Mater Dei’s Sampson Considers Going Pro

Mater Dei center Jamal Sampson, who has signed a letter of intent to play at California, said Wednesday he might make himself available for the June 27 NBA draft because he isn’t “really into school.”

“I’m giving it a good consideration,” said Sampson, a 6-foot-11 center. “I had a few [coaches] ask around, and they said [I could go] middle of the first round or late in the first round. If I was guaranteed middle of the first round, I would give it a lot of consideration.”

Sampson shot 71.3% from the field this season and averaged 15.5 points, 10 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots for the Division I state champion Monarchs (33-2), but he missed 11 games with various foot ailments. Over the last two seasons, Sampson missed 22 games and failed to become the prep superstar many expected him to be.

But he said NBA teams might still find him attractive because of his size and promise.

“A lot of people who come out, [NBA teams] judge them on potential, not at where they’re at now,” Sampson said. “A lot of people who have come out in recent years, Korleone Young and guys like that, I’m pretty much on the same level as they were and they were still first-rounders.”

Actually, Young was selected in the second round of the 1998 draft by Detroit, and has since been waived by Philadelphia.

Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said Sampson would be better served by attending Cal.

“He should go to college and play healthy for a couple of years,” McKnight said. “Then he could show how good he is and be a potential real high draft pick. Going [to the NBA] now, he’s too young and he needs that maturity factor of going to college.”

Sampson said he expects to have surgery in early April to remove a bone spur in his right foot. If he heals within a month, as expected, he would then attend draft camps “to see where I’m predicted to go.” The deadline for high school players to declare is May 13.

“If I can’t get myself ready to work out during the camps, I wouldn’t declare,” Sampson said. “I would go to college.”

Sampson said he has the qualifying grades and SAT score to enter Cal, but acknowledged that he isn’t “really into school.”

The idea to turn pro may have been planted in Sampson’s head by Chicago Bull scout Gar Forman, McKnight said. A few months ago, Forman requested a tape of Mater Dei’s game against Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy because the Bulls were scouting DeSagana Diop, the Warriors’ 7-foot center.

After watching the tape, Forman called McKnight and told him the Bulls were more impressed with Sampson than Diop and would track his progress in college. McKnight relayed the message to Sampson.