http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/3553194
Following Rashad McCants' declaration last week that he's leaving North Carolina early to enter the NBA draft, speculation is heating up that freshman Marvin Williams, junior Sean May and Raymond Felton will also leave the NCAA champions for the professional ranks.
If all three of those underclassmen join McCants and seniors Jawad Williams, Jackie Manuel and Melvin Scott in leaving, the Tar Heels will lose their top seven scorers from this season's team.
On North Carolina sports talk station 850 The Buzz, Dave Glenn, publisher of the ACC Sports Journal, was quoted as saying it's definite that Williams, Felton and May will all declare for the NBA draft. NBADraft.net, quoting inside sources close to the Carolina program, also reported that Williams and May are indeed leaving Tobacco Road.
Last week, Felton told reporters that he had already made his decision but wouldn't reveal it. However, several media reports out of North Carolina have said that Felton is as good as gone.
"It was difficult, but I think it's what's best for me," Felton said last Tuesday after being voted the team's co-MVP with May during a postseason awards ceremony. "It's something I wanted."
Marvin Williams, a 6-foot-9 reserve who averaged 11 points, was mentioned as an NBA draft prospect coming out of high school and is deemed by many draft gurus to be a top-three pick. He also met with coach Roy Williams this week, and he "pretty much" had his mind made up -- though he wouldn't say which way he was leaning.
May is thought to be a mid-to-late first-round pick but is coming off a strong NCAA tournament that boosted his profile. May, the tournament MVP, scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the title game vs. Illinois.
Casey Lindberg, Marvin Williams' coach at Bremerton (Wash.) High School, said Friday he had talked to Williams for about 45 minutes this week but didn't know what his former player would do.
"I don't know if Marvin knows what he's going to do right now," Lindberg said. "He's an 18-year-old kid who has a lot of pressure on him. It's a huge decision, a life-altering decision that only the very fortunate and blessed people get to make."
Lindberg said he advised Williams not to rush his decision -- early-entry candidates have until May 14 to file for the draft.
"He likes being a kid. Material things and money I don't think have ever been a huge issue for him," Lindberg said. "If they were, he would've gone to the NBA out of high school.
"I do know he likes North Carolina a lot. I think that is making the decision harder for him. ... It's not like he's some place where he really wants to leave."
A worst-case postseason purge would leave junior David Noel (3.9 points) as the Tar Heels' top returning scorer, while reserves Reyshawn Terry and Quinton Thomas scored a combined 101 points this season.
Players who file can withdraw their name until June 21, one week before the draft.
If all three of those underclassmen join McCants and seniors Jawad Williams, Jackie Manuel and Melvin Scott in leaving, the Tar Heels will lose their top seven scorers from this season's team.
On North Carolina sports talk station 850 The Buzz, Dave Glenn, publisher of the ACC Sports Journal, was quoted as saying it's definite that Williams, Felton and May will all declare for the NBA draft. NBADraft.net, quoting inside sources close to the Carolina program, also reported that Williams and May are indeed leaving Tobacco Road.
Last week, Felton told reporters that he had already made his decision but wouldn't reveal it. However, several media reports out of North Carolina have said that Felton is as good as gone.
"It was difficult, but I think it's what's best for me," Felton said last Tuesday after being voted the team's co-MVP with May during a postseason awards ceremony. "It's something I wanted."
Marvin Williams, a 6-foot-9 reserve who averaged 11 points, was mentioned as an NBA draft prospect coming out of high school and is deemed by many draft gurus to be a top-three pick. He also met with coach Roy Williams this week, and he "pretty much" had his mind made up -- though he wouldn't say which way he was leaning.
May is thought to be a mid-to-late first-round pick but is coming off a strong NCAA tournament that boosted his profile. May, the tournament MVP, scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the title game vs. Illinois.
Casey Lindberg, Marvin Williams' coach at Bremerton (Wash.) High School, said Friday he had talked to Williams for about 45 minutes this week but didn't know what his former player would do.
"I don't know if Marvin knows what he's going to do right now," Lindberg said. "He's an 18-year-old kid who has a lot of pressure on him. It's a huge decision, a life-altering decision that only the very fortunate and blessed people get to make."
Lindberg said he advised Williams not to rush his decision -- early-entry candidates have until May 14 to file for the draft.
"He likes being a kid. Material things and money I don't think have ever been a huge issue for him," Lindberg said. "If they were, he would've gone to the NBA out of high school.
"I do know he likes North Carolina a lot. I think that is making the decision harder for him. ... It's not like he's some place where he really wants to leave."
A worst-case postseason purge would leave junior David Noel (3.9 points) as the Tar Heels' top returning scorer, while reserves Reyshawn Terry and Quinton Thomas scored a combined 101 points this season.
Players who file can withdraw their name until June 21, one week before the draft.
