May 7, 1999
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky junior Jamaal Magloire has decided todeclare himself eligible for the National Basketball Association’s JuneDraft, Coach Tubby Smith announced today.
Magloire, a 6-10 center who played in 34 games with two startsin 1998-99, finished fifth on the team in scoring and fourth inrebounding, averaging 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He led theWildcats in blocked shots with 66 and ranks fourth all-time at UK inblocks with 211.
“It’s always been my dream to play in the NBA and I’ve workedhard all my life to reach this goal,” Magloire said from his home inToronto. “I have sat down with my family and decided to test the waters,but I’m leaving the door open to return to UK. I’m not going to signwith an agent and I will enroll at UK for summer school to ensure thatthat door remains open.”
The deadline for all underclassmen to enter the draft ismidnight May 16. The draft will be held June 30 at the MCI Center inWashington, D.C. If Magloire decides to return to Kentucky, he mustwithdraw his name in writing to the NBA by June 23.
“I think most college basketball players dream of playing in theNBA,” Coach Smith said. “Jamaal wants to investigate his options and hedeserves that right. His intentions are to submit his name in the draft,go through the process, attend the pre-draft camp in Chicago and notsign with an agent. That will give him the option of returning to ourprogram if he’s not pleased on where he might be drafted.”
Magloire, a native of Toronto, was a member of UK’s 1997national runner-up squad and its 1998 NCAA Championship team. As afreshman in 1996-97, he started 22 of the 40 games, leading theSoutheastern Conference in blocked shots with 79, a school record for afreshman at UK. He was selected to the SEC All-Freshman Team despiteaveraging just 15.7 minutes, 4.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
As a sophomore, he started 12 games and played a key role inUK’s drive to the national title, shooting 71.4 percent from the fieldand 80.0 percent from the foul line during the six NCAA Tournamentgames. He averaged 4.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per gameduring the ’98 tournament, including a 22-minute effort vs. Utah in thetitle game in which he tallied seven points, two rebounds and threeblocked shots. He also played exceptional defense in the game, helpinghold Utah center Michael Doleac without a field goal in the second half.
“I want to thank the fans who have accepted me into their heartsand into their Kentucky basketball families,” Magloire said. “With theirsupport, the support of my family and coaching staff, I’ve become abetter person in my three years in Lexington. Whether I’m in the NBA orback in school next season, I will always know that it’s a privilege tobe a Kentucky Wildcat.”
Magloire is the sixth Wildcat in the last seven years to declarefor the NBA Draft as an underclassman. He joins a list that includesJamal Mashburn (1993), Rodrick Rhodes (1995), Antoine Walker (1996), RonMercer (1997) and Nazr Mohammed (1998).
