Blog

Avery Bradley to test the NBA waters

Texas star from Bellarmine Prep won’t hire agent, may return
Similar Stories

DOUG PACEY; Staff writer Tacoma News Tribune
Published: 04/09/1012:05 am

Former Bellarmine Prep basketball standout Avery Bradley will test the waters of the NBA draft.

Bradley, a freshman at Texas, will not retain an agent and could return to school.

“I will continue to go to class and complete the spring semester here at Texas,” Bradley said in a statement. “I will schedule workouts with different NBA teams over the next month around my class schedule.”

According to two Web sites – DraftExpress.com and NBADraft.net – Bradley projects as a late-first round selection. If NBA executives and scouts tell Bradley that he would, in fact, be a first-round pick, it might push him toward leaving school because players drafted in the first round sign are guaranteed two-year contracts.

Bradley, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard, ranked second on the Longhorns this season in scoring, averaging 11.6 points per game. He was voted to the Big 12 all-freshman team by media and was named All-Big 12 honorable mention by league coaches.

The draft is June 24, though Bradley has until May 8 to withdraw his name if he chooses to remain at Texas.

Tacoma Invitational

More than three dozen high school teams will converge at Lincoln Bowl on Saturday for the Tacoma Invitational track and field meet.

Some of the state’s top athletes will be at the event. Among those expected to compete are Federal Way sprinter Trenton Pinson, Emerald Ridge hurdler Kayla Stueckle, Franklin Pierce sprinter Germe Poston, Central Kitsap distance runner Shane Moskowitz and Auburn Riverside miler Kenny Krotzer.

The meet begins at 10 a.m.

Northwest Shootout

A handful of South Sound basketball players will play in the Northwest Shootout later this month that pits Washington against Oregon.

Lakes guard Andre Winston Jr. is the only local on Washington’s boys team. He’ll be joined by Bellevue’s Aaron Bright, Chelan’s Joe Harris, Ephrata’s Patrick Simon and others.

Auburn Riverside’s Mercedes Wetmore and Kara Jenkins, along with Kentlake’s Riley Butler, are on the girls team.

Players are selected by each state’s coaches association. The games will be played on April 17 at the Chiles Center at the University of Portland.

Coaching hires on hold

Filling the vacant head football coach positions at Kentlake and Kent-Meridian has been put on hold. Dave Lutes, athletic director for the Kent School District, said no hirings will take place while the budget for the 2010-11 school year is being prepared.

Lutes said both schools have conducted interviews, but can’t move forward. The “worst-case scenario” would be waiting until May 15 to announce the new coaches, he said.

Doug Pacey: 253-597-8271

doug.pacey@thenewstribune.com

blog.thenewstribune.com/preps

Comments

Commenting is closed for this article.