Tiger pair hoping to go in NBA draft
Stephens, Thomas seen as potential picks
Lined up along the north wall of the Finch Center are images of the former University of Memphis basketball standouts who went on to play in the NBA.
Coach Josh Pastner expects to eventually add two more murals to the lineup of former Tigers: Adonis Thomas and D.J. Stephens, who are both hoping to hear their name called Thursday night during the NBA draft.
“I love those two guys. I’m praying for those guys,” Pastner said Wednesday. “They’re both NBA players. I’m just excited to tune into the draft. No matter what, those guys can have long careers in the NBA and that’s the bottom line. I truly believe both guys are going to get drafted.”
Thomas and Stephens plan to watch the draft from their homes Thursday in Memphis. Some mock drafts have them projected as second-round selections, so it could be late Thursday night before either player hears his name called.
“I’m good. I mean, I ain’t stressing,” Stephens said Wednesday. “I’m anxious. I’m excited to see what happens (Thursday). From the things that I’ve heard, there’s no bad outcome in everything that’s going on, so I’m not worried about it.
“I heard as of right now, worst- case scenario, I’ll be
wearing an NBA jersey at the start of next season. If that’s your worst possible scenario, that’s great.”
Stephens, who last month made the highest vertical leap ever recorded at an NBA combine (46 inches), has worked out for nine NBA teams, including the Memphis Grizzlies, who have three second-round selections (the 41st, 55th and 60th overall picks).
Last year’s Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and a third-team all- C-USA selection, Stephens (6- 6, 194) averaged 7.6 points and a team-leading 6.6 rebounds per game as a senior at Memphis last season.
His 95 blocks last year were the fourth-most by a Tigers player in a season. Only former Tigers big men David Vaughn (107 blocks in 1993-94) and Keith Lee (102 in 1981-82; 96 in 1982-83), who were both first-round NBA draft picks, registered more in one season.
Thomas (6- 6, 230), meanwhile, ranked second for Memphis in scoring (11.7 points per game) as a sophomore last season and fourth in rebounding (4.5 per game). He was a thirdteam all-C-USA selection, and he has worked out for 13 NBA teams, including the Grizzlies on Monday.
“It’s looking good for me,” Thomas said. “Even like (former Tiger) Will (Barton last year), he didn’t work out for the Portland Trail Blazers and they picked him (40th overall). I might go somewhere where I didn’t work out because teams talk to each other. They could have liked me all year from watching me at Memphis, so I could end up somewhere I didn’t even work out at.”
NBA draft. net a nd Hoopsworld. com have Thomas going No. 59 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
ESPN.com NBA draft insider Chad Ford has Stephens, whom he’s raved about since seeing him at a combine in Brooklyn in late May, going No. 60 to the Grizzlies in his latest mock draft.