Posted on: Thursday, April 9, 2009
All-Americans Blair, Harden declare for NBA draft
Advertiser News Services
DeJuan Blair guaranteed Pitt coach Jamie Dixon a year ago that he would play a full college career. One exceptional season changed all that.
Blair said yesterday he will declare for the NBA draft and has begun hiring representatives, ending any possibility that the All-America center could return for his junior season.
Blair, the only Pitt player in the last 50 years to make first-team All-America, is projected as a mid- to late first-round pick.
"There ain't no turning back," Blair said. "I don't think you should have gone into this situation unless you know you're a first-round pick or not. I'm guaranteed of (being) a first-round pick, and I'm going to work hard to get to where I want to be."
The 6-foot-7, 260-pound Blair averaged 15.7 points and 12.3 rebounds this season and was the Big East co-player of the year with UConn's Hasheem Thabeet.
In other draft-related developments:
All-America guard James Harden is leaving Arizona State for the NBA. The 6-foot-5 sophomore and Pac-10 player of the year will hire an agent. "I felt I'm ready for it as far as taking my game to the next level," said Harden, who led the Pac-10 in scoring at 20.1 points per game and was the first Arizona State player to be named a first-team AP All-American.
USC's basketball team is expected to have an entirely different look next season as forward DeMar Derozan, forward Taj Gibson and guard Daniel Hackett have decided to enter their names into the NBA draft, sources told the Los Angeles Times. Gibson and Hackett, both juniors, will hire agents, according to a source familiar with the Trojans program. DeRozan will not hire an agent, according to his father, Frank DeRozan, giving the high-flying, 6-foot-7 freshman the option to return to USC.
Wake Forest guard Jeff Teague, who averaged a team-best 18.8 points and dished out 110 assists this past season, declared for the NBA draft but did not hire an agent, leaving coach Dino Gaudio confident he'll return for his junior season.
Arizona forward Jordan Hill, who averaged 18.1 points and 11 rebounds this season, will forgo his senior year and make himself eligible for the NBA draft.
