Wright to enter draft

[mardigan]

UNC freshman Brandan Wright will enter NBA Draft
Posted: Monday April 23, 2007 4:23PM; Updated: Monday April 23, 2007 4:27PM


CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- North Carolina freshman Brandan Wright said Monday he plans to enter his name in this summer's NBA draft.

During a news conference with coach Roy Williams, the 6-foot-9 forward said he doesn't plan to sign with an agent just yet -- a move that would keep open the possibility he could return to school next year. But Williams said Wright was almost certain to remain in the draft.

Wright is expected by many to be a high first-round pick thanks to his long, lean frame and soft shooting touch around the basket. He ranked second on the team at 14.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, joining All-American Tyler Hansbrough to give North Carolina a dominating tandem on the front line.

He also shot 64.6 percent, leading the Atlantic Coast Conference while setting the league's freshman record. He ended up as the ACC rookie of the year -- marking the third straight season a Tar Heel had won the award -- and was named most valuable player of the league tournament for helping the Tar Heels win their first title in nine years.

Earlier this month, Hansbrough said he would return for his junior season instead of going to the NBA, while rookies Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington also said they would return to the Tar Heels for their sophomore seasons.

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[dallaskd]

wow.

[ducks]

North Carolina's Wright heading for NBA draft

April 23, 2007

AP - Apr 23, 4:40 pm EDT
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- Brandan Wright enjoyed playing for Roy Williams and knew North Carolina could contend for a national championship next season. He just couldn't pass on the chance to take care of his family by entering the NBA draft.

"I was definitely torn in my decision," the freshman said Monday during a news conference. "There are so many positives and negatives in me entering the draft. But I feel like the positives outweigh the negatives."

The 6-foot-9 forward's decision didn't come as a big surprise considering he is projected to be a high pick. And while Wright said he doesn't intend to sign with an agent yet -- a move that would keep open the possibility of a return to school next year -- Williams said the 19-year-old was almost certain to remain in the draft.

"I think the decision is 99.99 (percent) that this is what he's going to do," Williams said. "It's not that he's trying to get more research or anything like that."

Wright joined All-American Tyler Hansbrough on a dominating front line for the Tar Heels (31-7), who lost to Georgetown in the NCAA tournament's round of eight. With his long, lean frame and soft touch around the basket, Wright ranked second on the team at 14.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

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He also shot 64.6 percent, leading the Atlantic Coast Conference while setting the league's freshman record. He was the ACC rookie of the year -- the third straight season a Tar Heel won the award -- and was honored as most valuable player of the league tournament for helping North Carolina win its first title in nine years.

Williams said his research determined that Wright was a sure top-10 pick who could reach as high as third. But considering he weighs just 205 pounds, Wright knows he'll have to bulk up to get ready for the NBA.

"Personally I feel like I can come to a team and do a lot of good things," he said. "I'm going to work like crazy this summer to get ready for the rigors of a long 82-game season. I feel like I'll be ready next year. It should be fun."

Wright becomes the 15th player to leave the program early for the NBA draft, joining notable names like James Worthy, Michael Jordan, Jerry Stackhouse and Vince Carter. But unlike two years ago -- when the Tar Heels lost four underclassmen after winning the national championship -- North Carolina is losing just one.

Hansbrough, the team's scoring and rebounding leader, announced earlier this month that he'd return for his junior season. In addition, point guard Ty Lawson and wing guard Wayne Ellington said they'd return for their sophomore seasons, meaning the Tar Heels will have six of their top eight scorers back next season.

The biggest uncertainty could be how well rising sophomores Deon Thompson (6-8, 245 pounds) and Alex Stepheson (6-9, 225) fill the void from Wright's departure.

"There's definitely a little bit of pressure because he provided so much for the team," Stepheson said. "It's on the big guys to step into that role and do what he did."