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Wednesday, May 2, 2001
IU teammate says Haston talked to Knight
ESPN.com news services
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Indiana center Kirk Haston decided to pass up his senior season and enter the NBA draft after talking with former coach Bob Knight, according to a Hoosiers teammate.
"Coach Knight basically said Kirk had to take his opportunity when he gets it," teammate Jarrad Odle told the South Bend (Ind.) Tribune.
Odle said that Knight, hired by Texas Tech this spring after being fired by Indiana in September, had been one of Haston's "main mediators."
"Coach Knight basically said Kirk had to take his opportunity when he gets it," Odle said. "Coach is the type of guy who will want to do what's best for a kid. If the best thing for a kid is to go to the NBA, he would advise him of that, and that's what he did."
Haston, 6-foot-10 and 230 pounds, said he has chosen not to hire an agent. As a result, if he changes his mind, he could still play at Indiana next season.
" ... Hopefully (when a player) calls another college coach, they say, 'Well, I can't advise you on anything' because ... that's not their player," Indiana coach Mike Davis told the newspaper. "I understand why Kirk called coach Knight. He played three years with coach Knight. I'm sure Kirk called everyone who he's been in contact with him in basketball."
The third-team All-American averaged 19.0 points and 8.7 rebounds, both team highs, last season.
"I feel that now is the best opportunity for me to fulfill my lifelong dream of playing in the NBA," Haston said Monday. "I will always support the IU basketball program, and I look forward to continued support from the Indiana basketball fans in my future endeavors."
Attempts by the Tribune to reach Knight in Lubbock, Texas, where he is now the head coach at Texas Tech, were unsuccessful Monday evening.
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