BY The Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky center Nazr Mohammed plans to forgo his senior season and announce next week that he will enter the NBA draft.
"We talked along those lines," coach Tubby Smith said Friday. "I don't know if it's hard and fast. That's what he's thinking. But it's subject to change."
The coach of the NCAA champion Wildcats contacted the NBA office and league general managers to get a firm idea of when Mohammed might be drafted. Marty Blake, the NBA's director of scouting, spoke with Smith about the 6-foot-10 Mohammed.
"I told Tubby the guy's not ready to play," Blake said. "He's not good enough. If he goes back, it would help him educationally, emotionally, physically, artistically and most importantly, financially."
However, if Mohammed were drafted as low as 29th, he would be guaranteed an aggregate $1,847,800 for the next three seasons. Jim Mitchell, a Lexington-based scout for the Los Angeles Clippers, estimated earlier this spring that Mohammed would be among the top 20 choices in the draft.
Mohammed saw the NBA's millionaire player lifestyle this week when he visited former Wildcat teammate Antoine Walker in Boston. Underclassmen have until midnight May 10 to enter the draft pool. As of Friday, Mohammed had not notified the NBA of his decision to enter.
He would have until 48 hours before the June 24 draft to remove his name from consideration.
"We just want to make sure," Smith said. "We're trying to do our part to make sure it's the right decision."
Mohammed was Kentucky's second-leading scorer this season and led the Wildcats in rebounding (7.2 per game) and blocked 75 shots. His 59.7-percent shooting accuracy was the fourth-highest by a Kentucky player in a season.
Smith acknowledged the impact Mohammed's departure would have on the team.
Mohammed became a starter for the Wildcats 12 games -- and two losses -- into the season. He replaced Jamaal Magloire and went on to make All-Southeastern Conference.
Magloire and Michael Bradley return next season for Smith. "We're in a fortunate position," Smith said. "We have two quality people in that spot."
