Morrison’s stock on the rise
As expected, Gonzaga University has scheduled a press conference this afternoon, presumably to announce that junior Adam Morrison, a consensus All-American and the nation’s top Division I scorer, will leave school early to declare for this summer’s NBA draft.
Sources close to Morrison confirmed on Monday that such a decision was reached by him and his family over the weekend, setting off increased speculation about where the 6-foot-8 junior, who averaged 28.1 points per game last winter, will land in the 2006 draft, which will be conducted on June 28 in New York’s Madison Square Garden.
If any of the leading Internet sites that deal in such speculation are remotely close with their mock draft predictions, the 21-year-old Morrison stands to become a rich young man later this summer.
In nearly every instance, Morrison is predicted to be among the first three players selected in this year’s draft.
In its 2006 NBA mock draft, InsideHoops.com has the former Mead High School standout going to the Charlotte Bobcats as the No. 2 pick behind Florida’s Joakim Noah.
According to InsideHoops.com, its mock draft is based on the consensus opinion of several unnamed scouts, but that hardly qualifies it as scientific – especially considering Joakim has gone on record as saying he will return to Florida next year to help the Gators defend their 2006 NCAA title.
In addition, the selection order of this year’s draft will not be officially determined until after the NBA draft lottery on May 23.
Still, the mock draft Web sites offer some interesting scenarios.
At HoopsHype.com, for instance, draft expert Jonathan Givony is predicting Morrison will be selected by the Chicago Bulls as the No. 3 pick and – according to the standard salary of the player selected in that same spot last year – should make close to $3 million a year as part of a guaranteed three-year contract that is offered to all first-round draft choices.
Givony has Morrison going behind Texas sophomore LaMarcus Aldridge and Louisiana State freshman Tyrus Thomas.
Of Morrison, he writes: “The top scorer in the NCAA, Morrison can put the ball in the net from anywhere on the floor. Gets his shot off effortlessly thanks to his footwork, ballhanding skills and high release point on his shot.
“Passes, rebounds and leads his team. Tremendous passion. More athletic than he initially seems, but probably only average at the NBA level. Diabetic condition might be a cause for concern.”
NBADraft.net predicts Charlotte will take Morrison with the third pick of the draft, behind Thomas and Aldridge, while CollegeHoops.net, without specifying a team, said Morrison will be a No. 4 pick behind Connecticut’s Rudy Gay, Thomas and Italy’s Andrea Bargnani.
Probasketball.about.com has Morrison going to the Portland Trail Blazers as the No. 3 draft pick behind Thomas and Gay.
CollegeHoops.net is also predicting that GU’s J.P. Batista, a senior center who averaged 19.3 points and a team-best 9.4 rebounds last winter, will be selected in the second round as the 54th overall pick.
NBADraft.net expects Batista to go to the Detroit Pistons as the 60th overall selection and final pick of the second round.