'A hard decision'

Dunleavy decides to keep his name in NBA Draft

Mike Dunleavy averaged 17.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.3 steals in 2001-02. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Duke junior forward Mike Dunleavy will pass up his senior year and remain in the NBA Draft, he said Wednesday.

"After carefully weighing my options, I have decided to stay in the draft," Dunleavy said in a news release. "It was a hard decision to make, but after going back and forth, I have decided to pursue my dream of becoming a professional basketball player."

Dunleavy, who as an underclassman had until midnight Wednesday to make his decision, said he believed he would go "reasonably high" in the draft. He said he planned to finish his remaining courses and graduate from Duke as soon as possible.

The 6-foot-10 Dunleavy declared early for the NBA Draft in May, but didn't hire an agent, leaving an option open to return to the Blue Devils.

Local Look There are likely lots of reasons behind Mike Dunleavy's decision, but the San Francisco Chronicle says one stands out as wildly improbable and deeply refreshing: Dunleavy's coming out because he wouldn't mind playing for the Warriors. For a team whose recent history is riddled with players forcing their way out of town, this counts as a major coup. If the Warriors managed to convince Dunleavy that this place was worth staking his pro future upon, then the struggle for respectability might not be as steeply uphill as it appears.

Dunleavy was named one of Duke's captains for 2002-03, and it appeared that he was sure to return. But that was before he began hearing from several sources that he could be taken in the top five of the draft.

He asked his father, Mike Dunleavy Sr., a former NBA player and head coach, and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, to confirm his standing among league executives.

Dunleavy averaged 17.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.3 steals and 0.7 blocked shots as a junior in 2001-02. He became the 50th Duke player to reach 1,000 career points, and he increased his career scoring total to 1,371 points, 28th all-time at Duke.

He was a consensus second team All-America, a second team Academic All-America, a first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection and a first team ACC all-defensive team honoree in 2002.

 

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