Stuckey won’t return to Eagles

Rodney Stuckey, the most celebrated basketball player in Eastern Washington history, will not return for his junior season.

The Spokesman-Review has confirmed that Stuckey, who declared for the NBA draft last month, has signed with Goodwin Sports Management of Seattle.

“It’s true,” said Mary Ford, a spokesman for the agency.

Once an underclassman hires an agent, or even makes an oral commitment, he forfeits his eligibility.

He had until June 18 to withdraw from the draft if he did not have an agent.

Stuckey, a 6-foot-5 guard from Kent, Wash., is the fourth all-time leading scorer in school history after two seasons. He could not be reached for comment.

Ford said Stuckey was working out on campus. She said Stuckey would not be participating in the NBA predraft camp in Orlando, Fla., which runs Tuesday through June 4, but the agency was in the process of setting up workouts for individual teams beginning June 5.

Various Internet sites have projected Stuckey going from the middle of the first round in the June 28 draft to early in the second round.

Stuckey was the Big Sky Conference Most Valuable Player as a freshman when he scored a school-record 726 points in 30 games, for a record 24.2 average. That included a school-record 45 in his first conference game.

He was a first-team pick last season when he averaged 24.4 points in 29 games.

His 1,438 points leave him 303 short of matching the school record.

The Eagles were 30-29 in his two seasons.

Although he was an academic non-qualifier coming out of high school, which forced him to sit out one season, Stuckey also earned all-conference academic honors the two seasons he played.

Goodwin Sports Management is reportedly representing Kevin Durant of Texas, expected to be the No. 2 pick in the draft, and Al Horford of Florida, a potential top-10 selection.

Professional clients of twin brothers Aaron and Eric Goodwin include Gary Payton, Chris Webber, Dwight Howard, Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson.