Virginia Tech junior guard Malcolm Delaney opted to submit his name into the NBA draft, but he has not hired an agent.
He hopes to get the feedback he needs from pro scouts and NBA teams before deciding
whether his NBA stock is high enough or if he should return to Blacksburg, Va. for a final season of college basketball. But with a new, shortened period to withdraw his name and return to school, the question now is, does he really have enough time to get that feedback?
UNC guard Wayne Ellington's reaction after to falling to No. 28 and the Minnesota Timberwolves in Thursday night's draft: "They'll be sorry,'' he told the Philadelphia Daily News, referring to the first 27 teams that didn't draft him.
The NBA is expected to release its list of invitees to Thursday’s draft later today. But one player who will definitely be in the so-called “green room” at Madison Square Garden in New York: UNC forward Tyler Hansbrough.
“He was planning to go up there either way, but when he got the call and invitation, he was pretty happy,’’ his father, Gene Hansbrough, said this morning.
Duke junior Gerald Henderson made it official this morning by announcing he will enter the June 25 NBA Draft.
The announcement was released by the school, which quoted Henderson as saying, “Playing in the NBA has been a goal of mine since a young age and I am thrilled to have the opportunity. My three years at Duke have been a tremendous learning experience and have helped me develop both as a person and as a player.”
Duke’s Gerald Henderson is the last of the ACC’s underclassmen to make his NBA plans public.
Henderson, a 6-foot-4 junior wingman, has until 11:59 p.m. Sunday to make it official, but he’s likely to wade into the pool with an announcement Saturday. The Blue Devils’ annual basketball banquet will be held tonight.
The pending question for Duke’s Gerald Henderson and North Carolina’s Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington isn’t so much “if.” It’s “when” will the three juniors will declare for the NBA Draft.
They have until Sunday at 11:59 p.m. to declare. If they do, only Henderson would be able to play another season of college ball. The two Tar Heels used their free pro inspection shot last spring. Underclassmen don’t get a second chance.
Henderson could declare and return for ‘09-’10 under the stipulation that he doesn’t hire an agent and removes his name from consideration by 5 p.m. June 15.
What would change if they all leave?
The ACC Player of the Year won't be announced until roughly 1 p.m. today, but North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson earned another plaudit this morning: District Player of the Year, by the United States Basketball Writers' Association.
Teammate Tyler Hansbrough and Duke's Gerald Henderson, who are also in contention for the ACC's award (which is voted on by a different group of media), also made the 10-player team.
The National Association of Basketball Coaches has selected its all-District 2 (ACC) team and the first team does not include Duke's Gerald Henderson.
Named to the first team were Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson (North Carolina), Jeff Teague (Wake Forest), Toney Douglas (Florida State) and Jack McClinton (Miami).
HBO takes a stab at corralling the Duke-North Carolina men's basketball rivalry in a documentary called, "Battle for Tobacco Road: Duke vs. North Carolina." The hour-long show on the greatest rivalry in college sports premieres tonight at 9 p.m.
First, a key statistic from the program: Duke 57, UNC 53.
See highlights from Duke's Gerald Henderson's career high 35-point game against Wake Forest at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Staff video by Jason Arthurs
