Travis Outlaw to test draft

[HawkTodd]

Miss. St. recruit to test draft waters. (5-9-03)

http://www.sportingnews.com/cbasketball/ar...509/472851.html

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State recruit Travis Outlaw will make himself eligible for the NBA draft, but he won't compromise his college eligibility by hiring an agent.

The 6-foot-8, 205-pound forward from Starkville High School was a McDonald's All-American this past season. He has been mentioned as a potential first-round draft pick.

He released a statement Friday through the high school announcing his intentions.

"With the support of my family, I have decided that I will enter my name in the 2003 NBA draft," Outlaw said. "It's always been my dream to play in the NBA. To have an opportunity to do that straight out of high school is very exciting."

A high school player can enter his name in the draft and retain his college eligibility under NCAA rules by withdrawing his name from the draft by June 19 and not hiring an agent.

First-round picks receive guaranteed three-year contracts that range in value from about $12 million for the first pick to about $2 million for the 29th.

By declaring for the draft, Outlaw can participate in the NBA's pre-draft camp June 3-6 in Chicago.

If Outlaw does bypass college, he'll be the second Mississippi State signee to do so.

Jonathan Bender of Picayune signed with Mississippi State in the fall of 1998, but instead jumped right to the NBA. He was picked fifth overall by the Indiana Pacers in 1999.

Last month, Mississippi State junior center Mario Austin made himself available for the NBA draft and signed with an agent.

Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury, who also signed Bender, was out of town Friday, and did not immediately return a phone message left at his office.