Can Bruins Jump High Enough to Reach NBA?

Recent news items: UCLA basketball players JaRon Rush, Jerome Moiso and Jason Kapono are all considering leaving early for the NBA.

UCLA had a grand total of three players leave early before 1999. Then Baron Davis left. Now there are three in one year thinking about making the jump, even though none of them has NBA skills yet.

Blame the players for being immature? Perhaps. But one of the worst-kept secrets in Westwood is that these kids know their games are not going to advance under Steve Lavin’s tutelage, so perhaps they are getting out while they still have any game at all.

TONY SIRACUSA

Pasadena

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Jerome Moiso and JaRon Rush making themselves available for the NBA draft? I always thought leaving early was for college players who dominate. Maybe Moiso feels he can go in the weight room this summer, add 30 pounds to his skinny frame and make himself NBA-ready. While Rush feels he proved himself in the half-dozen or so games he played this year. Call me blind or old-fashioned, but I don’t think these two youngsters are ready.

MATT KERSTER

Redondo Beach

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I cannot believe what I am hearing. Now Kapono believes he is pro material. Who could be talking to these kids, Henry Bibby? The last time I looked, these same supposed pros were no better than middle of the pack in the Pac-10. Where does Lavin find these kids?

One more thing, Stanford has more pro talent than UCLA. For some odd reason, nobody ever writes or puts bugs in the Stanford players’ ears that they belong in the pros.

HECTOR HERNANDEZ

Orange