Maryland basketball has the potential to be much better in 2011/12 than it was in 2010/11, but much of that depends on the status of sophomore forward Jordan Williams. Williams had an excellent sophomore season, and there is a possibility that he would declare for the 2011 NBA Draft. According to a report by CSN's Chick Hernandez, Williams is considering doing just that.
Maryland sophomore Jordan Williams seriously considering the NBA, parents want him to wait to hire an agent.
Williams averaged 16.9 points and 11.8 rebounds per game last season, and is projected to be a borderline first-round pick by many draft experts, but he faded at the end of the year and may need another year to become even stronger. That said, the promise of guaranteed money is alluring for Williams, even with the prospect of an NBA lockout.
Williams would forego his college eligibility if he put his name in and hired an agent. However, he could put his name in, go through workouts and the predraft combine, then pull his name out and return to school if he does not hire an agent. Many players have used this tactic as a way to determine what areas need improvement. Greivis Vasquez, for example, went through the process without an agent, pulled out and returned to Maryland, where he won ACC Player of the Year as a senior.