It was decision time, as four high school/prep school prospects have made choices whether or not to remain in the NBA Draft.

The NBA required a fax or letter by June 19.

Three standouts remained in the draft without guarantees they will be first round selections, including Top 100 center Kendrick Perkins of Beaumont-Ozen, Tex., who had signed with Memphis; Top 100 forward Ndudi Ebi of Houston-Westbury Christian, Tex., who signed with Arizona; and Top 100 forward Travis Outlaw of Starkville, Miss., who signed with Mississippi State.

They join Top 100 forward LeBron James of Akron/St. Vincent-St. Mary, Ohio, who is projected as the top pick in draft; and Top 100 center James Lang of Birmingham-Central Park Christian, Ala., who had decommitted from Louisville. Both had previously signed with agents.

Perkins, Ebi, Outlaw and Lang could possibly be selected in the second round and not receive guaranteed contracts.

Top 100 forward Charlie Villanueva of Blairstown-Blair Academy, NJ., who had committed to UConn, withdrew from the draft after not receiving a first round guarantee.

"The fact that he was going to UConn made it easier for him to decide," said Gary Charles, Villanueva's AAU coach, told the Harford Courant. "Playing in the NBA has always been a dream for him and he didn't want to have any regrets, but at the end of the day it was between waiting to get drafted or playing X number of seasons at UConn and then he could be a lottery pick. The fact that he would be playing at UConn made it easier."

First round selections gain a three-year guaranteed contract on a sliding scale that starts at a minimum of $669,000 each season. Players taken in the second round have a minimum of $367,000, but only if a prospect makes a team's roster. Past history shows only a handful of first round picks see extensive playing time and few second round picks make squads.

Memphis head coach John Calipari said Perkins phoned him and told him he would stay in the draft instead of honoring his commitment to play at Memphis next season. "He's going to stay in the draft without a guarantee that he'd be in the first round. Amazing," Calipari said. "I'm not sure who is talking to these kids."

"It was a tough decision for an 18-year-old to go the NBA," John Outlaw, Travis' father, told the Starkville Daily News. "You have to look at a lot of things, but we're happy for Travis and proud of him."

2003 NBA Draft: (May 12-early deadline; June 19-last withdraw; June 26-Draft Day)
High School/Prep School entries (6)/JC entries (4): Prospects may withdraw if they do not sign with an agent.
*Top 100 forward LeBron James of Akron/St. Vincent-St. Mary, Ohio (has agent, uncommitted/projected top pick in draft).
*Top 100 center Kendrick Perkins of Beaumont-Ozen, Tex (signed with Memphis/probable second round).
*Top 100 forward Charlie Villanueva of Blairstown-Blair Academy, NJ (committed to Conn/withdrew from draft, was probable second round).
*Top 100 center James Lang of Birmingham-Central Park Christian, Ala (has agent, decommitted from Louisville/probable second round).
*Top 100 forward Ndudi Ebi of Houston-Westbury Christian, Tex (signed with Arizona/possible low first round, probable second round).
*Top 100 forward Travis Outlaw of Starkville, Miss (signed with Mississippi State/possible low first round, probable second round).
*JC guard Lamar Castile of Beaver County CC, Pa. (unlikely pick)
*JC forward Zac Fray of Santa Ana CC, Cal. (unlikely pick)
*JC forward Richard Jeter of Atlanta Metroplitan CC, Ga.(unlikely pick)
*JC center/forward Sani Ibrahim of Southern Idaho CC, Idaho. (unlikely pick)

2002 NBA Draft:
The NBA selected only one high school and a single junior college prospect: Center/forward Amare Stoudemire of Orlando-Cypress Creek, Fla., was taken 9th in the first round by Phoenix, while Portland took forward Qyntel Woods of Northeast Mississippi CC, Miss., at No. 21 in the first round. The NBA passed on three other high school/prep school prospects and seven JC players (List).

More News:

Class 2004 guard Joel Smith of Lompoc, Cal/Brewster Academy, NH., committed to Washington.

Central Michigan has signed two Class 2003 prospects in guard/forward Sefton Barrett of Brampton, Ontario-Chinguacousey Secondary/Champlain Regional College; and guard/forward Robert Sevalia of New Orleans-St. Augustine, La/Midland CC, Tex.

Class 2004 guard Willie Morse of State College, Pa., has decommitted from Penn State following the coaching change.

Class 2004 forward/center Matt Terwilliger, a Top 100 prospect from Troy, Ohio, has chosen the Ohio State Buckeyes over Cincinnati.

Florida State leads the 2003 Top Classes. Due to late signings and entries in the NBA Draft, final rankings will be determined in late June.

Class 2004:
Search the early list of Prospects/Commitments.
Early list of Top 100 Prospects/Commitments/Remaining Top 100 Prospects.
Early Top 100 Prospects by Position: Centers/Forwards/Guards.
More players projected to make an impact: Super Prospects.

Class 2003:
Over 1100 Class 2003 prospects have made commitments or signed scholarship papers. Signings and commitments by conferences. The early period ran Nov. 13-20 and the late period was Apr. 16-May 15. Although the period for signing letters-of-intent which binds both parties has ended, players may still sign letters-of-agreement, which binds the school and not the athlete.

Florida State leads the Late Signing Period 2003 Top Classes. Final rankings in late June.

Remaining committed/unsigned Top 100 Prospects (3): C-Jackie Butler (Miss State, not qualified); F-Marquis Kately (Cal, not qualified); F-Charlie Villanueva (UConn/withdrew NBA Draft).

*Search the list of Prospects/Commitments.
*Post-Summer list of Top 100 Prospects/Commitments/Remaining Top 100 Prospects.
*Top 100 Prospects by Position: Centers/Forwards/Guards.
*More players projected to make an impact: Super Prospects.
*Check out the Top Classes.
*Check out the Top 100 JC Prospects.
*Top 100 JC Prospects by Position: Centers/Forwards/Guards.
*Basketball Signing Periods: Early: Nov. 13-20; Regular: Apr. 16-May 15.

2003 McDonald's All-American Game
LeBron James scored 27 points in leading the East over the West, 122-107, in the 26th annual McDonald's All-American high school basketball game in Cleveland, Ohio. McDonald's All-American Game stories/Rosters for 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000.

2003 Parade All-America Boys Basketball Team
LeBron James heads roster.

Basketball Commitments/Signings:
OCSN: Main Recruiting Page.
Class 2004 Men: Database/Top 100.
Class 2003 Men: Database/Top 100/Top Classes.
Class 2002 Men: Database/Top 100/Top Classes/Women: Database.
Class 2001 Men: Database/Top 100/Top Classes/Women: Database.
Class 2000 Men: Database/Top 100/Top Classes/Women: Database.
Class 1999 Men: Database/Women: Database.
Class 1998 Men: Database/ Top Classes/Women: Database.
*McDonald's All-American Game stories/Rosters for 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000
*USA Men's Junior National Team.

Bill Hodge is the executive editor and director of recruiting coverage at CollegeSports.com. For daily columns on prospects, commitments and signings, plus databases, go to CollegeSports.com's Recruiting Page.