Draft Rumors: Jeffries, Gooden in this week

Jared Jeffries will make official today what we've known for a few weeks -- he'll declare for the NBA draft. While teams question whether he's physically able to withstand the rigors of the NBA, his ability, at 6-foot-10, to handle the ball and shoot the jumper make him a lock for the lottery. . .

The next player to declare for the draft will be KU's Drew Gooden. Gooden told the Lawrence World Journal that he'll make an announcement this week, and multiple league sources told Insider this past weekend at the PIT that Gooden will be in the draft.

While some scouts question whether Gooden has a position in the pros -- he's a bit of a tweener -- most feel he's got as much talent as anyone in the draft. An off-season weight program should allow him to bulk up enough to play in the post, where he is most comfortable.

Coach Roy Williams said that Gooden will be great in the NBA. "I don't think there's any doubt in my mind that he'll be successful in the NBA," Williams said. "He has too many skills and he's too hungry not to be successful. He may be able to do more things at a higher level than anybody I've ever coached --or at least closer to Paul Pierce. Those were the two guys who could do everything.". . .

Expect announcements from Dajuan Wagner and Kareem Rush to come shortly. Multiple league sources told Insider that both players have decided to put their names in the draft. Wagner remains a lock for the lottery and could go as high as the Top 5. Rush is a borderline lottery pick, but strong workouts could push his stock higher . . .

Maryland's Chris Wilcox continues to inch closer to putting his name in the draft. One league source claimed that, at the very least, Wilcox will test the draft waters but not hire an agent to keep his college eligibility. No one helped his stock in the NCAA Tournament more than Wilcox. A series of strong workouts could push him into the top 6 in the draft. . .

Washington forward Doug Wrenn announced that he will return to the Huskies for his junior season. "I'm definitely returning to Washington next season," Wrenn told the Seattle Times. "A lot of people have been telling me to consider going into the draft, but I really want to develop next year and help our team win games." . . .

Former Jazz player David Benoit now plays with the Shanghai Sharks. Here's his take on whether 7-foot-5 center Yao Ming would make it in the NBA.

"I'm amazed by him -- how agile he is, how he is able to move and run the floor," Benoit told the New York Post. "He's not like Shawn Bradley. He's the exact opposite. If anything, he's more like Shaq. He's not a 7-5 stiff. He can really move. He's got great feet. He's an agile guy, like Shaq. He shoots threes like [Arvydas] Sabonis."

PIT Wrap: Aaron McGhee is MVP

The Portsmouth Invitational ended Saturday along with the NBA dreams of many college seniors. While the Tournament had more talent than in years past, scouts and league executives identified only a handful of players who have a shot of getting drafted in the second round.

Only a few of the top players at the PIT will actually get an invite to the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago. Most of the top seniors who skipped the PIT will play in Chicago. So will many of the bubble underclassmen and foreign players, leaving anywhere from 10-15 slots for PIT players. In the next month, each team will send the NBA a list of the 60 players it would like to see at the camp. The NBA tabulates the results and players with the most votes get an invitation.

Still, several players had strong of enough showings to get an invite to the camp, which starts June 4th.

Topping the list was Oklahoma power forward Aaron McGhee, who took home PIT MVP honors. McGhee played in the championship game and put up a tournament-high 30 points and 15 rebounds. He ended the tournament averaging 22.3 ppg and 12.7 rpg. McGhee's toughness around the basket and aggressiveness on the defensive end will, at the very least, land him a spot at the Chicago Pre-Draft camp.

McGhee attempted to show that he could play with his face to the basket, but still lacks the shooting range to be a first-round prospect. Scouts also seriously question his height. McGhee is listed at 6-foot-8, but may be a lot closer to 6-foot-6. Teams feel he doesn't have the explosiveness to make up for that deficit.

Also turning a lot of heads was Maryland's Byron Mouton. Mouton averaged 22 ppg and 7.5 rpg during the tournament. Scouts considered Mouton a defensive specialist who plays with a lot of energy. However, they got to see Mouton's offensive game shine once he stepped out of the shadow of teammates Juan Dixon, Lonny Baxter and Chris Wilcox. Mouton showed a quick step to the basket and a strong mid-range jumper. If he can continue to shine in Chicago and in private workouts, he'll have a good shot of being drafted in the second round.

Another intriguing prospect was UCLA's Matt Barnes. Several GM's told Insider that he may have the best shot of any of the PIT players to sneak into the first round. Barnes, who is projected as a small forward in the NBA, went out and tried to show he could hit the outside jumper. While his play was a bit erratic toward the end of his first game, scouts came away impressed with his improved shooting range. He averaged 17 ppg and five rpg. He'll definitely get another look in Chicago.

Another kid who could make some noise is San Diego State's Randy Holcomb. Holcomb's athleticism and leaping ability should get him to Chicago. He averaged 14.3 ppg and nine rpg. He also provided us with the most memorable play of the tournament, a huge windmill jam off an offensive rebound.

The sleepers of the tournament were Southern Illinois' Rolan Roberts and Central Connecticut's Corsley Edwards. Roberts, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound small forward, averaged 19 ppg and 8.3 rpg. Edwards did an admirable job verus McGhee in the opener and ended the tournament with a stellar 21 point, 10 rebound performance on 9-13 shooting. While both players are too undersized at their positions to receive strong consideration in the NBA, Roberts and Edwards had European scouts buzzing.

Other players who have a shot at being invited to Chicago camp include Texas Tech's Andy Ellis, Iowa's Luke Recker and Reggie Evans, Miami's John Salmons, Oregon's Chris Christoffersen, USC's David Buthenthal, Ball State's Lonny Jones, Kent State's Trevor Huffman and Temple's Kevin Lyde.

Posted by Knixkik:

I'm glad Jeffries and Gooden declared now all we need to worry about is Wilcox. I'm confident he will come out and i think he would be a great pick if we got him. For second rounders Christofferson is a good player to look at because of his 7-2, 300lbs frame and Fatih Solak could be a player worth taking a chance on. He's 7-1, 270lbs and though very raw, could turn out to be a decent player.

I'm sure there will be an influx of HS'er and Foreign Imports to Draft come time... and then unexpected risers - all the ballers we think are going to go high now will drop.