. He made a move on the perimeter that caused Wallace to fall down.

The player who will never win an agility contest -- whose college coach called "an acquired taste" -- had again proved critics wrong.

"I think sometimes guys that are a little less gifted athletically, they spend the time to understand how to use their body more, how to create small advantages and get to the rim," Bobcats coach Sam Vincent said. "This guy is one of those guys. Because he hasn't been so athletically inclined, he's figured out how to master the game with his mind. And he uses his body. He uses his footwork. And he has great timing."

Dudley has heard about his lack of athleticism since he was in high school in San Diego. Most big schools wrote him off as too slow during recruiting. But Boston College coach Al Skinner saw something in the 6-foot-7 forward.

"You're talking about an individual who's not going to wow you," Skinner said Thursday in a phone interview. "He's an individual where you're going to have to take time and watch and continue to watch. As you watch him you have an appreciation for what he's able to do and what he's able to accomplish.

"It is an acquired taste. Once you realize the qualities he has, it's something that you always want to have with you."

While rarely dunking or making highlight reels, Dudley scored more than 2,000 points and was named the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year in March. The talkative Dudley also got under the skin of opposing players and outsmarted plently of them.

"If they're not talking bad about you, you're probably not a good player," Dudley said.

Still, there were questions about Dudley's NBA potential. He fared poorly on agility drills during pre-draft workouts, and it was uncertain if Dudley would be quick enough to play small forward or big enough to play power forward.

He slipped to the 22nd pick, where the Bobcats snatched him up.

Dudley quickly impressed Vincent during rookie camp and in summer league. He'd be in the right spot to grab an offensive rebound. He'd hit the mid-range jumper. He'd make the key defensive play.

"Dudley's been great," Vincent said. "The nice thing about Jared is that he's got a real nice knack for the game. He's a warrior. He's aggressive on the offensive and defensive boards. And he makes great decisions. He's a very heady rookie."

There are still questions about whether he'll be quick enough to defend athletic wings. Dudley welcomes the challenge. He lobbied to guard Wallace and Jason Richardson during training camp practices.

"My role coming off the bench, I'm probably going to have to guard one of the best players, being a wing," Dudley said. "So I try to guard (Wallace) or Richardson every time I can because they're faster and athletic. So if I can guard them I'll be fine."

With Sean May potentially facing surgery on his injured right knee, Dudley could see significant minutes this season. And Skinner believes Dudley will be a good -- if unorthodox -- pro.

"He's going to find a way to be successful, how to contribute," Skinner said. "Whatever the team needs, he's capable of doing. And that's really one of his biggest aspects. He can impact a team in a number of different ways

"It just makes him a very unusual player."

Notes: With Primoz Brezec having yet to report to camp because of a family matter, Ryan Hollins has been working at center with starters Wallace, Richardson, Raymond Felton and Emeka Okafor. "He's a good kid and he's been working really hard," Vincent said. ... Vincent cut short the morning workout Thursday and canceled Friday's morning practice to give his players a rest. ... Part-owner Michael Jordan, who grew up in Wilmington, is scheduled to be in town Friday.