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Main early entry benefactor? Duke’s Williams

Also keep close eye on ’Zaga’s Morrison, Illinois’ Brown

Image: WilliamsGetty Images /file
With all the early entries into the NBA draft, Duke's Shelden Williams could end up as the best player returning to college next season, writes NBCSports.com's Ray Glier.

If you want the next best player to watch for in 2005-06, Gonzaga’s Morrison won’t be hard to notice.

The floppy haired forward, who is 6-foot-8, has range and savvy. He can shoot off the dribble, but his forte is finding a spot, facing up, and drilling the outside shot. In his last four games of the season, Morrison scored 25, 30, 27, and 25 points.

His rebounding, once considered weak, has improved. He still needs some moves with his back-to-the-basket, but this is a centerpiece player for the next March Madness.

Michigan State’s Davis seemed to find himself this season and the Spartans ended up in the Final Four. We talk a lot about the bad decisions college players make in leaving early. The 6-11 Davis made a good decision to come back for another year.

Come the 2006 draft, he has first-round written all over him, maybe just late first round, but if he shows the NBA scouts he is hungry for the game, he could rise.

Texas’ P.J. Tucker was ruled academically ineligible halfway through this past season and he will be back and ready.

Michigan State’s Maurice Ager scored 24 and 21 points, respectively, in his last two games of the season. He will be first team All Big Ten.

Those are the best who will come back.

Then there are some who have no business leaving.

Florida’s Anthony Roberson is one. His shooting was so spotty at the end of the season, the NBA can’t be impressed. What’s more, I don’t think he showed the leadership skills in the NCAA Tournament an NBA point has to have. Roberson can be a terrific player, but it is too early.

And talk about poor shooting? Indiana’s Bracey Wright shot 41 percent from the field and he has a foot out the door into the draft. Why not come back and help a young, talented team win 22 games and get in the Top 15.          

The real money is the first round, but there are too many guards ahead of Wright.

The one guard I don’t want to go — but should go — is Georgia Tech’s Jarrett Jack. His savvy is unmatched and he has an NBA-ready body. He has worked diligently on his jump shot. Someone is going to get a steal if this kid slips to mid-first round.

The player with the toughest decision to make is LSU’s Brandon Bass. He is a terrific student, the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year in men’s basketball, not to mention the SEC Player of the Year. He’s just a sophomore and, you think, with his dedication to the classroom, he could stay another year, get closer to a degree, and grow into a Top 5 pick.

But Bass’ mother died when he was 10 years old, so he has other children in the family to think about. He is like another Baton Rouge star, Warrick Dunn, who had to make decisions based on the welfare of his siblings.

Bass could solve a lot of issues with first-round money. He could make a lot more money if he waited a year and joined Duke’s Williams as a top five pick.         

Ray Glier is a free-lance writer and a frequent contributor to NBCSports.com


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