Cotton Leaving Long Beach for NBA Draft

Standout guard James Cotton will forgo his final season of eligibility at Long Beach State to declare himself eligible for the NBA draft, he announced Monday.

Cotton, a two-time All-Big West Conference selection, and his parents met Monday with Long Beach Athletic Director Bill Shumard and Coach Wayne Morgan to discuss his options. At that meeting, Cotton told Shumard and Morgan he had already made his decision.

“I told them that I appreciated everything everyone has done for me at Long Beach, but I want to pursue my dreams,” said Cotton, a redshirt junior.

“A lot of people, Mr. Shumard, President [Robert] Maxson, have really supported me through the years at Long Beach. I wish them all the best.”

The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Cotton finished second in the Big West in scoring this season, averaging 23 points on a 13-14 team. Cotton, who will graduate with a speech communications degree in May, led the conference in scoring as a sophomore and was selected the Big West’s freshman of the year.

Some NBA draft analysts project Cotton to be a mid-to-low first-round pick. Cotton said his decision to leave Long Beach was influenced by the poor health of his father, James.

“That made my decision a lot easier,” Cotton said. “My dad has a bad back and I don’t want him to have to keep working.”

The Cottons plan to meet again this week or early next week with Shumard and Maxson about their other son, Schea. Schea, a highly coveted recruit from Bellflower St. John Bosco High, signed a letter of intent with Long Beach during the early signing period in November.

Although the Cottons declined to discuss the situation, two team sources said they will likely request that Long Beach release Schea from his commitment. Schea has not yet received a qualifying score on the Scholastic Assessment Test. If Schea fails to receive a qualifying score, he would no longer be bound to Long Beach.

During the season, junior forward Marcus Johnson said he wouldn’t be back. Morgan dismissed junior forward Akeli Jackson from the team during the season and junior forward Corey Saffold transferred.

Freshman forward Greg Clark is expected to inform officials that he too is not returning next season, a team source said. And starting sophomore point guard Tommie Davis said Morgan has advised him to leave Long Beach because he is dissatisfied with his play.

“I couldn’t believe he said that to me,” said Davis, who finished second in the Big West in assists at 5.2 per game. “He told me that I would just sit on the bench for my last two years if I came back.

“I know he had a tough first year, but all of a sudden it’s all my fault? I mean, man, I really like Long Beach a lot. But I guess this is just a business to him.”

Davis’ mother is upset with Morgan. She also wants to meet with Shumard.

“My child has not been eating or sleeping because of this,” Dorothy Bates said. “I just don’t understand what [Morgan] is doing. How can Long Beach State let all of this happen with this team?”

Morgan and Shumard did not return phone calls Monday, but Long Beach released a statement wishing Cotton good luck.

Clark was unavailable for comment Monday. However, his mother said the family is observing what’s happening at Long Beach.

“There’s a better chance of Greg not being back [at Long Beach] than being back,” Patty Clark said. “With James and the other kids not being there, and maybe Schea also, it looks like they’re really going to be starting over.”