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Sendek doesn't want Wilkins back
Updated: Wednesday June 20, 2001 5:22 PM
FORT MILL, S.C. (AP) -- Sophomore forward Damien Wilkins will not return to North Carolina State next season even if he decides to withdraw his name from the NBA draft, according to Wolfpack coach Herb Sendek. Wilkins, who worked out with the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, said he was considering transferring should he decide to back out of the draft. Underclassmen who have not signed with an agent have until 5 p.m. Wednesday to remove their name. Sendek didn't wait for Wilkins' decision. "Having talked with both Damien and his father, Gerald, I have decided that Damien will not return to the N.C. State basketball team, even if they choose to withdraw from the NBA draft," Sendek said in a release Tuesday. "They have demanded assurances and explanations that I am unable to provide and am not obligated to provide. Moreover, they have repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with our program. "As a result, I believe that his return would not be in our best interest." N.C. State athletic director Lee Fowler said he supports Sendek's decision to not bring back Wilkins. "I really believe that (Sendek) has done what is best for N.C. State and our basketball program," Fowler said. Wilkins' father, Gerald, a former NBA player, has said his son wasn't given a chance to play up to his capabilities under Sendek and might be better off somewhere else. "No one wants to transfer, but I want Damien to be comfortable," Gerald Wilkins said Tuesday. "He has two years of eligibility left, and he needs to be playing under the right program and the right system. I think (N.C. State) could have got a lot more out of him so he wouldn't be facing an uphill battle." Wilkins, who worked out for the Hornets with Maryland's Terence Morris and Arizona's Richard Jefferson, will have to sit out a year if he transfers from N.C. State. Father and son said they won't make a decision about entering the NBA draft until close to the deadline. Wilkins, the nephew of former NBA all-star Dominique Wilkins, averaged 11.7 points last season for the Wolfpack (13-16). He was a highly touted recruit out of Washington, N.C., but has been criticized by many who claim he has not lived up to his potential. "To be honest with you, with the things that have been said about myself at N.C. State, I don't know how easy it will be to come back," Wilkins said. "But I'm in Coach Sendek's corner, and I know he is in mine, and by (Wednesday) he'll know my decision." Gerald Wilkins said several schools have sent information about their programs. Damien Wilkins said he had no interest in playing in the NBA's developmental league, which is scheduled to debut this fall. Most mock drafts do not have Wilkins as a first-round pick. Hornets head coach Paul Silas said he believes the 6-foot-6, 225-pound small forward should stay in school. "He has the skills, but he needs to be seasoned," said Silas, who indicated the team is not considering Wilkins with the 16th pick. "He needs to work on quickness." Wilkins, who has worked out for Miami and Orlando, said he believes he is ready for the NBA. "The things I have heard consistently from teams is that they never knew I could do the things I am doing now," Wilkins said. "I explained that I didn't get a chance to show it."
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