More on Moore

[Guest]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nbadraft/d03/story?id=1563652

Underclassmen weighing options in Chicago

By Andy Katz

ESPN.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO -- Marcus Moore wants to set the record straight: he is perfectly willing to return to Washington State and play for new coach [censored] Bennett.

The junior point guard said if he's not convinced that he'll be drafted in the first round June 26, then he will return to the Cougars.

"It wouldn't be a wise decision to stay in the draft if I were in the second round," Moore said. "I could go back and learn from coach Bennett. He's a really good dude. I got to know him a bit lately and I really like him and his coaching staff. I would need a guarantee to say I'd be in the first round."

Moore flourished in Paul Graham's more wide-open system at Washington State. He averaged 16.6 points per game as a sophomore and 18.2 as a junior this past season, which turned into an injury-riddled 18 games. But Moore said he would have declared for the draft regardless of a coaching change.

"It's something I would have done because I wanted to give myself a shot," Moore said. "If I don't play as well here, then I've got some heavy thinking to do."

But, again, he has no problem playing for Bennett, the former Wisconsin coach who got the Badgers to the 2000 Final Four.

"It's not that different," Moore said. "I can play slow, fast, anything. The offense is more structured for guards and big guys setting screens for guards, so it could be easier for me. It should be. The door is definitely open for me to return."

If Moore does go back to the Cougars in 2003-04, he should be a preseason first-team all-Pac-10 guard with a chance for Conference Player of the Year honors if he can lead Washington State out of the cellar.

Moore, who measured 6-foot-5 with shoes, 6-4 without, has the size NBA executives like for a point guard. He was 4-for-9 in his first game Wednesday, but had four turnovers against St. John's Marcus Hatten. But his defense on Hatten limited the high-scoring Red Storm point to just four points.

As for the rest of the early-entry candidates playing at the Chicago pre-draft camp who have an option to return to school because they haven't signed with an agent:

Maurice Williams: The Alabama sophomore point guard couldn't hang with Boston College's Troy Bell in his first game. Bell drove past Williams with ease for a team-high 17 points. Williams made three of eight shots and had five assists and one turnover, but he wasn't impressive. He measured at 6-foot without shoes, 6-2 with them on, and will have to be even more impressive to stay in the first round.

But that's if he stays in the draft.

"I feel like I'm a first-round pick," Williams said. "But I have no problem going back to school. I've got a good relationship with our coaches and they're behind me doing this."

Williams doesn't feel like he's got pressure on him to play well here, and he's not nervous. If he returns to Alabama, he knows he could be one of the top point guards in the country, not to mention the chance to team up with Kennedy Winston to form a duo that could lead the Tide back to the NCAA Tournament.

"No matter what happens, this is a great experience," Williams said.