DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Carl English held a press conference to declare his early entry into the NBA Draft. At left is associate coach Bob Nash.
English declares Hawaii basketball standout Carl English ended one round of speculation only to begin another yesterday.
for NBA draft
Hawaii's first underclassman
to enter the pool has until
June 19 to change his mindBy Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comThe junior declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft at a press conference at the UH basketball offices, but left the door open for a return to UH next season.
His announcement opened discussion on where he might be taken in the draft and whether he could remain a Rainbow Warrior for another season.
"You're going to hear a lot of things from a lot of different people, but people close to me project that I should be a late first-round pick," English said. "I do strongly believe I will be drafted whether it's late first or early second. I just feel confident I'll be drafted."
English is the first UH player to enter the NBA Draft pool as an underclassman. He is hoping to become the 13th player in school history and first since 1989 to be selected. The two-round draft is set for June 26 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
"You ask a guy to go to class, be accountable in the classroom and in the community, he's done that," UH associate coach Bob Nash said. "He's had a great basketball career here. If he wants to go and test the waters, we have to support that part of him."
UH head coach Riley Wallace is on his way to New Orleans to attend the Final Four and the National Association of Basketball Coaches convention.
"We are in full support of Carl whichever route he takes, whether it be pursuing his dreams in the NBA or returning for his senior season," Wallace said in a statement issued by the school.
English plans to work out for NBA general managers at the NBA's pre-draft camp set for June 3-7 in Chicago and has requested an evaluation from the NBA's Undergraduate Advisory Committee.
However, he said he will not hire an agent, giving him the option to return to UH for his senior season. The deadline to remove his name from consideration is June 19.
"If something happens and takes a crazy turn I want to have a backup plan," English said. "By signing an agent it just limits you to one option and I want to keep the doors open.
"It takes one team to like you, and you just need one person. I don't know what other people are thinking, but putting my name in there now is going to give me a good feel of things."
English was a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference pick this season after averaging 19.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
He climbed to sixth on the school's career scoring list with 1,259 points over three seasons and set a UH record with 89 3-pointers this season.
English redshirted following an injury his first year at UH and is scheduled to graduate next month with a degree in Liberal Studies. He was named a third-team Verizon Academic All-American last month.
"When I came here I planned on four years and I'm graduating in a month, so I feel like my time is up," he said.
"You're never ready to make the jump to the NBA; nobody is, no matter how refined your skills are. These guys are at a tremendous level and it takes time to reach there. But I feel right now my stock is high and I'm coming off a good season. I feel it's my time to go."
The next step for English will be to determine where he might be taken in the draft. The Undergraduate Advisory Committee is made up of NBA general managers, former players and others involved in player personnel. Their evaluations are sent to prospects in May.
"It's pretty much right on," UH associate coach Bob Nash said of the evaluations. "At the same time they don't want to tip their hands, but they'll give him a realistic picture of where he'll fit in the draft based on who's coming out."
English is hoping to join former Rainbows Anthony Carter of the Miami Heat and Predrag Savovic of the Denver Nuggets in the NBA. Both signed as free agents. The last UH player to be drafted was Reggie Cross in 1989.
English's decision won't have an immediate impact on the Rainbows' recruiting plans. UH associate coach Jackson Wheeler said the team has one scholarship to offer at the moment and won't offer English's scholarship if he decides to go through with the draft.
If English leaves, his scholarship could be carried over to the following year's allotment.
English's departure would force the Rainbows to replace their top scorer as well as point guard Mark Campbell.
The team does return its entire front line, led by forward Phil Martin and centers Haim Shimonovich and Nkeruwem Akpan. Shooting guard Michael Kuebler, the Rainbows' second leading scorer, is also slated to return.
"Carl moves on to the next level, their careers have to go on," Nash said. "They have to continue to buy into what we're saying as coaches and keep improving."
Said Akpan: "He's been a great friend ... and he's been a great help for me.
"It'll be a loss, but as a team, the next person coming up you have to embrace them and give them support."
English was close to departing UH early in his career after coming over from Newfoundland, Canada. An ankle injury forced him to redshirt his first year and he struggled early the following season.
However, he continued to work with the scout team and came on late in his freshman season to help the Rainbows win the WAC tournament championship.
He then developed into one of the school's most prolific scorers over the next two years in leading the Rainbows to a second WAC title in 2002 and a National Invitation Tournament appearance this year.
"I was struggling that (freshman) season and Coach Nash kept my head up," English said. "Honestly, without him I would not be here right now. I wouldn't be at the University of Hawaii, because I was gone. He gave me the confidence to stay and do what I had to do.
"I'm getting my degree. That's something I can cherish that I'll have forever. Even if I don't have the game, I have my degree. It's just been an overall amazing experience."
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