Saturday, May 08, 1999
UK's Magloire enters NBA draft
But weep not for Kentucky, Smith says
BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Chicken Littles were in full cluck, forecasting Kentucky's fall. With Jamaal Magloire declaring Friday for the NBA draft, the end would be near.
Tubby Smith tried to stay patient, then finally succumbed to sarcasm.
“Yep, the program is burned to the ground,” Kentucky's coach said. “No one left is any good. Tayshaun (Prince) can't play, Jules (Camara) can't play, Desmond (Allison) can't play, our All-American recruits can't play. I guess we'll just quit.”
Touche.
While the surprising slew of recent defections should sting next season — nearly the whole lineup will be teen-agers — the Wildcats still will be stocked for the long haul.
“This program is going to survive and prosper,” Smith said. “It always has, and it always will.”
Smith called a news conference Friday to announce Magloire's decision to declare for the draft, though his exit isn't certain. Smith said the junior center would leave open the option of returning to UK.
Magloire has until June 23 to withdraw his name. Smith said Magloire planned to attend the NBA pre-draft camp next month, then try to gauge his draft position.
“If he's not comfortable that he'll be a high draft pick, I think you'll see him return,” Smith said.
Magloire has finished exams and returned to his home in Toronto. Smith flew to Canada on Thursday to talk to Magloire and his family.
“It's disappointing, but you've got to live with it and move on,” Smith said. “For
the team, obviously, it's best if he stays. But he's anxious to get to the next level, like all players are.”
Magloire, who averaged 7.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks this season, had talked when he first arrived at UK of going to the NBA after as little as one season.
Because his progress was slow, he didn't consider it seriously until this winter.
He is the sixth Wildcat in the last seven years to declare for the draft as an underclassman, following Jamal Mashburn (1993), Rodrick Rhodes ('95), Antoine Walker ('96), Ron Mercer ('97) and Nazr Mohammed ('98). Rhodes later withdrew his name from the draft and transferred to Southern California.
Magloire's apparent departure follows last week's outgoing transfers by sophomores Michael Bradley and Ryan Hogan. Smith said Friday he understood Hogan's desire for playing time but that Bradley's exit was the biggest surprise of his coaching career.
“I was shocked, because I didn't see any reason for it,” Smith said.
Bradley started all 37 games this season, averaging 9.8 points and 4.9 rebounds after barely playing as a freshman.
“You always look at yourself as a coach first,” Smith said. “You think, "Did I do something wrong?' ... I loved the kid. I treat them all pretty much like they're a son.”
Magloire is the last of Rick Pitino's recruits, so this is Tubby's team now. And a young one.
Of the 14 players on this year's opening day roster, only seven are expected back next year — one of them walk-on Steve Masiello. UK will lose 72.7 percent of its scoring, with Prince the top returnee at 5.8 points a game.
The only senior would be Masiello, and the only two juniors are Smith's son, Saul, and junior-college transfer Nate Knight.
“We'll be young,” Smith said. “We were going to be young anyway, so now we're just going to be younger.”
UK also will lack a true center. Bradley and Magloire are both 6-foot-10, and UK lost another big man when 7-foot signee John Stewart died of a heart attack in March. The status next season of another signee, 6-9 Marquis Estill, is uncertain after double knee surgery in March.
Marvin Stone, a 6-10 McDonald's All-American, will join the 6-11 Camara inside next season, but both are power forwards.
The savior could be Keith Bogans, a 6-5 McDonald's All-American. He's already figured to start at shooting guard but can switch to point guard when Saul Smith needs rest. The strength is at small forward, where Allison and Prince are most natural, and both can shift to shooting guard.
Smith has either two or three scholarships open, depending on Magloire, and said he may fill two of them.
“I feel good about the guys returning, and the players we've recruited may be our best ever,” Smith said. “I'm excited about next year.”
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