Rainbows' English taking shot at NBA

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Carl English never met a shot he didn't like.

Hawai'i guard Carl English told reporters that "people close to me project that I should be a late first-round pick." Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

English just completed his junior season with the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team. He has one season of eligibility remaining, and has not yet ruled out a return for his senior season.

"I do strongly believe that I will be drafted," English said. "Whether it's late first (round) or early second ... I just feel confident that I will be drafted."

But as a "backup plan," English said he will not sign with an agent to preserve his college eligibility.

Players who do not sign with agents have until June 19 to withdraw from the early entry list and return to college (players who sign with agents lose their NCAA eligibility). The NBA Draft, which consists of two rounds — 58 total selections — will be held June 26 at New York.

English has requested feedback from the NBA's Undergraduate Advisory Committee, and he also plans to attend the NBA Pre-Draft Camp at Chicago, June 3-6.

"That'll give me a better indication of where I'll be drafted," English said. "You're going to hear a lot of different things from a lot of different people. But people close to me project that I should be a late first-round pick."

English, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard, led the 'Bows with 19.6 points per game this season, and set a UH single-season record with 89 3-pointers. He also contributed 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, and was a first-team All-Western Athletic Conference selection.

He is the first Hawai'i player to declare for early entry into the NBA Draft.

English, a third-team Academic All-American, said his academic status at UH played a role in his decision. He maintains a 3.28 grade-point average and is scheduled to graduate next month with a bachelor's degree in liberal studies.

If he is to return to Hawai'i for his senior season, he would have to enroll in graduate classes, and he has indicated that he has no interest in pursuing a master's degree.

"I graduate this year, in a month, so I feel like my time is up," he said.

English, who is from Patrick's Cove, Newfoundland, Canada, said it was not a financial decision.

"Who knows what next year can bring?" he said. "I don't know if I would have the same desire ... I don't know if I would be healthy. Right now I'm feeling good and I feel confident that I can do it."

Only 12 previous players from UH have been selected in the NBA Draft. The last was Reggie Cross in the second round in 1989. Anthony Carter and Predrag Savovic — the only former UH players currently in the NBA — signed as free agents.

UH associate coach Bob Nash, who was a first-round draft pick out of UH in 1972, supported English's decision, saying: "We always talk to our student-athletes about having a contingency plan. He's done that by getting his degree. If he has his degree in hand, why not chase basketball just to see what can happen."

UH head coach Riley Wallace was in New Orleans yesterday for this weekend's NCAA Final Four. In a prepared statement, he said: "We are in full support of Carl which ever route he takes, whether it be pursuing his dreams in the NBA or returning for his senior season."

If English does not return for his senior season, it would leave a significant void in the UH backcourt. Starting point guard Mark Campbell just completed his senior season.

What's more, next season was projected by the UH coaches to be the "payoff year." Five players with starting experience are eligible to return: English, Phil Martin, Haim Shimonovich, Nkeruwem "Tony" Akpan and Michael Kuebler.

"That was the tough part of it," English said. "I didn't want to leave them out to dry. But if I didn't get injured, this would be my fourth year and I would be leaving anyway."

English redshirted his first year at UH because of an ankle injury. After next month, he will have completed four years of classes.

Whether English returns or not, UH will likely sign just one more scholarship player for next season.

"Carl would obviously be a big loss," UH associate coach Jackson Wheeler said. "You can't just replace a guy like that. We'll try to find the best player available."