Time to MoveOn for Curry Cowboys star keeps his name in NBA Draft Time to MoveOn for Curry
By Andrea Cohen
Published: June 19, 2007
STILLWATER — JamesOn Curry did not withdraw his name from the NBA Draft, and the Oklahoma State guard said Monday that even if he goes undrafted he will not return to school for his senior season.
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"I know people keep saying if I came back I could be a first-round pick next year, but you don't live for tomorrow,” Curry said. "You live for today.”
It has seemed likely for the last couple of weeks that Curry would keep his name in the draft, which is June 28. The guard, who averaged 17.3 points last season, hasn't worked out with his teammates and didn't work the OSU basketball camps the last two weeks. However, because he hadn't hired an agent it seemed possible that he might return to school if he wasn't selected in the draft.
Monday, Curry said he still hadn't hired an agent, but he will play on a summer league team and try to make a roster if he isn't drafted.
"Nah, I'm not coming back,” Curry said. "I'm going to graduate for Miss Marilyn (Middlebrook, OSU Associate Athletic Director of Academic Affairs), that's important to me, but right now I'm going to pursue my dreams.”
It is possible that he would have NCAA eligibility complications if he decided to return to school, much like Kentucky's Randolph Morris did last year.
Curry said his dream of playing professional basketball, and not a desire to leave Stillwater, prompted his decision. He also said, "money wasn't the issue.”
OSU coach Sean Sutton, who tried several times last week to convince Curry to stay, spoke highly of the combo guard.
"We've thoroughly enjoyed having JamesOn as a part of the Cowboy basketball family,” Sutton said. "I appreciate the many contributions that he's made to our program. He's a special young man who is a terrific basketball player. He also excelled in the classroom during his time in our program.”
Curry came to Stillwater after a scholarship offer to North Carolina was rescinded due to a drug conviction. Curry was on probation until this year.
"I finally got off probation and I'm feeling good, I'm feeling confident,” he said. "I got that monkey off my back, and I'm ready to go out and work hard and hopefully I'll get drafted. Hopefully, those three years (at OSU) did good.”
JamesOn Curry has supplied Oklahoma State with plenty of excitement over the past three seasons . Monday, the senior-to-be announced his plans to make himself available for the NBA Draft. BY MATT STRASEN, THE OKLAHOMAN
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