July 10, 2001

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Memphis Grizzlies have no doubts they made the correct decision when they selected Duke's Shane Battier as their first choice in the NBA draft.

"Shane came right in and knew all the plays after watching from the side," Memphis coach Sidney Lowe said.

The Grizzlies signed Battier to a three-year, $7.1 million contract July 3.

"I like Shane's communication with other players, his court awareness and the fact he plays at 100 percent effort. He knows how to play the game," Lowe said.

For Battier, the challenge is proving he is worthy after being the only college senior taken among the draft's top 13 players.

"I'm trying to fight the myth I'm an old man," said Battier, 22.

Battier says it's good to just run up and down the court and concentrate on basketball three months after winning the NCAA championship.

"It felt great to play 5-on-5 because I hadn't done that since the championship game win over Arizona," Battier said.

Battier had 20 points and eight rebounds in a 100-93 win over the Clippers in his debut for the Grizzlies in the Southern California Summer Pro League.

"I thought I did all right," Battier said of his debut on Sunday. "I just want to play hard and try to make things happen. It wasn't a bad effort considering it was my first game in three months."

Clippers coach Alvin Gentry has known Battier since the Grizzlies' rookie was in high school.

"There's no way that kid is going to fail," Gentry said. "He can shoot and he can shoot with range. He'll always be OK."

Lowe said he's not looking for anything special out of Battier in the early going. He wants Battier to get a feel for the offense and for playing with former LSU star Stromile Swift, the Grizzlies' top pick in the 2000 draft.