Kapono Leaving (Himself an Out)

Jason Kapono has made himself available for the NBA draft but also left open the possibility of staying at UCLA, essentially delaying the ultimate decision on whether he will leave school--and whether the Bruins have any real chance for success next season.

School officials were informed of the plans Friday night and the public announcement came Saturday. That was accompanied by a statement from Kapono that he intends to “test the waters” for the NBA, meaning he won’t hire an agent, thereby retaining his college eligibility while at the same time working out for teams to better gauge his standing for the June 28 draft.

“Playing in the NBA has been a lifelong dream of mine,” Kapono said. “I feel that now is the appropriate time to explore that option. After the next few weeks, I will be able to accurately decide what will be my future plans. My first year of college and playing for Steve Lavin and the UCLA Bruins has been a great experience. That’s why I have left the door open to return.”

Said Lavin, also in a statement: “Jason has been very deliberate in his approach to exploring his future in basketball at the next level. Obviously, I’m happy he’s left open the option of returning to UCLA. If he decides to enter the NBA draft, it’s because he will be a first-round selection. If he decides to come back to us at UCLA, we will welcome him with open arms.”

Neither Kapono nor Lavin was available for additional comment.

Being picked late in the first round is a realistic possibility, some teams say, but not a certainty. Others, while waiting to see more in the individual workouts and pre-draft camps, project him going as late as mid-second round, the kind of standing that could send him back to UCLA.

Kapono has until June 21, a week before the draft, to pull out without penalty, as long as he has not hired an agent.

The future of a team hinges on his decision. The 6-foot-7 Kapono is the Bruins’ best and most consistent player, lacking the athleticism that has NBA scouts so intrigued about Jerome Moiso and JaRon Rush, the UCLA forwards who are leaving for sure, but little else. He handles the ball well enough to play point forward, is unselfish, has three-point range, and was used at forward and guard. Conference coaches named him the Pacific 10 co-freshman of the year and the Internet site CBS SportsLine named him national freshman of the year.

His return would be a huge stabilizer at a time when two key players, Moiso and Rush, are turning pro and another, center Dan Gadzuric, said he will after next season. That would give the Bruins of 2000-01 depth and leadership in the backcourt--most notably Earl Watson, Rico Hines, Ryan Bailey and Ray Young--along with starters Kapono and Gadzuric up front.

His departure would be just as much of a blow. Even as a freshman, Kapono, living up to all the expectations that came after a great career at Lakewood Artesia, led the team in scoring at 16 points a game, used his range to keep defenses from collapsing on Gadzuric and Moiso inside, and handled late-game situations with composure.

Beyond that, the Bruins would be greatly exposed at forward. Kapono and Moiso, the starters, and Rush, a key reserve, would be gone, and the options for replacements would be few. Matt Barnes would be the only true forward among the returnees--and he might sit out the start of the season to play football for the first time at UCLA. T.J. Cummings and Josiah Johnson, the two high school recruits, could start. Either way, get ready for a lot of three-guard lineups.

Before Kapono’s announcement, 22 underclassmen or high school seniors had declared for the draft, including Moiso, Rush and Schea Cotton of Alabama by way of Mater Dei and St. John Bosco. The group is led by two certain top-five picks, Chris Mihm of Texas and Marcus Fizer of Iowa State, and a possible, Stromile Swift of Louisiana State.

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NBA-ELIGIBLE UNDERCLASSMEN, PAGE 14