Testing the draft could hurt underclassmen

Karl Hicks won’t give names, but said there have been cases when a seemingly benign process turned out badly for underclassmen who entered the NBA draft without an agent.

There’s a theory that juniors in particular can’t hurt themselves when they go through the pre-draft camp and work out with teams that pay to transport them.

But Hicks, the ACC associate commissioner who’s a former Charlotte Bobcats executive, says players can be “typecast” if they enter the draft too soon and struggle in pre-draft workouts.

“There is a downside, actually,” Hicks said Tuesday. “Student-athletes get out there and work out for teams and get painted with a broad brush in terms of what they can and cannot do.”

That particularly makes sense this year. The 2008 draft is considered strong because of an impressive freshman class that includes Kansas State forward Michael Beasley and Memphis guard Derrick Rose.

The 2009 draft is supposed to be weaker. That’s why going through pre-draft activities don’t make sense for a player like North Carolina junior Danny Green.

Next year he will be a better player, and the competition won’t be as strong. But if he makes a bad impression this year, it won’t be easy to erase. – Ken Tysiac