Arizona basketball: Demic UA's lone first-rounder before Lute

Editor’s note: In the days leading up to the June  25 NBA draft, reporter Zack Rosenblatt will take a trip down memory lane, dig into the Star archives, and look at some of Arizona’s former NBA draftees, the path that took them to the pros, and what they’ve done since then.

Today: Larry Demic

There are two timelines to consider in Arizona Wildcats basketball history.

There’s B.L. — Before Lute. There’s A.L. — After Lute.

Eighteen Arizona Wildcats have been picked in the first round since 1983, the year Lute Olson was hired as the UA’s head coach. That number will grow to 20 if Stanley Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson are selected this year.

Before Lute?

One.

In 1979, 6-foot-9-inch forward Larry Demic was picked No. 9 overall by the New York Knicks.

He was the first first-rounder, top-10 pick, and elite Arizona prospect. In a way, Demic started the trend of top-tier talent to come out of the UA highly touted in NBA circles.

Here’s a look back at Demic’s path to the NBA draft.

At Arizona: For his first two years in Tucson, Demic was buried on the bench behind Bob Elliott, Al Fleming, Jerome Gladney and Phil Taylor. All four of them wound up being NBA draft picks.

Demic considered playing elsewhere.

“The thought of transferring crossed my mind,” Demic told the Star in 1979. “But I never really considered doing it. I am glad I did not.”

In his final two years, Demic exploded.

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As a senior, he averaged a double-double — 19.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game — was an All-Pac-10 selection, and twice scored more than 35 points.

“Larry had his chances to transfer,” coach Fred Snowden said at the time. “I know that. I know other coaches were after him. But I told him to believe in me, and he would get his chance.

“I told him I felt he could come on strong in his last two years here and he would arrive on time, enhancing his chances in the draft. And he did.”

The draft: There was no such thing as Draft Express, and mock drafts weren’t really a thing in 1979.

It was more about word of mouth and reputation.

The Associated Press published a list of the 1979 draft’s top 23 prospects, and Demic wasn’t on the list.

Among the names on that list? Future NBA Hall-of-Famer Magic Johnson, who would be picked No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Demic participated in six postseason all-star games, though, and impressed, piquing the New York Knicks’ interest.

The Knicks, who had two of the draft’s first nine picks, flew him in to meet their coaching staff and personnel.

On draft day, they followed through. After Demic’s name was announced at Madison Square Garden, where the draft was held, Knicks fans booed him; they wanted New York to draft Jim Spanarkel of Duke.

From the archives: “This is a dream. Three years ago, who’d ever thought I’d be in this position? It wasn’t like I was destined to be in the NBA like Magic Johnson. It was evident when he left high school he was going.” — Demic to the Star in 1979

As a pro: Demic had a solid rookie season for the Knicks, playing in all 82 games, averaging 7.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

But playing time dwindled in his next two seasons with the Knicks, from 22.8 minutes per game as a rookie to 12.7 in Year 2 and 7.4 in Year 3.

He spent the 1983 season with the CBA’s Detroit Spirits before finishing his playing career with stops in the Philippines and Puerto Rico. He won a championship in the Philippines playing for the Crispa Redmanizers.