Withers Observer Article...

Forward forgoes NBA this year to wait for stronger draft options

Charlotte 49ers forward Curtis Withers could have gone the NBA route this summer. Some of his college buddies from other teams were doing it. He thought about it, talked about it and, don't get him wrong, he still has NBA dreams.

But Withers is bypassing the NBA draft this summer and instead hoping to land a spot on the USA Basketball Under-21 World Championship team. He'll return to school for his senior season with the eagerness of a freshman as the team plays its first season in the Atlantic 10.

"The thing is, I am not going to settle for less," Withers said Tuesday. "If I have a chance of coming back a year and doing better and going higher in the draft, then why not come back? Those who wait and work hard get what they want."

Withers, a 6-foot-8 power forward out of West Charlotte High and a two-time first-team Conference USA honoree, had considered testing the NBA waters but did not declare by the May 14 deadline for early entry to the draft. Had he declared, he said, he likely would have gotten an invitation to next week's pre-draft camp in Chicago.

At Withers' request, coach Bobby Lutz sought information from NBA vice president Stu Jackson about where he'd likely go in the draft. Lutz and Withers said Jackson pegged Withers for the second round. Lutz and Withers had agreed Withers probably would enter the draft if he was a first-round prospect.

"Looking at the upside and downside," Lutz said Tuesday, "he decided to concentrate on graduating, which he'll do with ease, and on having a great senior season."

Withers' decision means the 49ers men's basketball team is well-positioned for a run at the Atlantic 10 championship. Withers led Charlotte in scoring last season with 18 points per game and was second with 8.1 rebounds. He is a clear contender for Atlantic 10 preseason player-of-the-year honors and is expected to draw early All-America talk. He'll be the focal point of Lutz's offense, and the focus of opponents' defense.

"He's definitely going to be mentioned among the best players in the Atlantic 10," Lutz said.

Withers has spent the spring bulking up. He played last season at 238 pounds, and is up to 244 after offseason workouts. He lifted a combined 1,005 pounds in three lifts at the end of the offseason training session -- 365 pounds in the front squat, 325 pounds in a close-grip bench press and 315 in the hang-clean, said strength and conditioning coach Preston Greene.

"We're molding him into a more explosive, stronger athlete," Greene said.

Lutz said Withers has been invited to try out for the USA under-21 team coached by Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli. Trials are July 21-23 in Dallas, and the championships are Aug. 5-14 in Argentina.

Withers started on last year's USA World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Team, which won the gold medal. His teammates included North Carolina center Sean May, Wake Forest guard Chris Paul, Connecticut forward Charlie Villanueva and Indiana guard Bracey Wright. Withers said he understands why those players declared for the draft, but he also saw what happened with Charlotte swingman Eddie Basden, who earned league player-of-the-year honors, gained stock in the eyes of NBA scouts and received his degree.

"There are so many players coming out -- the college players, the seniors and high school players ... so it's real tight," Withers said. "You just have to be patient. This year can only be for the better."

 

Didn't even have to check the Observer website to tell that was Jena's writing. Thanks for the story, I'm in Tennessee right now and I'm sick of seeing the Orange.

 

lots of great things in that article. withers is a beast and i cant wait to see him dominate this season!!!

 

Our offense better go through him and not some damn 3 pt shoot-a-thon like in the past.