3 minute read
NBA Draft
DRAFT NBA
by Steve Gamel | photo courtesy of Jake King and the Denton Record-Chronicle.
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Keep your eyes peeled during the final few weeks leading up to the 2021 NBA Draft on July 29. Two former Guyer basketball stars could be coming to a professional basketball team near you.
Jalen Wilson and De’Vion Harmon announced in late March and early April, respectively, that they will test the NBA Draft waters to see what their chances are at playing professionally. Harmon, a point guard who has since transferred from the University of Oklahoma to Oregon, said he was not planning on hiring an agent when he declared for the draft. If he chooses not to stay in the draft and returns to school instead, it will be with the Ducks.
Wilson, a redshirt freshman at Kansas, announced similar intentions in April. He could still return to the Jayhawks for his sophomore year, depending on how things go leading up to the draft. “I am excited for the opportunity to learn, workout and receive valuable feedback on my game that will allow me to make a solid decision on whether to remain in the draft, or return to the University of Kansas,” Wilson said in a statement. “I am ready to get to work and have put all things in God’s hands.”
Harmon had this to say when interviewed by 247Sports’ Travis Branham.
“Obviously, the feedback is definitely in there,” Harmon said of his steps with testing the NBA Draft process. “[I] definitely want to see about workouts for teams and all of that kind of stuff, but that all goes in with taking each day and trying to get more information, trying to figure stuff out, find out different things, see what type of things can go on and what won’t go on. After that, once we get more information, then it’ll be easier to make a decision.”
Whether it’s now or later on down the line, Harmon and Wilson are elite-level talent and would be a great addition to any NBA franchise. While at Guyer, Wilson and Harmon were arguably the centerpieces during a lengthy run for the Wildcats as
one of the top Class 6A programs in the state. As juniors and seniors in 2019, they led Guyer to back-to-back Region I final appearances.
Wilson averaged 18.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Originally a Michigan signee, he decommitted from the Wolverines and signed with Kansas in 2019. Wilson averaged 11.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last season.
Meanwhile, Harmon was brilliant as a senior at Guyer, averaging 20.3 points and five assists per game. He had his choice of nearly any college program in the country and ultimately chose OU. He averaged 12.9 points last season. Oklahoma coach Lon Krueger retired shortly after the NCAA tournament, prompting Harmon to explore his options. He initially declared for the NBA Draft, then committed to Oregon.
According to a report by NBA.com, the NBA announced on March 29 that the NBA Draft presented by State Farm® would take place on July 29. The first round will be televised by ESPN and ABC, and the second round will air on ESPN. Before the big day, the NBA Draft Combine is slated for June 21 through June 27. The Draft Lottery will take place on June 22 on ESPN.
Should Wilson and Harmon choose to withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to college, they’d need to do so before the NBA’s mandated deadline of July 19.
On behalf of Murray Media Group, we’d like to say good luck to Wilson and Harmon as they test the waters and hopefully grab the attention of a deserving NBA franchise.
