Heath, Hogs still await decision from Big Al Jefferson
Josh Tinker
Issue date: 4/16/04 Section: Sports
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The No. 1 want on Heath's wish list is 6-10, 265-pound Razorback signee Al Jefferson from Prentiss, Miss.
The Player of the Year from the state of Mississippi signed a national letter of intent during the early signing period in November, but might skip college for the NBA.
"The way I'm viewing this is simply this, Al Jefferson signed a letter of intent to come to Arkansas," Heath said. "He's exploring opportunities to play professional, so at this point and time, until that's solved, I'm looking at my roster and saying, 'hey if Al comes we've just had Christmas."
Christmas could come June 17. That's the deadline for anyone who has declared for the draft to withdraw. Jefferson has put his name in the mix, but hasn't signed with an agent, thus preserving his collegiate eligibility.
He has said that he wouldn't jump to the NBA unless he's a projected lottery pick. According to nbadraft.net, a Web site with no affiliation to the NBA, Jefferson is projected as the No. 17 pick to the New Orleans Hornets.
The draft lottery is composed of all teams that do not make the playoffs, and those teams receive the first 14 picks. Whether Jefferson attends college or jumps to the NBA, Heath said Jefferson has the tools to be a good NBA player.
"In my heart, I do feel Al Jefferson is a young man who could play professional basketball," Heath said. "At what point in his career is he most ready, where he's gonna get full value of being a draft pick? It could be now. It could be next year or the following year. I don't know."
But still, Heath believes that Jefferson wants to attend school, even if it's only for a year.
"The opportunity to go to school is something I know he would want to do," Heath said. "I believe in my heart that he would like to come to school and play basketball and see what the college experience is all about. At the same time, it's a once in a life opportunity, or it's an opportunity that's gonna be there for him and could be even better after he's experienced college."
