Villanova senior Curtis Sumpter couldn't be happier to be done with his college career.
And after five years of ups and downs with the Wildcats, the big man is finally ready to take the next step in his career - hopefully on the NBA hardwood.
"I'm glad college is over in the sense that I can just look back on it and see some of the things I accomplished and overcame," Sumpter said yesterday. "I'm glad I could just be a part of bringing Villanova back to a national contender and I'm just excited to get started with my career."
After sending off five players to continue their playing careers in the NBA last year, Sumpter appears to be the Philadelphia Big 5 player with the best shot to play in the pros.
Of the five players that saw action in the league out of college after the 2006 season, three were actually drafted, with Kyle Lowry and Randy Foye of Villanova as well as Mardy Collins of Temple all going in the first round.
Forward Steven Smith of La Salle and former Wildcats guard Allan Ray went undrafted, but signed with pro teams after the draft.
But this year the Big 5 pickings are considerably slimmer, and despite his impressive career at Villanova, even Sumpter is not even a sure pick to be drafted.
Penn guard Ibrahim Jaaber is the other candidate most likely to have a professional career in the States. And while his performance at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament did not showcase his scoring ability, the senior may have demonstrated his value in other areas, racking up a team-high eight assists in his squad's final game of the tournament.
Penn coach Glen Miller believes that Jaaber will continue his development as a player, and that even if the NBA is not in the cards this time around for the guard, Jaaber will definitely have a chance to continue his playing career.
"I think it's guaranteed he's going to be playing some place professionally, whether its in Europe or in the developmental league here," Miller said. "I think his skill set is good and the development of it will be an ongoing process and he'll get better and better. I think his best days are probably ahead of him."
Dustin Salisbery of Temple also had an impressive showing at Portsmouth, helping his team through the tournament before losing in the championship game. Salisbery posted a team-high 22 points in the championship, making his case as a candidate to continue playing professionally in the development league or abroad.
Bigger contracts and more opportunities to play overseas have made Europe an attractive option to many talented players coming out of college that are doubtful to be drafted.
With 14 players from European club teams, including 2006 No. 1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani of Italy, it is becoming apparent that the leagues overseas have become every bit as much of a conduit to the NBA as the American development leagues.
But Sumpter is hoping not to have to take that extra step.
After an impressive year as a leader for this season's Wildcats squad, the forward collected accolades for his presence in the post as well as his ability to net the three-ball.
His extra year at Villanova gives him the maturity and experience that could only benefit him should he make it to the NBA.
But with experience comes wear and tear, and over five years of pounding the hardwood, Sumpter has had to undergo multiple knee surgeries - ones that are bound to raise the eyebrows of teams interested in drafting him.
For professional scouts, Sumpter's only other complication might come from his six-foot-seven-inch frame. He has been criticized as too small to match up with NBA big men at power forward, and too big to make him a solid candidate for the small forward position that requires agility Sumpter did not demonstrate in his time at Villanova.
The wealth of second-round talent in this year's draft class, a group projected to include Nick Fazekas of Nevada and Jared Dudley of Boston College, will likely diminish Sumpter's odds of being drafted. But the forward is confident about his ability and just glad to have the chance to extend his playing days.
"I think I'm going to get drafted, I'm just not sure where," Sumpter said. "It really doesn't matter to me where I am drafted, I just want the opportunity to play in the league."
