Olympic Fan
05-01-2010, 11:33 AM
We're exactly one week away from the deadline for players to players to withdraw their name from the NBA draft. We used to have to wait until mid-June for the withdraw deadline. Now by Midnight next Saturday, we'll know who's staying in the draft and who is coming back.
Just to keep track, 80 players formally submitted their names to the NBA before April 25, the deadline for declaration. Another 23 foreign players put their names in.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5147236
That's 103 prospects for 60 draft spots ... not counting the 5-10 seniors that will be drafted.
So far, two relative non-enities have withdrawn their names: well, Chris Wright of Dayton is pretty good, but I know nothing about Keith Benson of Oakland. Anyway, their action leaves 78 underclassmen in the draft.
From the ACC's point of view, we're waiting to know for sure about two guys:
Malcolm Delaney of Virginia Tech
Tracey Smith of N.C. State
Smith, his mother and Coach Lowe have all said that he's going to withdraw his name. Hope that's right. Delaney has been more coy. Everybody says that he's a second-round pick at best and the people I know at VPI are moderately confident that he'll withdraw (although one guy I talked to said that a few people around him are in his ear, telling him to stay).
Obviously, those decisions will have a huge impact on the 2010-11 fortunes of N.C. State and Virginia Tech.
The other ACC entries are almost certain to stay in. Three are projected lottery picks:
Ed Davis, UNC
Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech
Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake
Solomon Alabi of FSU (who has hired an agent) is also a borderline lottery pick.
Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech, will go later in the first round. But this is the second time he's submitted his name for early entry (he withdrew last year), so he's locked in.
Sylvan Landesberg is a likely second round pick, but he's reportedly hired an agent. Plus, he left Virginia without finishing the semester, so it's hard to see how he could come back even if he charged his mind (could he play somewhere else? Maybe Coach Cal should give him a call!).
Nationally, here are the decisions I'm most anxious to learn:
1. Gordon Hayward, Butler -- If he returns, Butler is a top five team. If not, they still a very good mid-major, but not top 10 quality.
2. JaJaun Johnson and E'Twan Moore -- Really needs to be a team decision. If both return, Purdue becomes a top five team. If both leave, they will be borderline top 25. Not sure how they rank if one returns and the other stays -- Johnson is the team's one real inside force ... Moore is their best perimeter scoring threat.
3. A.J. Oglivy, Vanderbilt -- the big Aussie is a likely second-round pick. He could return to Vandy and anchor a team that could make some noise in the SEC.
4. Samardo Samuels, Louisville -- another projected second-round pick. His return could give the Cards a reason to hope next season.
5. Drew Bledsoe and Daniel Orton, Kentucky -- I don't think this happens, but a lot of Kentucky fans are holding out hope that one or both will return. No report that either has hired an agent. Bledsoe is projected in the late lottery and Orton is projected in the top 20, so neither is likely to withdraw. As much as the Wildcats would love to have Bledsoe back, they need Orton more. But there was some ugliness when he left, plus if he returns, there will be questions about his spring academic work (or lack of it).
6. Alex Tyus, Florida -- I haven't heard any speculation from my Florida friends about Tyus returning, but he (1) hasn't hired an agent and (2) won't go in the first round. His return could bolster a Florida team that might be the SEC's best next season.
Those are the guys I'm waiting for ... feel free to add any additional information here.
Just to keep track, 80 players formally submitted their names to the NBA before April 25, the deadline for declaration. Another 23 foreign players put their names in.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5147236
That's 103 prospects for 60 draft spots ... not counting the 5-10 seniors that will be drafted.
So far, two relative non-enities have withdrawn their names: well, Chris Wright of Dayton is pretty good, but I know nothing about Keith Benson of Oakland. Anyway, their action leaves 78 underclassmen in the draft.
From the ACC's point of view, we're waiting to know for sure about two guys:
Malcolm Delaney of Virginia Tech
Tracey Smith of N.C. State
Smith, his mother and Coach Lowe have all said that he's going to withdraw his name. Hope that's right. Delaney has been more coy. Everybody says that he's a second-round pick at best and the people I know at VPI are moderately confident that he'll withdraw (although one guy I talked to said that a few people around him are in his ear, telling him to stay).
Obviously, those decisions will have a huge impact on the 2010-11 fortunes of N.C. State and Virginia Tech.
The other ACC entries are almost certain to stay in. Three are projected lottery picks:
Ed Davis, UNC
Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech
Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake
Solomon Alabi of FSU (who has hired an agent) is also a borderline lottery pick.
Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech, will go later in the first round. But this is the second time he's submitted his name for early entry (he withdrew last year), so he's locked in.
Sylvan Landesberg is a likely second round pick, but he's reportedly hired an agent. Plus, he left Virginia without finishing the semester, so it's hard to see how he could come back even if he charged his mind (could he play somewhere else? Maybe Coach Cal should give him a call!).
Nationally, here are the decisions I'm most anxious to learn:
1. Gordon Hayward, Butler -- If he returns, Butler is a top five team. If not, they still a very good mid-major, but not top 10 quality.
2. JaJaun Johnson and E'Twan Moore -- Really needs to be a team decision. If both return, Purdue becomes a top five team. If both leave, they will be borderline top 25. Not sure how they rank if one returns and the other stays -- Johnson is the team's one real inside force ... Moore is their best perimeter scoring threat.
3. A.J. Oglivy, Vanderbilt -- the big Aussie is a likely second-round pick. He could return to Vandy and anchor a team that could make some noise in the SEC.
4. Samardo Samuels, Louisville -- another projected second-round pick. His return could give the Cards a reason to hope next season.
5. Drew Bledsoe and Daniel Orton, Kentucky -- I don't think this happens, but a lot of Kentucky fans are holding out hope that one or both will return. No report that either has hired an agent. Bledsoe is projected in the late lottery and Orton is projected in the top 20, so neither is likely to withdraw. As much as the Wildcats would love to have Bledsoe back, they need Orton more. But there was some ugliness when he left, plus if he returns, there will be questions about his spring academic work (or lack of it).
6. Alex Tyus, Florida -- I haven't heard any speculation from my Florida friends about Tyus returning, but he (1) hasn't hired an agent and (2) won't go in the first round. His return could bolster a Florida team that might be the SEC's best next season.
Those are the guys I'm waiting for ... feel free to add any additional information here.