Engelstad, Morton Not Drafted; Both Hope to Join NBA as Free Agents

Neither of Orange County’s best prospects for the National Basketball Assn. draft was picked on Tuesday, but both UC Irvine’s Wayne Engelstad and Cal State Fullerton’s Richard Morton hope to join the NBA as free agents.

Engelstad and Morton, who kept track of the draft from their family homes in California, were passed over during the three rounds of the draft held in New York City.

Seventy-five players were selected in the draft. NBA teams now can invite individual players to their camps to try to make the teams as free agents.

“I was hoping to be drafted, but I wasn’t putting everything at stake,” said Engelstad from his home in Rosemead. “I want to see if I have a shot here. If not, I’m probably going to go to Europe (to play).”

Engelstad, Irvine’s 6-foot 8-inch forward, finished third on the Anteaters’ career scoring list with 1,530 points and fourth in career rebounding with 698. He led the Anteaters in both categories last season, averaging 23.6 points and 7.5 rebounds a game. He was named Irvine’s most valuable player and was the MVP of the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. tournament, in which Irvine lost to Utah State in the championship game.

Morton, a 6-4 guard who led the Titans in scoring with 22 points a game, has drawn the attention of several teams, including the Indiana Pacers, the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Clippers, according to his agent, Jim Spellman.

“We’ll start calling around tomorrow,” Spellman said from San Francisco, where he was monitoring the draft with Morton. “Rich is still excited, he’s in solid shape and we’re confident he’ll get invited to a camp.”

Morton, who is playing in summer leagues in his hometown of San Francisco, said he is working out four to six hours every day.

Both Engelstad and Morton said they are a few classes shy of graduation.

Four players from the PCAA were selected in the draft, two in the first round. The Sacramento Kings, with the 18th pick of the draft, selected 6-8 guard Ricky Berry from San Jose State, and, six picks later, the Boston Celtics selected 6-6 guard Brian Shaw from UC Santa Barbara.

The Dallas Mavericks drafted Cal State Long Beach guard Morlon Wiley in the second round, with the 46th pick of the draft. And, late in the third round with the 74th pick, Boston selected Nevada Las Vegas forward/guard Gerald Paddio.