COLUMBIA, S.C., April 28 (UPI) -- Renaldo Balkman has entered the NBA draft while refraining from hiring an agent, the step that would irrevocably end his college eligibility.
Dave Odom, Balkman's coach at the University of South Carolina, told The State, a Columbia, S.C., newspaper, an NBA advisory panel predicted Balkman would not be drafted until the middle of the second round. The panel of NBA general managers also said he has a good chance of failing to be drafted this year, leading Balkman to hedge his bets.
"I've tried to make it as easy as I possibly could for him," Odom said. "If he's made his decision, he should go. Nobody would be mad at him. We want what is best for him."
Odom said if Balkman is not invited to a pre-draft camp in June he would advise him to drop out of the draft. The deadline for withdrawing a name is June 18.
Balkman led the university to its second National Invitational Tournament title this year and was named the most valuable player of the tournament.
