Green, Hawes top list of players remaining in draft

The Associated Press

Published Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Jeff Green is headed to the NBA rather than trying to take Georgetown to another Final Four.

Green is staying in the draft, instead of returning to school for his senior season. His decision came yesterday, the deadline for early entrants who hadn’t hired an agent to withdraw and retain their NCAA eligibility.

Washington center Spencer Hawes, like Green expected to be taken in the top half of the first round, also is staying in the draft. But a pair of all-conference guards - All-ACC pick Sean Singletary of Virginia and Nevada’s Marcelus Kemp, an all-WAC selection - are going back to school.

Green was the Big East player of the year last season after averaging 14.3 points. Georgetown center Roy Hibbert also had declared for the draft but previously announced his decision to return to school.

With both players back, the Hoyas would have been considered a favorite for a second straight Final Four trip. They lost to Ohio State in their first national semifinals appearance in 22 years.

Hawes averaged nearly 15 points while batting injuries and illness in his lone college season. But the 7-footer may have shown enough potential to be a lottery pick.

"Spencer has a great opportunity in front of him and we wish him the best," Washington Coach Lorenzo Romar said.

Fellow Pac-10 center DeVon Hardin withdrew his name and will return to California, where he played in only 11 games this past season before a stress fracture in his left foot ended his season.

Among Big 12 players who had declared, Oklahoma State’s JamesOn Curry announced that he would remain in the draft. Baylor guard Aaron Bruce, meanwhile, withdrew his name and will return to the Bears for his senior season.

Curry, who averaged 17.3 points and shot 41 percent from 3-point range last season, could still return to Oklahoma State if he does not sign with an agent and he is not taken in the June 28 draft.

Bruce, a 6-foot-3 Australian, has averaged 14.3 points, 3.5 assists and 40 percent shooting on 3-pointers in three seasons with the Bears. He has started 74 games.

"I’ve ventured through this process, and now I have a chance to return to Baylor and turn things around and go to the NCAA Tournament," Bruce said in a statement released by the school yesterday. "That’s been my dream all along."

Underclassmen had to declare for the draft by 10:59 p.m. CDT April 29. They could attend workouts and pull out without penalties as long as they hadn’t hired an agent.

Singletary took advantage of the opportunity, attending a predraft camp and working out for several NBA teams. He averaged 19 points for the Cavaliers last season but apparently realized he needed to improve more at the college level.

"The process I went through the last two months was extremely valuable and provided me with a significant amount of information," he said in a statement released by the school. "Ultimately, I determined it was best for me to return to Virginia."

Kemp averaged 18.5 points for the Wolf Pack, helping them to a fourth straight regular-season conference title.

"Marcelus has used the NBA early entry process exactly as I feel one should," Nevada Coach Mark Fox said. "He has learned how he can get better in the eyes of the NBA and he will.

"He is excited about the things he can still accomplish at Nevada, and we are looking forward to helping him."

The NBA hopes to release final list of draft eligible players today. The draft is June 28.

Georgia Tech forward Thaddeus Young will be in it, joining point guard Javaris Crittenton in leaving the Yellow Jackets after one season. George Washington’s Maureece Rice and Illinois’ Shaun Pruitt are returning to school.