Murray Considers Leaving UCLA for the NBA Draft

Tracy Murray, who vowed two months ago that he would remain in school through his senior season, has had second thoughts and might make himself available for the NBA draft this summer, his father said Monday.

“We’ve been talking about it,” Bob Murray said. “There are a lot of things we’re checking on right now.”

Such as?

“If he goes, where he’ll (be drafted),” the elder Murray said. “Is he going to be in the top 15? One thing about Tracy: He doesn’t have an ego. Some people say, ‘I want to be in the top five or six.’

“Tracy doesn’t have an ego about that. Tracy just wants to fulfill a dream (of playing in the NBA) that all these other people are fulfilling. If he’s going to be in the top 10 or 15, we’ll sit down and look at it. If he’s going to be a first-round choice, we’re going to look at it.”

A 6-foot-8 forward with exceptional shooting range, Murray generally was considered to rank among the top 15 pro prospects in college basketball last season, when he averaged 21.4 points and seven rebounds for a UCLA team that was 28-5 and reached the NCAA round of eight.

He made a school-record 78 of his 156 three-point shots.

“ ‘Rangiest jump shooter in a long, long time,” an NBA scout was recently quoted as saying. “Easier projection to an NBA body than (UCLA’s highly touted) Don MacLean.”

UCLA Coach Jim Harrick could not be reached Monday night.

Bob Murray said that he and his wife, Candy, have talked with representatives of more than half of the NBA’s 27 teams.

“I’ll be honest with you,” he said, “I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback. I don’t think he’d last 15 (picks).”

Players with college eligibility remaining have until May 10 to declare for the June draft.

Murray’s play last season again sparked rumors, ongoing almost from the day he enrolled at UCLA after establishing a state scoring record at Glendora High School, that he would leave school early.

But Murray said in February: “I’m coming back.”

But he had a change of heart, his father said, “because things turned, and we got some positive feedback (from the NBA).”

If Murray leaves, his decision won’t be popular.

“People are going to criticize,” Bob Murray said. “Look at (Tommy) Maddox (the former UCLA quarterback who left school after his sophomore season and was taken Sunday in the first round of the NFL draft). They criticized that guy to the max. I read it every day. He shouldn’t go.

“What happened? He was a first-round draft choice.”

Murray’s father said he and his son will meet with Harrick before making a decision next week.

What might prompt Murray to remain at UCLA?

“If Harrick can convince me and my wife and Tracy that (Tracy) will be able to do this, this and that to help his game, then he may stay,” his father said. “I’m going to ask him, ‘Are you going to do things to help Tracy get to the next level?’ Because if not, he’s wasting his time.”