Speights will enter NBA Draft

Florida sophomore center Marreese Speights has decided to enter the NBA Draft but will not hire an agent.

By taking this route, Speights, a St. Petersburg native, is leaving open the option of returning to school.

Speights finished the season as the Gators' second-leading scorer (14.5) and top rebounder (8.1). He had a team-high 10 double-doubles on the year, including a16-point, 18-rebound effort against UMass in the NIT semifinals.

“Marreese has informed me that he would like to explore his future options in the NBA,” UF head coach Billy Donovan said in a statment. “I will do whatever I can to help Marreese gather all necessary information to make an educated decision.”

-- Antonya English, Times Staff Writer

Comments

[Gator Fan]

You can't return to school if you are drafted but don't like where you were drafted or are in the draft and don't get drafted. You lose your elegibility. Who are you Antonya English? Obviously not familiar with NCAA sports? Where's your editor?

[L]

I believe Antonya English knows what she is talking about. She has been covering University of Florida Sports for many years. So the question is...who are you gator fan? obviously not familiar with experienced journalist who have been UF sports since you were in diapers. where is your mother?

[L]

I believe Antonya English knows what she is talking about. She has been covering University of Florida Sports for many years. So the question is...who are you gator fan? obviously not familiar with experienced journalist who have been UF sports since you were in diapers. where is your mother?

[L]

Oh yeah...i fail to mention....SHE IS RIGHT AND YOU ARE WRONG. He has until a certain date to return to school if he changes his mind about entering the draft. He doesnt have a agent....do your research before questioning a experienced journalist.

[Justin]

L,

Don't scold someone if you don't know what you are talking about. The writer is incorrect stating that he can return if he "is not drafted as high as he would like."

[Gator Fan 2]

L,

First off: Don't double post, that is just rude. Furthermore, I believe that Antonya English is a very decent UF beat reporter. No one is questioning her journalistic qualifications here. However, as L has stated, Marreese has until a certain date to decide if he wants to return to school or not as he has not hired an agent. But, if he is drafted he cannot go back to school and looses his eligibility.

So, while Antonya does a decent job covering the Gators, she is not 100% accurate on this post. Luckily it's only an online blog entry that can easily be edited and not in the paper.

[Antonya English]

L - thanks for defending me, but I stand corrected on this one. In my haste to get the news up, I do in fact have an error. Speights has left his option open to return, but it is not predicated on whether he is undrafted or doesn't like his draft status.

[L]

I know. I re-read your post and noticed u said once he is drafted. In actuality, he just wants to see how high he would go in the draft to determine if he should return to college. Gator fan just seemed a little agitated by what u posted. I understood what u meant though.

[Dave W]

Back to school kid, there are about thirty other guys exactly like you.

[mm]

It would be very, very good to have Speights back for one more year. With Kadji and Vargas coming in, he would be there to guide them as well as giving us three BIG men! Billy D could work magic with all three of those guys.

[DIS SPEIGHTS BABY]

YUP LEMME GET PICKED IN THA LOTTERY MAKE ME MONEY LET IT RAIN WHEN I COME BACK TA CHILL WIT BILLY D ON UNIVERSITY AVE BABY

[Tad]

Just a FYI. If you can't make it to the orange and blue game, then try going to the green and gold game at Ray Jay on this Saturday. The event is free and a good oppotunity to support your local community.

Go Gators!