By AJ Cadman
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
UCLA freshman forward Jason Kapono announced Saturday afternoon
that he will enter his name in the 2000 NBA draft alongside Bruin
sophomores JaRon Rush and Jerome Moiso.
The 6-foot-7 Pac-10 Conference Co-Freshman of the Year intends
to explore all of his options and has yet to make a final decision
about his basketball future. He told UCLA officials of his desire
to “test the waters” of the NBA just prior to the
Sunday deadline for underclassmen to declare for this year’s
draft on June 28 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.
“Playing in the NBA has been a lifelong dream of
mine,” Kapono said in a statement. “I feel that now is
the appropriate time to explore that option. After the next few
weeks, I will be able to accurately decide what will be my future
plans.”
Kapono’s announcement, however, does not give any clear
indication of whether he will make the jump to the pros or return
to Westwood for his sophomore campaign. He would become the first
Bruin freshman ever taken in the NBA draft. Kapono has no
intentions of signing with an agent at this time.
“My first year of college and playing for (head coach)
Steve Lavin and the UCLA Bruins has been a great experience,”
Kapono said. “That’s why I have left open the door to
return.”
Entering the weekend, 23 underclassmen had already declared for
the NBA draft. Kapono joins Michigan’s Jamal Crawford and
Cincinnati’s DerMarr Johnson as the only freshman to have
submitted their names to the NBA’s annual selection
meeting.
The Artesia High School prepster garnered first team All-America
honors by McDonald’s, Parade and Street & Smith’s,
in addition to taking home the John Wooden High School Player of
the Year, CIF Division I Player of the Year and Gatorade CA State
Player of the Year awards.
“The NBA is his ultimate dream,” Joe Kapono,
Jason’s father, told the Orange County Register last week.
“You hear people saying that freshman aren’t ready for
the NBA, but there are a lot of seniors who aren’t ready
either. He loves UCLA and the complete atmosphere and the education
he is getting there.
“But the thing is, he has to look out for what is best for
himself.”
Lavin remains positive about the future of the team and its
possible departing players.
“Jason has been very deliberate in his approach to
exploring his future in basketball at the next level,” Lavin
said in a statement. “Obviously, I’m happy he’s
left open the option of returning to UCLA. If he decides to enter
the NBA Draft, it’s because he will be a first-round
selection. If he decides to come back to us at UCLA, we will
welcome him with open arms.”
Kapono was quick to etch his name into the Bruin record books in
his first season in the blue and gold.
His 82 three-point field goals in 1999-2000 puts Kapono at No. 7
on UCLA’s all-time charts behind fellow Artesia graduate Ed
O’Bannon (91). His 529 points last season ranks as the 37th
best season scoring output in UCLA history.
Kapono’s sharpshooting from beyond the arc placed him at
No. 2 in regular season three-pointers (74) behind Tracy
Murray’s 78 in 1992, as well as second in three point
attempts (173) behind Murray in 1991. He also holds the second
highest freshman scoring average behind Don MacLean’s 18.6
points per game in 1989.
The Lakewood, Calif. native led the Bruins this past season in
scoring (16.0 per game), was fourth in rebounding (4.4 per game)
and along with junior Earl Watson started all 33 games this past
season. He made the All-Pac-10 conference first team, and CBS
Sportsline named Kapono the National Freshman of the Year.
Underclassmen can pull their names out of the NBA draft pool no
later than one week before the draft. Should a entrant sign with an
agent, he would lose his remaining college eligibility. Kapono
plans to make a formal announcement of his final decision before
the June 21 deadline.