Gooden loves role with LeBron, Cavaliers

By Gary Bedore, Assistant Sports Editor, Friday, June 24, 2005

Drew Gooden, who has played for three teams in his three-year NBA career, may have found a permanent home in Cleveland. The 6-foot-10, 242-pounder had his best season as a pro last season with the Cavaliers, averaging 14.4 points and 9.2 rebounds a game for a team that missed the playoffs on the last day of the season.

"Hopefully," Gooden said, asked if he'd be finishing his first pro contract (four years, $13.08 million) next to LeBron James. "But the nature of the game is it's a business, and you never know. Wherever I'm at, I'll play my game and do what I need to do." Gooden -- he hit 49.2 percent of his floor shots last season -- said it was "a joy" teaming with James, a former high school phenom who has averaged 24.1 points a game in his first two years as a pro.

"He is one of the best young players in the game," Gooden said. "Like all of us, he's making himself better all the time." Gooden scored 15 points in Wednesday's KU 101-92 alumni victory over members of the current Jayhawk team.

"It was great to see all these fans come out to see us again," Gooden said of the crowd of 2,000. He was relieved, however, to see one person missing. "I had four turnovers. Coach Williams would have gotten on me for that," Gooden quipped of his KU coach, Roy Williams.