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OSU’s Carroll eager for draft night
A scroll through Jeffrey Carroll’s Twitter account features picture after picture of sneakers and practice jerseys in various colors. Occasionally, a photo of the former Oklahoma State guard with an NBA legend appears instead.
Carroll has been a busy man in the past couple of months, participating in workouts for nearly half the league ahead of Thursday’s NBA Draft. Beginning in late April, Carroll, who ranks in the top 20 in OSU history in scoring and rebounding, visited with 14 teams in an effort to showcase his abilities.
“It’s kind of been a rollercoaster,” Carroll said in a phone interview with The Oklahoman. “It’s just been something that you’ve got to go through to get to where
you want to go, and my goal, my childhood dream is just to make it to the next level, and that could change here within the next week.”
Despite Carroll’s popularity on the workout circuit, it’s no guarantee the Cowboys will have a player taken in consecutive drafts for the first time since 2004 and 2005 after Juwan Evans was drafted last year.
Carroll’s agent, NEXT Sports’ Zachary Charles, has told him to be prepared to go anywhere in the second round, but Carroll also understands his selection isn’t promised.
“I’m just keeping a fresh mind and keeping it open and
just knowing that there’s a possibility I won’t get my name called,” Carroll said. “I’m just trying to keep it a normal level right now.”
Regardless of what happens next, Carroll said he has enjoyed the process. The travel has been strenuous, but Carroll believes he has made the most of it. On a trip to New York to work out for the Knicks, he ran into NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas at LaGuardia Airport. During his workout last week with the Lakers, he got a photo with Magic Johnson.
He has also made stops in the Bay Area, Boston and Oklahoma City, among others.
“Some of these places, I’ve never been to or never thought I would go, but it’s just crazy where the game can take you, and it’s taken me across the country within the past couple of months,” Carroll said. “Most people don’t even get to experience something like that. It’s been something I’m trying to just soak in.”
After that Lakers workout, a coach told Carroll, “I would honestly be shocked if you don’t get drafted.” Carroll appreciated the praise, but he doesn’t want to get his hopes too high.
Even if Carroll doesn’t get selected in either of the draft’s two rounds, he has already been guaranteed Summer League opportunities with various teams, he said.
“I’ll have options,” he said.
Although Carroll has enjoyed the travel of the past several weeks, he plans to stay home in Dallas on draft night.
“I want to have draft night just close, just with my family and try to treat it like a normal night,” Carroll said. “Until it gets to the second round.”