Local products getting workouts from Nets

It should come as no surprise that the Nets and other NBA teams give local products a chance at Draft Time. At the team's Group Workout, the Nets went out of their way to give Brooklyn native and Farmingdale State center A.J. Matthews an invitation and then promoted his and fellow Brooklynite Demetrius Conger's participation online. Neither are expected to be drafted, but many teams had their D-League scouts on hand too. So it was a good opportunity.

Now, Josh Newman of SNY reports Harlem native and Iona product Lamont "MoMo" Jones, an undersized combo guard, will be included in individual workouts at PNY Center on June 20. Jones, who transferred from Arizona back home, averaged 22.6 points for the 20-14 Gaels. He's unlikely to be drafted by the Nets or anyone else. DraftExpress ranks him #85 among NCAA seniors, just behind Matthews, in fact. He is not deterred, he tells Newman.

"I think my game translates very well at the next level," Jones said. I’ve never lost that scoring mentality, it’s something that gets me over the hump. My point guard skills and getting everybody involved also helps me tremendously."

Also scheduled is Creighton big man Gregory Echenique, who played for Rutgers before transferring to the Omaha school. Adam Zagoria first reported the news. Echenique, who's 6'9" and 260, is a native of Venezuela and attended St. Benedict's Prep in Newark. He averaged 9.7 points and 6.6 rebounds this season.

The only players thus far confirmed for the individual workouts are Jamaal Franklin, Echenique and Jones. Individual workouts begin June 11, after the Nets brass return from Italy for the last of the group workouts, the Adidas Euro-Camp.

• New York Native Lamont ‘MoMo’ Jones to Work Out For Nets - Josh Newman - SNY Nets
• Echenique to Work Out for Nets (UPDATED) - Adam Zagoria - Zags Blog