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  Bob Lutz  

Jayhawks, Wildcats making NBA draft pool deep enough

Memo to Sherron Collins:

Stay put. Don't even think about leaving Kansas for the NBA. We're going to be busy enough around here when the NBA Draft is held June 26 and we don't need one more guy to worry about.

Every time you breathe, lately, a player from Kansas or Kansas State is announcing his intention to leave school early and apply for the draft.

Michael Beasley, bless his heart, even had the gall to tell us he wasn't sure about his decision until he arrived at his own news conference to announce his decision.

Beasley's teammate, Bill Walker, also is interested in leaving for the NBA, although he hasn't yet hired an agent, which means he's hedging his bet, at least until he gets a better handle on where he might go.

Ditto for Kansas sophomore Darrell Arthur, who wants to have a look-see before he makes his jump official.

KU junior Brandon Rush is definitely headed for the NBA. So are Jayhawks seniors Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson, who could be second-round picks. And we're waiting to find out what KU junior guard Mario Chalmers is going to do -- stay at school one more season or move on.

That's seven players from KU and KSU alone. And that's why we need Collins to do nothing except get ready for the 2008-09 season.

Mock drafts, of which there are many, are filled with the names Beasley, Rush, Arthur, Walker, Chalmers, Kaun and Jackson.

For Kaun and Jackson, it's easy. They played four years at Kansas and now they wait to find out if they have NBA futures.

For the rest, though, these are interesting times.

Beasley can rest easily; everybody who knows basketballs are orange has him going either first or second in the draft.

Most have Arthur being taken in the middle of the first round -- I've seen him listed anywhere from 10 to 21. Rush is likely to go later in the first round. Jackson and Kaun are slotted for late in the second round, if they're picked at all.

It's Chalmers who is generating the most disagreement. Hoopsworld.com has him going No. 10; Draftexpress.com doesn't have him on the board and NBAdraft.com lists him at No. 26.

It's confusing and daunting to try to figure out the draft status of players like Chalmers, Walker, Rush and Arthur.

Instead, I'm going to predict how well their NBA careers will go.

Michael Beasley: No-brainer. If the team picking first chooses Memphis guard Derrick Rose over Beasley, it will live to regret the choice. Beasley is a freak of nature; a big man who can play around the basket and also on the perimeter. He rebounds, he passes and he'll become a better defender. Plus, he won't get tossed around because he's a beast.

Beasley will be a perennial All-Star and one of the league's top players. And he'll do it sooner rather than later.

Bill Walker: He plays hard. He doesn't always play smart. Walker could benefit from one more season at K-State, but I'm guessing that's not high on his wish list. So, it'll take him a while to develop, especially emotionally. When and if he does, though, I think Walker could be a contributor because of his ability to knock down long-range jump shots and get to the backboard. He's also a good defender. I think he'll have a long career in the NBA as at least a role player and perhaps as a starter for a non-playoff team.

Brandon Rush: From the minute I saw this guy play at Kansas, I said he would someday be an NBA star.

I'm standing by my contention.

Rush has the perfect NBA game. He's long, he defends, he can shoot and he can attack the basket. It looks like he won't go until late in the first round, which means a very good team is going to add a very nice part.

Rush is a player who should average from 12 to 15 points for a lot of years.

Darrell Arthur: Much like his former KU teammate, Julian Wright, Arthur entices NBA scouts with his potential. He hasn't lived up to his potential at KU, although he did play lights-out in the Jayhawks' national championship win over Memphis.

Arthur could use one more year at KU to boost his confidence and his game. My fear is that if he goes to the NBA now, he will get beaten down emotionally and never be the player he could be.

No question, he's an NBA talent. But does he have the toughness and demeanor to succeed?

Mario Chalmers: He can shoot and he has amazingly quick hands. Chalmers is one of those guys who could go either way. It wouldn't surprise me if he became an NBA starting guard, nor would it surprise me if he was playing professionally in Europe after a year. I think he's best suited to play his senior season at Kansas and then turn pro.

Darnell Jackson: This is a high character guy who can bang the boards and defend. He won't score much, but he could be a nice 11th or 12th player on an NBA roster. Ultimately, I think that's where he'll end up.

Sasha Kaun: There were times during his KU career when I wondered if Kaun was a decent college player, let alone a potential NBA center. But having watched him during the last half of this season, no Kansas player made more improvement. He's so big and strong and he moves well. Kaun will ultimately be a back-up center in the NBA, which isn't a bad gig.

Eagle sports columnist Bob Lutz co-hosts "Sports Daily" from 9-11 a.m. weekdays on KFH, 1240-AM and 98.7-FM. Reach him at 316-268-6597 or blutz@wichitaeagle.com.