O'Bryant declares for draft

[EVSPanther]

Pat O'Bryant declared for the draft yesterday. Here is the article on it:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2...ory?id=2418964.

Obviously, this doesn't mean he won't be back next year, but saying he does, does this change anybody's MVC outlook for next year, and if so, how much?

[BCPanther]

Yes, It moves BU from top 3 to fighting for 6th with Drake, if he leaves.

[Matt Trump]

He didn't hire an agent so he has until 10 days before the draft to come back to Bradley. I'm guessing he's going to the NBA and this will have a big impact on the Valley.

[HebrewHammer]

good news for UNI, but bradley has another 7footer coming in if im not mistaken

best of luck to obryant in the NBA

[KaBullseye15]

i didnt think hed go yet, seems to need some work still. i thought the NBA scouts that were going to his games were probly getting in early looks at him and seeing how he improves over a year or two. i dotn really think hes NBA ready but im not an NBA scout or GM so who knows. i wouldnt take him but he could be a steal if hes not drafted and gets signed free agent style. NBA teams will have to work with him, hes far from polished, throws up a lot of bad shots and doesnt seem to have the best decision making skills on the court but i guess being 7 ft that doesnt really matter to the NBA.

[tcondon]

The NBA Draft is about looking forward to the future and projecting what many of these players can do in the future. Everybody knows that the NBA is always looking for centers, and O'Bryant is tall and skilled for a young big man.

I really think that he'll get a look in the first round and get picked. People have thought many players weren't ready for the next level over the years, but they made the jump anyway. Ricky Davis is one that comes to mind locally. He was a late first round pick, and has been a pretty good player over the years in the NBA. If Davis had stayed at Iowa for another 2 seasons, do you really think he would have been a first round selection? I don't. Youth and the ability to mold the player is big in the NBA.

[Panthers to the Bone]

ESPN has POB as the 14th best in this year's draft, with a lottery to mid 1st round projection. In front of him are at least 2 that have declared that they are coming back for one more year, and 1 that hasn't announced yet (and probably not coming out). That would put him at #11.

http://www.nbadraft.net has POB as the #10 pick going to Seattle.

This website: http://probasketball.about.com/od/nb...ckdraft061.htm has POB going #9 to the T'Wolves.

This website: http://www.draftexpress.com/mock.php?y=2006 has POB going #15 to the Hornets.

So, everything that I have seen shows POB going mid-1st round to lottery.

[pantherfan4ever]

heck, we can all say that he would benefit from staying another year or 2, but mid to late 1st round is gurenteed 3 year contract... I would take that and run too!

[SMK4UNI]

If O'Bryant doesn't leave this year, I think it would be the totally wrong move. If he waits until next who says that his team makes it to the Sweet 16 and gets the national exposure he got this past year. Plus this years class of centers is very weak with next years class probably includeing Ogden (however you spell the 7'1" man child going to Ohio St next year) plus having Noah from Florida. He has a lot of upside potential and GMs will see that, he would be smart to go even if he is not in the lottery.

[AmesPanther]

There is another reason as to why a lot of these guys should go this year. The NBA put into place the rule not allowing high school kids into the draft. This years draft will be missing the usual group of right out of high school kids. Next years draft looks to have a lot of good players eligable. I think quite a few kids can benefit by going this year.