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Haverhill’s Noah Vonleh shares NBA Draft experience By Paul Lazdowski | GLOBE CORRESPONDENT JULY 03, 2014

CHUCK BURTON/ASSOCIATED PRESS

New Hornets P.J. Hairston (left) and Noah Vonleh pose with team jerseys during a post-draft news conference last Friday in North Carolina

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Noah Vonleh wanted to express his appreciation.

So at last Thursday’s 2014 NBA draft, held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the

18-year-old Haverhill native invited 40 of his biggest supporters.

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“He went back to the beginning,” said Renell Kumeh, when asked about her son’s

extensive guest list.

“He went and made his own invitation list, and so everyone who impacted his life

— one way or the other — that he felt needed to be there [was invited.] We did

have a big crowd, but it was because we needed to involve everyone who had been

in this process . . . it was very exciting to see everyone there.”

In addition to his mother and two younger sisters — Samnell, a rising 6-foot-3

senior center at Whittier Tech, and Aaronette — Vonleh hosted his first basketball

coach, Barry Spears Sr. of Georgetown, along with his friend and Spears’s

grandson, Johnnie.

He invited his Amateur Athletic Union coach from the Mass Rivals, Reading’s Vin

Pastore, who regularly put Vonleh through grueling, skill-building individual

workouts. Then there was Haverhill High coach Mike Trovato, who encouraged

Vonleh to transfer to New Hampton after his sophomore year so he could further

his development against stronger competition.

Vonleh’s mentor, Scott Hazelton, a former McDonald’s All-American and NBA

player, was also in Brooklyn, as were two of Vonleh’s former Rivals teammates:

Haverhill’s Saul Phiri and Roxbury’s Jalen Adams.

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Together they celebrated in the NBA Draft Green Room after Vonleh was selected

ninth overall by the Charlotte Hornets.

“I was just proud and happy I was there to watch a kid reach his dream,” Trovato

said.

“I was really happy for him,” echoed Phiri, a 6-foot-4, 205-pound rising junior

guard at Worcester Academy, who played his freshman year under Trovato.

“It was, by far, my most exciting basketball time ever,” said Pastore, who also

teaches math at Central Catholic High in Lawrence. It was one of those points in

life. You can pick out a few critical points in your life where you were

overwhelmed with happiness, and that was one of them for me.”

For the 6-foot-10, 247-pound Vonleh, who possesses jaw-dropping physical

attributes. His arms stretch 7-foot-4 inches wide, and his hands measure nearly 12

inches, and the goal has always been to elevate his basketball skills to where they

match his frame.

Hours of practice earned him a scholarship to Indiana University and eventually a

spot in the 2013 McDonald’s All-American game.

During his impressive, yet inconsistent, single season as a Hoosier, Vonleh

averaged 11.3 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks. His 19.4 total rebounding

percentage was among the nation’s best, and helped earn him Big 10 Conference

Freshman of the Year honors.

So when draft night arrived, Vonleh was at ease. No more tests, interviews, drills,

or games remained for him to complete and further influence the outcome.

“Noah tried to look at whatever was going to happen that night was meant to be,”

Pastore said. “Noah just really wanted to play in the NBA.”

After Boston selected Marcus Smart, a choice that disappointed local fans,

including those in his entourage, Vonleh was taken three picks later.

“I was actually kind of upset,” Phiri said of the Celtics’ decision. “I thought they

were going to get him at six, but it didn’t work out that way.”

And while the Celtics would have afforded Vonleh the chance to regularly play in

front of family and friends, it also might have been a challenging and distraction-

laden situation.

Charlotte might prove the better fit.

© 2014 BOSTON GLOBE MEDIA PARTNERS, LLC

Beyond being selected by Michael Jordan, the Hornets’ owner, Vonleh will be

mentored by assistant coach Patrick Ewing, a Hall of Fame center. Al Jefferson,

who jumped to the NBA — and the Celtics — from high school in 2004 and

became a first-time All-Star last season, along with ex-Hoosier Cody Zeller, will

also help ease Vonleh’s transition.

The NBA rookie acknowledged as much during his introductory call with

Charlotte news media.

“The Hornets are an up-and-coming organization in the NBA,” he said. “They’ve

got young guys like Kemba Walker, Cody Zeller, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Al

Jefferson also, and a few other young guys.”

With Charlotte coming off its first postseason berth in four years, Vonleh will not

be rushed. He can use his strengths — rebounding, shot blocking, and face-the-

basket perimeter offense — when he sees playing time, while continuing to hone

his weaknesses — like footwork, offensive post moves, and consistency — during

practices.

As for what he will immediately bring to the Hornets, Vonleh said: “I’ve got a great

work ethic and I will play hard from day one and try to make my way into the

rotation.”

It is this mindset — even hours after being drafted Vonleh was already talking with

friends and family during an early-morning celebratory dinner at an Italian eatery

outside Times Square about how he must improve — that could one day propel

him to NBA stardom.

Paul Lazdowski can be reached at pmlazdowski@gmail.com. Follow him on

Twitter at @plazdow.