Sports info Dan Gadzuric
By AJ Cadman
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Make no mistake about it ““ Dan Gadzuric wants to hoist
Banner No. 12 in Pauley Pavilion.
The 6-foot-11 junior center wasted no time Tuesday afternoon in
announcing his intentions to return to Westwood for his senior
season in a press conference at the Morgan Center.
“The best decision for me was to come back and have fun
playing basketball in Los Angeles,” said Gadzuric. “I
wanted to come back and work on the areas of my game I need to
practice and work to live up to the expectations.”
Coming off a late season stretch that placed him among the top
collegiate post players in America, Gadzuric has elected not to
enter the 2001 NBA Draft. The Bruins’ dominating inside
presence averaged 11.7 points and 8.6 rebounds in 32 contests to
help guide the UCLA to a 23-9 record last season and a spot in the
Sweet Sixteen of the 2001 NCAA Tournament.
“He’s been pretty consistent from the time we
recruited him,” said UCLA Head Coach Steve Lavin of
Gadzuric’s decision. “He has always conveyed feelings
that he wanted to get his college degree.”
Gadzuric made great strides through the latter part of the
recent campaign. The Den Haag, Holland native posted 11
double-doubles during his junior season ““ including four in
his last five games. He silenced many skeptics with his miraculous
performance versus NCAA runner-up Arizona during a Pac-10 showdown
Feb. 15 in Pauley Pavilion.
Playing on a severely sprained left ankle and having not
practiced with the squad the week prior to the game, Gadzuric
started and played a career-high 41 minutes against the NBA-bound
frontline of Loren Woods, Michael Wright and Richard Jefferson. He
tied career-highs with 22 points and 17 rebounds en route to
UCLA’s 79-77 overtime victory.
“Our UCLA basketball family is extremely happy that Dan is
staying at UCLA for his senior season,” said Lavin. “I
wanted him to take the time necessary and do the research to make
an informed decision.”
The announcement by Gadzuric comes amidst a wave of the
nation’s top frontline college basketball players leaving
school early for the lures of the NBA.
“I wanted to be able to take the advice of the coaches and
enjoy my last year of college,” Gadzuric added.
Centers that have declared early for the June 27 draft in New
York at Madison Square Garden include: 6-11 Villanova junior
Michael Bradley, 7-1 Dominguez H.S. (Compton, CA) senior Tyson
Chandler, 6-11 Thornwood H.S. (Illinois) senior Eddy Curry, 7-0
DePaul sophomore Steven Hunter, 6-11 Notre Dame junior Troy Murphy,
and 6-9 Temple junior Kevin Lyde.
College basketball’s senior class of centers that will
also add to the logjam are Arizona’s Woods, Jarron Collins of
Stanford, Ken Johnson of Ohio State, Alvin Jones of Georgia Tech
and Brendan Haywood of North Carolina.
“In talking with NBA general managers, they liked how a
player his size has the ability to run the floor the way Dan
does,” Lavin furthered. “They all talk about his
presence in the paint and that he has good hands.”
With the loss of UCLA iron-man Earl Watson and Gadzuric opting
to remain in the Blue and Gold, all eyes momentarily shift to Bruin
sophomore forward Jason Kapono.
Gadzuric still has the opportunity to change his mind prior to
the May 13 deadline, when underclassmen’s letters to declare
must be postmarked to the NBA offices. They can pull out their
names from consideration by June 20 ““ one week from the draft
““ as long as they have not signed an agent to represent them
with NBA teams.
The Bruins’ leading scorer last season at 15.2 points per
game ““ fifth in the Pac-10 conference ““ Kapono
“tested the waters” of the NBA draft following last
season. After working out for a number of professional teams and
gaining information from conversations Lavin has had with NBA
executives and general managers, the Lakewood, Calif. native
decided to return for his second year at UCLA.
“I’ve been told by the GMs that (Gadzuric and
Kapono) could be first round picks,” Lavin ended.
“Jason and I have had a couple of good talks recently. He is
just taking time to weigh his options right now. But I would not be
surprised if he decides to stay for another season.”