Blankson to test NBA’s draft waters

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, May 4, 2004 | 9:18 a.m.

Odartey Blankson was heading home to Chicago after final exams next week anyway. So why not give the NBA a shot while he's there?

A first team all-Mountain West Conference forward who had 19 double-doubles and led the MWC in rebounding with a 10.2 average, Blankson on Monday declared himself eligible for the 2004 NBA draft June 24 in New York.

But Blankson said he has not hired an agent and is keeping open the possibility of returning to UNLV for his senior season if he isn't convinced he'd be a first-round pick.

"The main goal is to get experience and hopefully get an invitation to the NBA pre-draft camp in Chicago," Blankson said. "And I think I have a pretty good shot at that. About 75 percent of the projected first-round picks won't be there and neither will the high school players coming out. So I'm hoping they'll invite me there and I can show them what I can do.

"I'm going to be back home there anyway. I've played some camp and high school games at Moody Bible College (where the pre-draft camp is held). ... I figured this would be a good place for me to test the waters."

The pre-draft camp is scheduled for June 1-4 in Chicago. Blankson said he is hopeful of receiving an invitation in the next week or two.

New UNLV coach Lon Kruger said he was not surprised by Blankson's decision to gauge his NBA chances.

"We've been talking about it since Day 1 when I got here," Kruger said. "He's got an interest to see just where he stands and test the waters. He's gone about this the right way and kept all his options open by not hiring an agent and continuing to attend class."

Kruger said he expects Blankson to return to UNLV if he isn't assured of being a first-round pick. Blankson must decide by June 17 whether to stay eligible for the draft or return to college.

"As Odartey knows, the likelihood of being a first-round pick is small for anyone," Kruger said.

Blankson has yet to contact the NBA Advisory Committee to get an evaluation of where he might be drafted. That is normally the first step for most college underclassmen who want to receive an honest evaluation from NBA general managers about their potential.

A longtime NBA scout contacted by the Sun said that Blankson was wise to have left his UNLV option intact.

"He's not even draftable right now," the scout said. "He's a 6-foot-6 1/2 power forward. ... I'd say the chances of him even getting drafted are a long shot."

UNLV printed Blankson's height at 6-7 in its media guide last fall but listed him at 6-9 in its press release on Monday.

"At his size, he'll have to be a three (small forward) or a two (shooting guard) at the next level," said Kruger, a former NBA head coach with the Atlanta Hawks. "If he returns here he'll play the three for us. He's a three-man."

Blankson averaged a team-high 17.6 points last season playing mainly inside as a post player. He shot a mediocre 36.4 percent (28 of 77) from 3-point range but seemed to improve in that area as the season wore on.

"One of the reasons I want to go to that camp is so that I can show the scouts what I can really do," Blankson said. "I played (on the perimeter) most of my life. But I thought I spent too much time in the paint here last season. I know I can play outside because that's where I've played most of my career."

Blankson made it clear his decision to test his NBA value has nothing to do with the coaching switch to Kruger in March.

"I think Coach Kruger is great," Blankson said. "He's taken the time to talk with us each individually and get to know us. He's been real supportive of my wishes. I think he'll be a great coach to play for if I come back."

Bottom line: Blankson really has nothing to lose by throwing his name in the ring right now.

"The main goal is to try and surprise the scouts and get into the first round," Blankson said. "I know that I'm not considered a first-round pick right now but I'd like to get a chance to try and change that."