NBA talk has its pros, cons

Sporting News, The, August 6, 2001 by MIKE DeCOURCY

When the long road through the summer recruiting scene began, Kelenna Azubuike's name was known to nearly everyone on the trail, even if they struggled to spell or pronounce it. Kennedy Winston was something of an afterthought.

Given their similarities, this might seem odd. Winston is 67 and Azubuike (ah-za-BUE-kee) is 6-6. Each handles the ball deftly and flies comfortably above the rim. They are teammates on Prep Stars International, which includes players from seven states and Canada. Each is from an area better known for football: Azubuike will be a senior at Victory Christian High in Tulsa, Okla., and Winston is from Blount High in Prichard, Ala. Each ranks among the top 35 prospects in the prep class of 2002.

There is a simple reason, though, why Azubuike caught everyone's attention: He said last winter he would consider entering the NBA draft after the completion of his senior season at Victory. That kind of talk rarely is ignored, for better and worse.

It assured NBA scouts would see him. Some recruiting analysts might have ranked him higher on the theory any player considering this jump must be pretty good. But other players at the USA Basketball Youth Development Festival teased Azubuike about the NBA talk. Some recruiting analysts, draft analysts and college coaches considered Azubuike's proclamation ludicrous.

College coaches who watched him last week at the adidas Big Time tournament in Las Vegas say nice things about his athleticism but point to his lack of a defined position and his work-in-progress jump shot. Draft analyst Chris Monter of Monter Draft News does not consider Azubuike a first-round pick out of high school. Clark Francis, who publishes the HoopScoop recruiting newsletter, is less kind.

"I think he's a great athlete, a great defender. But he can't shoot," Francis says. "He's a top 50 player, not top 20. People get caught up in his athleticism ... but he could go to four years of college and still might not get drafted in the first round."

Francis notes just one of the top 20 selections in June's draft was shorter than 6-7. He could add that only two of the 12 high school players taken in the first round since 1995 were backcourt players.

Azubuike is serious about this, regardless. "It's still something I'm thinking about," he says, adding the decision will come sometime next spring.

"They're expecting more out of me. Sometimes, it can bring some pressure. But it'll work itself out, and I'll just work on my game."

Winston thinks about skipping college the way a high school kid dreams of driving an Escalade or dating a super model. He says it is not realistic for himself or many of his classmates.

"When they talk about that, I just hope they make sure they're ready for it," Winston says. "They need to make sure they sit down and evaluate it themselves. Because the other people saying they can go aren't the ones playing."

There still is minimal buzz regarding Winston's recruitment. It's mostly a regional competition, with Georgetown in the hunt with Alabama, Auburn and LSU.

Azubuike has heard from Oklahoma, of course, but also Kansas, Illinois, North Carolina and UCLA. He is an outstanding student, which makes him even more precious as a prospect.

At this point, Winston probably is a better player because of superior deep shooting and greater variety of scoring moves. Azubuike's most advanced basketball skill is his ballhandling, which suggests he might develop into a point guard. But he does not yet have a playmaker's feel for the game.

Winston also may be the better long-term prospect because there is more room for him to develop physically and, at age 16, he might be due another inch or two of height. He wants to gain strength but admits he has not dedicated himself.

"I haven't been consistent with it" Winston says. "To go to the NBA, I know I have to get stronger and put on a little weight. They're grown men, and they're not taking this lightly."

For the wrapup on this week's AAU National Championship, the final big event of the summer evaluation period, go to sportingnews.com/cbasketbail/recruiting.

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