NBA draft camp returns to Chicago; Rose linked to Memphis allegations

The NBA predraft camp returned to Chicago today after four years in Orlando, but in a much different form. There are no more games played by teams of borderline draft prospects, which was the tradition for at least 15 years.

In the past, the projected top 15 picks would be measured, checked out medically and tested in several drills, but not expected to play in the games. This year, all players invited to the camp will be given that treatment.

From what I’ve heard, NBA teams were frustrated by how the league handled invitations to the camp. The projected top 15 picks were welcome to go through the tests and measurements only.

Then invariably, 15 or so other players who believed they were destined to be first-round picks would refuse to play in the games at the draft camp. The league, trying to make a point that those players should be take part in the games, wouldn’t invite them to the camp at all.
That meant teams would get no information on a huge chunk of players that were first-round candidates. Meanwhile, the games became less meaningful because so few of the best players participated.

Back in 2000, Jamal Crawford played his way into the top 10 at the draft camp (then conveniently came down with an injury once it became clear that his stock had risen), but there haven’t been any stories like that since.

So the NBA finally decided to do away with the games this year and brought 52 draft candidates to Chicago for the tests and measurements. A tradition has ended, but most likely few people will miss it. Front office personnel can still stand around and hobnob while the players are running through drills at the Attack Athletics facility on the near West Side.
The NBA Draft is June 25 and the Bulls own the No. 16 and 26 picks of the first round.

ROSE COULD BE INVOLVED IN ALLEGED MEMPHIS VIOLATIONS

The Memphis Commercial-Appeal obtained a letter this week from the NCAA listing possible major violations committed by the men’s basketball program.

Two of the infractions involve an associate of a player receiving free transportation and lodging to road games. The other accuses a player from the 2007-08 team gaining admission to the University by having someone else take the SAT exam for him.

The names were blacked out in the letter, but there has been speculation that Bulls guard Derrick Rose is the player being accused of having the fraudulent test score. The letter says the player in question was on the team during the 2007-08 season and there is no mention of any other seasons.

Rose was the only player on the Memphis squad in 2007-08 who played just one season. The unnamed player denied the charge, according to university personnel, the Commercial-Appeal wrote.

Right now, this is only an unnamed allegation and it really has no affect on Rose or the Bulls. The Chicago native was a runaway winner for NBA rookie of the year this past season.
These allegations could conceivably cause Memphis to forfeit its victories from the 2007-08 season, which ended with an overtime loss to Kansas in the NCAA title game. A hearing before the NCAA Committee on Infractions is scheduled for June 6 in Indianapolis.

One odd sidebar to this story is the NCAA’s letter to Memphis began with several pages of possible violations by the women’s golf coach.