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Thursday, June 7
Updated: June 8, 3:16 PM ET
Chicago isn't bottom line for this underclass
By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
CHICAGO – Many of the underclassmen sitting on the NBA draft fence came to this pre-draft camp with a stated goal of pulling a "Jamal Crawford." Translation: Play well enough in one or two games this week to secure not just a first-round spot, but a possible lottery selection, as the No. 8 pick Crawford did a year ago.
But, after one day at Chicago's Moody Bible Institute, it appears stats have no bearing on whether or not high-profile underclassmen will stay in the draft.
Arizona sophomore point guard Jason Gardner is about to pull the shocker of the draft by deciding against returning to school. Gardner told ESPN.com Wednesday that he's leaning toward staying in the draft, regardless of what happens here this week. The 5-10 Gardner, the only one of the four Arizona underclassmen who declared for the draft and didn't sign with an agent while also remaining in school, shot a woeful 1 for 9 (1 for 6 on 3s) Wednesday night.
|  | | While Kirk Haston has a couple weeks to prove he's a first-round pick, scouts say he should return to Indiana for his senior season. |
But Gardner may have already made up his mind, even though he runs the risk of not getting drafted in the second round. He has until June 20 to make a final decision, a week before the June 27 draft.
"You've got to go with what you feel and go with your heart as long as you have the support of your family and the coaching staff," Gardner said. "You've got to do what's best for you. I don't really think that going back is the answer. I don't."
If Gardner doesn't return, then the Wildcats will lose all five starters who lost to Duke in the national title game – senior center Loren Woods and three NBA draft early entrants in sophomore Gilbert Arenas and juniors Michael Wright and Richard Jefferson.
Gardner isn't the only underclassman who isn't sold on having to be in the first round to stay in the draft, even though being picked among the top 28 means guaranteed money versus trying to earn a contract out of the second round or as a free agent.
Houston freshman forward Alton Ford told ESPN.com he has no problem with being a high second-round draft pick. Ford, who showed he could board Wednesday with seven rebounds but struggled to score by going 2 for 6 inside, is leaning toward staying in the draft. But he said he wouldn't make up his mind for at least another two weeks.
"It doesn't hurt to go high second round, but the first round is everybody's dream," Ford said. "I'll probably wait until the last minute."
St. John's freshman point guard Omar Cook was expected to stay in the draft no matter how he performed in Chicago. And he made it essentially a lock when he said he would likely sign with an agent sometime in the next two weeks. Cook didn't shoot well Wednesday, going 2 for 8, but he controlled the tempo and is convinced that he's physically ready for the NBA, unlike Erick Barkley, the former St. John's guard who left the Red Storm after two seasons, was drafted by the Blazers last year in the first round but played sparingly this past season.
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A lot of people are skeptical about you, so you come out here and show what you're capable of doing. A lot of people go off thoughts and opinions, but you've got to come out and show it yourself. I love competition. ” |
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— Omar Cook |
Indiana's Kirk Haston wants to stay in the draft but might be forced to go back to school if the junior forward doesn't feel he's included in the first round. He's likely not at this point, but has a few weeks to still play himself into a late first-round spot. Haston shot the ball decent on Wednesday, going 6-for-13 for 12 points and six rebounds. But, lacking the strength to be an NBA power forward, the 6-10 Haston will have to play small forward in the NBA.
The consensus among NBA execs is Haston should return to Bloomington for his senior season.
"After this camp, I'll get feedback from the teams and league and get an assessment to see if I'm a solid first-round pick," Haston said. "If I'm a late first-round pick, I'm going to leave (Indiana).
"I looked at the situation last year and they were double-teaming me last year and I wonder how much better my numbers will get next year in the Big Ten because of the type of defense we go against," Haston added. "Next year, even more underclassmen could come out. There are going to be 6-10 and 7-foot high school guys coming out next year and going in the lottery so that doesn't matter."
USC's Sam Clancy said he has a personal cutoff point of the top 17, but has no problem going back to school. The Celtics like Clancy, but probably not at No. 10 or 11. Their next pick is at No. 21, probably too low for Clancy. He said he'll make up his mind in the next week.
Pepperdine's Brandon Armstrong, Clemson's Will Solomon, UC Irvine's Jerry Green, Kentucky's Keith Bogans and Auburn's Jamison Brewer are all candidates to return to school. So, too, is Austin Peay's Trenton Hassell, the best shooter in the camp.
Hassell, a former ineligible freshman, could return for a fourth season of eligibility after graduating this month. Two underclassmen that aren't in the pre-draft camp, but are in Chicago, are likely staying in the draft. Alabama freshman Gerald Wallace and Stanford sophomore Jason Collins were expected to hold a private workout Thursday for NBA scouts.
Last impressions can mean a first-round draft selection as Crawford found out last season. That's why USC senior Jeff Trepagnier didn't need to come to Chicago after raising his stock by playing well in Phoenix last month. But Maryland senior Terence Morris' decision not to attend Chicago was a bit perplexing, considering that he didn't wow the scouts at the Desert Classic.
Seniors like Ohio State's Ken Johnson, UCLA's Earl Watson, Detroit's Rashad Phillips and Kansas' Eric Chenowith are trying to lock up draft positions by playing either into the first round or higher in the second. They didn't shy away from the competition at the camp, like some of the underclassmen. Arenas, who could have skipped the camp, said he had nothing to hide.
"A lot of people are skeptical about you, so you come out here and show what you're capable of doing," Cook said. "A lot of people go off thoughts and opinions, but you've got to come out and show it yourself. I love competition. Guys like (Eddie) Griffin don't need to come here because they're projected lottery picks. If you're trying to move your stock up then you should come. Jamal is the prime example. He was going second round, came in here and went eighth."
Regardless of stats, most of the underclassmen plan on staying in the draft once they leave Chicago.
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
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