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| Saturday, March 30 Memphis' Wagner still mulling whether to turn pro ESPN.com news services |
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Reacting to a published report, Dajuan Wagner's father said on Saturday that the Memphis star has not yet decided whether to turn pro. The Philadelphia Inquirer, citing sources to the situation, reported that 19-year-old freshman Dajuan Wagner has decided to make himself available for the June 26 NBA Draft. However, Milt Wagner, who is also the director of basketball operations at Memphis, said that report is premature. "It's not true at all, we've not made a decision," Milt Wagner told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Saturday. "We weren't even going to talk about it until after the NIT and the Final Four. It all depends on when he goes, and where he goes in the draft. We still need to wait and see who else declares to determine that." The deadline for applying for the NBA draft is May 12 -- with the lottery drawing seven days later. However, once a player applies, he can still change his mind until June 19 as long he does not hire an agent. So even if Wagner announces his intention to go pro, he could still change his mind. "We're not sure if he's in the top 10 yet, and if he is, then we have to consider it," Milt Wagner said. "But there's no decision yet, and there may not be one until May, and he's going back to class." In one season at Memphis, Wagner averaged 21.2 points and 3.6 assists. The 6-foot-3 guard led Memphis to the NIT title on Thursday, and was the tournament MVP. "Oh yeah, he'll be a lottery pick," Memphis coach John Calipari said after the NIT final. "If he decides to leave, I'm going to be happy for him. But if he does decide to come back, I'm going to be happy for us at Memphis... We're going to try and win that other championship." It's almost unanimous that if Wagner does turn pro, he will in fact be a lottery pick. "The moment Wagner decides he's coming out, the first team you'll hear about that desperately wants him is the New York Knicks," one Eastern Conference scout told the Inquirer. "They love his game, his ability and excitement. They believe he's a star attraction. The New Jersey Nets like him a lot, too. And the Cleveland Cavs would take him ahead of Williams right now because they believe he's a better foul shooter and natural two-guard." "Dajuan's got the package," a Western Conference scout told the newspaper. "He's Allen Iverson with a body and strength, a scoring machine. There are still some questions about his defensive skills, along with how much he's actually learned in just one year in college under Calipari. But he is 19 years old. At least he had one year of college ball experience. Every player can't say that." |
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