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djsunyc
Posts: 44929
Alba Posts: 42
Joined: 1/16/2004
Member: #536
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Oden, Conley turning pro?
posted: Tuesday, March 27, 2007
More college underclassmen are disclosing whether they are in or out of the 2007 NBA draft. Here's what I'm hearing:
(Also, I've posted a running list of who's in and out, along with my take on who's leaning toward declaring, who's probably out and who's 50-50.)
MAYBE IN
Opinion has been running back and forth all year concerning the NBA futures of Ohio State center Greg Oden and point guard Mike Conley.
Maybe they will pass on millions to return to Ohio State. It seems to have worked out well for Florida's Joakim Noah and Al Horford.
Oden has been mum about his future NBA plans but has hinted that he loves school. Conley said last week that he's returning to Ohio State for his sophomore season, theoretically ending the debate about his future.
This has led to a lot of hand wringing among NBA execs that the NCAA's best center and best point guard prospect might sit out the 2007 NBA Draft.
Then again, I spoke with a number of sources over the week and most of them felt strongly (more strongly than at any time this year) that both Oden and Conley would enter the draft.
One prominent NBA player agent, who asked not to be identified because he was revealing confidential discussions, told Insider that he had enough contact with Conley's father, Mike Conley Sr., to be 99 percent sure both Oden and Conley Jr. were coming out.
Conley Sr. has said publicly that he is forming his own sports agency and would be representing his son (and by implication Oden) when he decides to come out. He has been interviewing some prominent NBA agents about partnering with them, mostly for help with marketing.
"I think Oden really wants to stay in school," the agent told Insider. "However, I think he's feeling a lot of pressure from family and friends that the opportunity to be the No. 1 pick is one he can't pass on. I think Conley Jr. wanted to make sure he was the top rated point guard in the draft before declaring. He didn't want to settle for a mid-to-late first-round pick. With his play in the tournament, I think he's there. Next year, with O.J. Mayo in the mix, he may not be."
One other agent essentially confirmed the first agent's story.
Currently ESPN.com has >Conley ranked as the ninth-best prospect in the draft and the top-rated point guard.
Most sources believe that if Ohio State wins a championship next week, Oden and Conley will be locks to declare. If both struggle in the Final Four, the window for a return might stay cracked open. But, as of today, many signs point to both declaring for the draft.
OUT
Another top-rated college prospect has decided that the NBA can wait. Kansas sophomore forward Julian Wright told reporters after Kansas' loss to UCLA on Saturday that he was "100 percent" returning to school for his junior season.
Wright's response is consistent with what he's been saying all year. He's on track to graduate after his junior season and wants to get his degree. Head coach Bill Self said he wants to sit down and talk with each player about the player's potential draft stock, but it seems like Wright has made up his mind.
Wright is currently ranked No. 5 in my Top 100. There isn't much room to go higher. However, Wright still has work to do on his game; if he can develop a consistent jump shot, he could be unstoppable at the next level.
Still, he's taking a risk. If he struggles to improve his consistency or his offensive prowess, scouts might quit talking about his upside and might start tearing apart his game.
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3/29/2007 12:42 PM
