Underclassmen Declare For 2008 NBA Draft

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

si.com

Caracter still turning pro


LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Rick Pitino tried for two years to tell talented but enigmatic forward Derrick Caracter that he probably needed more seasoning at Louisville before testing the professional ranks.
Caracter, however, thought otherwise and announced he was heading to the NBA after Louisville's season ended with a loss to North Carolina in the NCAA tournament.
Since then Caracter, who averaged 8.3 points and 4.5 rebounds for the Cardinals last season, has softened his stance. Pitino hasn't and hopes NBA scouts and general managers can succeed at getting through to Caracter that his game might not be NBA-ready.
"I think he's been looking in the mirror and conning himself for a long, long time," Pitino said. "Now he's got to go and find out what the real world is like."

Continued....

 

[Kickdown02]

Tar Heels - ESPN - Hansbrough returning to UNC; Ellington, Lawson enter draft - NBA

 

[LitlBuck]

Smart move by Hansbrough plus I think he just loves the college game. I think his draft stock will go up with one more year of college. I think Lawson should stay for another year and improve his jump shot. Ellington is probably ready for the next level but needs to be more consistent with his jump shut. It will be interesting to see where he is projected.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

I wish we could get some of our guys to stay four years...:(

 

[crazybuckfan40]

I wish we could get some of our guys to stay four years...:(

Undersized PF are a position of need in the NBA...

But I agree, it would be nice, but it isn't like he is staying just because, but he is not a first round draft pick at this point...Lawson would probably be highest and at this point he is looking at picks 17-30 IMO...

 

[LitlBuck]

NOt yet..Collison is still wavering and don't think Shipp is going to leave...His stock is way down...2nd rounder for sure...

On ESPN's bottom line last night it said that Collison has decided to return to UCLA next year.

 

[MD Buckeye]

ESPN - Early entrants leave teams playing the waiting game - Men's College Basketball

Early entrants leave teams playing the waiting game

Don't sweat it, college hoops fans. Even if every one of the early entrants who filed their paperwork for the NBA draft by Sunday's deadline stays in the draft, next season's potential first team All-Americans are safe.

Forget about the June 16 deadline to withdraw from the NBA draft. The announcements that the following five players are all returning mean that the All-American first team can be penciled in now: forward Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina), the consensus winner of the national player of the year, forward [URL="http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/recruiting/tracker/player?recruitId=43943"]Blake Griffin[/URL] (Oklahoma), and guards Darren Collison (UCLA), [URL="http://insider.espn.go.com/ncb/recruiting/tracker/player?recruitId=42887"]James Harden[/URL] (Arizona State) and Stephen Curry (Davidson) .

A potential second team isn't too shabby, either; Louisville's Earl Clark, Pitt's Sam Young, Tennessee's Tyler Smith, Connecticut's Hasheem Thabeet and Boston College's Tyrese Rice also declined to test the draft.

Contd...

Ohio State
Testing: Kosta Koufos
Result: Koufos could easily opt to play in Greece for large sums of money if he doesn't get the vibe that he's going high enough in the NBA draft. Watch how this one develops, because it won't be as easy as the other choices. Meanwhile, the Buckeyes have a chance to be a Big Ten contender with Koufos back since he would join yet another stellar incoming 7-footer in B.J. Mullens. The backcourt will still be solid, albeit inexperienced, with newcomers William Buford, Walter Offutt and Anthony Crater joining David Lighty, Evan Turner and Jon Diebler. Not having senior point guard Jamar Butler will be hard to overcome. But coach Thad Matta hasn't had trouble adjusting to personnel changes during his time in Columbus.

 

[MD Buckeye]

don't think Shipp is going to leave...His stock is way down...2nd rounder for sure...

ESPN - Shipp decides not to hire agent after declaring for NBA draft - NBA

Shipp decides not to hire agent after declaring for NBA draft

LOS ANGELES -- UCLA's Josh Shipp will enter the NBA draft, but the junior won't hire an agent, leaving him the option of returning to play for the Bruins.

Shipp averaged 12.2 points and 3.2 rebounds during UCLA's run to its third consecutive Final Four. The Bruins lost to Memphis in the national semifinals.

"After speaking with my family and with coach [Ben] Howland, I think I should test the NBA waters to get some feedback," Shipp said in a statement Sunday. "I feel like it really can't hurt me at this time. I want to go through the process this year, which will serve as a positive experience for me in my future development."

Contd...

 

[MD Buckeye]

On ESPN's bottom line last night it said that Collison has decided to return to UCLA next year.

ESPN - UCLA's Collison announces return for senior season - Men's College Basketball

UCLA's Collison announces return for senior season

UCLA guard Darren Collison announced Saturday that he will return to the Bruins for his senior season instead of joining the flood of teammates who have declared for the NBA draft.

"I want to give myself the best possible chance to compete at the highest level," Collison told reporters in a conference call Saturday. "I have unfinished business here at UCLA, both in terms of my physical development and the completion of my education."

Contd...

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

MSNBC - Breaking News, Weather, Business, Health, Entertainment, Sports, Politics, Travel, Science, Technology, Local, US & World News - msnbc.com Front Page

Who's in, out of NBA draft ? and who erred

UNC's Lawson should wise up like UCLA's Collison and return to school

As sporting holidays go, declaration day for the NBA draft is celebrated about as enthusiastically as the April 15 deadline to file income tax returns.
This year's hoops deadline came on a Sunday, which meant we got an extension on doing some final accounting:
Smart money
Obviously it was a good time for Kansas State's Michael Beasley and Memphis' Derrick Rose to turn pro, but the player who had the best timing was Kansas guard Mario Chalmers.

Continued....

 

[MD Buckeye]

IUPUI Jaguars, NCAA Division I Mens Basketball - CBSSports.com

IUPUI guard Hill declares for NBA Draft

INDIANAPOLIS -- IUPUI guard George Hill, who averaged 21.4 points, declared for the NBA Draft.

Hill will not hire an agent, so he has until June 16 to withdraw his name from consideration and return for his senior year. The draft is June 26.

The 6-foot-2 Hill averaged 6.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists and was selected Summit League Player of the Year. He helped the Jaguars to a school-best 26-7 record.

 

[LitlBuck]

Why don't they just throw it wide open in the NBA teams can have their draft and whoever is left over can come back to school or go to Europe or what ever

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

something i should probably know.....at what point can kids who didn't sign an agent come back to school? if they go all the way through the draft and don't get picked, can they come back? what if they get picked, but they don't like where they got picked?

 

[MaxBuck]

Why don't they just throw it wide open in the NBA teams can have their draft and whoever is left over can come back to school or go to Europe or what ever

C'mon. LitlBuck. That plan makes too much sense and benefits the student-athletes too much to ever be approved by the NCAA.

 

[MD Buckeye]

something i should probably know.....at what point can kids who didn't sign an agent come back to school? if they go all the way through the draft and don't get picked, can they come back? what if they get picked, but they don't like where they got picked?

Not sure of the date that they can return, but if they go undrafted then they aren't allowed to return to their college team. I believe they can still attend classes, but aren't allowed to participate in basketball. If they don't like where they got picked, then too bad lol