After last year’s complete whiff by NBA draftniks on where Chris Taft and many other kids would get drafted, there seems to be a slightly lesser amount of attention to the draft boards. Especially before the Orlando draft camp. That seems to be why the range for discussing Aaron Gray seems to vary from mid-1st to late-2nd. Or it could simply be that it is only the end of April and there’s nearly 2 months before the draft.

Gray is still listed as the 5th best Center (Insider Subs), but is now dropped to 44th overall best prospect as other kids (like Kyle Lowry of Villanova) declare. The deadline to declare is on Friday. Chad Ford gives the pros and cons for Gray in the draft.

He has the size and strength to be an NBA center and his physicality is his greatest asset. As a prototypical big man, he uses his size and bulk to push people off the block. He’s also an excellent rebounder, especially on the offensive boards.

He’s still not polished on the offensive end of the floor, but he does have a nice short jump hook that he uses when he gets deep position, and he’s a good passer out of the block.

The obvious concern with Gray is his lack of athleticism. He’s a groundhog who doesn’t really move up and down the floor that well. He’s also very foul prone, which hurt Pittsburgh in the tournament.

Given the dearth of centers in this year’s draft, combined with his solid play this year, his stock might never be higher.

He’s still on the first-round bubble, but on draft day, size often seems to trump other factors — giving him a legit shot at the first round.

Size tends to trump. That may be the one thing that gets him to stay in the draft. I don’t think Ford has a real sense on Gray, because it is arguable that his offensive rebound stats are a bit exaggerated from following his own misses. Not to mention, nary a word about his turnovers.

It’s an interesting thing about all sports. As much as it is about the athleticism and doing the extraordinary, there is a hard bent of conservatism when it comes to how a player should look or style at a position. A comfort in the Center in basketball being a big, slow space-eater of a guy. The QB being a drop-back, pocket passer.

Press release from Pitt.

University of Pittsburgh junior center Aaron Gray announced Thursday that he will make himself available for the 2006 NBA Draft. Per NCAA rules, Gray will retain the option to withdraw from the draft and return for his senior season at Pitt since he will not sign with an agent. The NBA Draft Early Entry withdrawal deadline is on June 18, 2006, one week before the NBA Draft (June 28 at New York’s Madison Square Garden).

“In discussing my options the last couple of weeks with my family and Coach Dixon, I feel that it is in my best interest to declare for the NBA Draft,” Gray said. “I will not hire an agent, leaving me the option to return to the University of Pittsburgh for my senior season. The draft process will provide me a great learning experience and will help me become a better player. Academically, I am well on my way to graduating and earning a degree and that is a priority for me. I want to thank the administration, coaching staff, my teammates and fans who have all supported me over the last three years. No matter how much money the NBA offers, that amount won’t be able to buy back my senior season at Pitt.”

“Aaron carefully considered this decision and sought the right information before making it,” Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon said. “We’ve been counseling him each step of the way and will continue to do so over the next two months. This is a logical step for Aaron to take and we will support him wholeheartedly.”

A move that shocks no one. There is no reason not to do this. If you are a potential 1st or even 2nd round pick, it makes perfect sense to go through the process and find out more information.

My feeling has always been that he will do this, but ultimately come back for a final season to make himself a 1st round and perhaps lotter pick lock.

The outrage, just seems… a little lacking.

About 30 students marched on the Penn State University president’s office yesterday, demanding the dismissal of women’s basketball coach Rene Portland.

The group, which found itself locked out of President Graham Spanier’s office suite, also read a letter demanding changes in the way the university responds to issues involving gay people and other minorities.

The school concluded a half-year internal investigation last week by announcing that Ms. Portland discriminated against former player Jennifer Harris and others she perceived as lesbians.

Penn State fined the coach $10,000 and ordered her to take diversity training.

That doesn’t go far enough, said students and others who marched yesterday, including representatives of gay political action groups, an AIDS education group, the student black caucus, the undergraduate student government and the graduate student coalition.

They started with a 15-minute rally at the student center and then marched to the administration building. When they tried to enter Mr. Spanier’s offices, however, they found the double doors locked and were told he was out of town.

A rally of 30. Sure they just weren’t meeting for lunch? So, with at least 5 different student groups represented and the best they could do was 30 people? On a campus the size of Penn State? Was this really a protest or just some prank?

They said their concerns go beyond the women’s team and athletics and extend to academic and campus life issues.

Obviously it resonated throughout the campus.

Greg Lee won’t get drafted until Day 2 of the NFL Draft. Of that, I feel fairly confident. The more I have thought about it, the more I think he didn’t really make a mistake coming out early.

He wasn’t going to get much faster. His route running would stay consistent. The only issue with Lee is holding on to the football and/or focusing. Sad to say, I don’t think that would have changed much if he stayed.

Lee said a lot of factors contributed to his decision, but the biggest two probably were economics and the pool of receivers in the draft. This year is not considered to be a very strong year for receivers, and the crop next year is projected to be considerably stronger.

“There is a small group, maybe two or three, big-time receivers, and then there is a larger group of receivers a lot like Greg right behind them,” said Joe Butler of Metro Index scouting camps. “With that second group, it all comes down to what a team is looking for in a player as to who they pick, so it is hard to say how high or low any of them will go.”

Lee said, “that right there — the other receivers in the draft — really played a lot into my decision. I feel like I am as good as any of those guys and I feel like I proved that at the combine.”

Most analysts and scouts don’t agree with him.

Former Cowboys general manager Gil Brandt, now an analyst for NFL.Com, doesn’t rank Lee among the top 15 receivers in the draft, and Scouts Inc. has him listed as the 18th-best receiver, five spots below Penn State’s Michael Robinson, who played quarterback most of his career.

Unlike the NBA draft where if you’re in a pool like that, you have a good chance of being drafted higher because there always seems to be one NBA GM who will rank something about the player higher and take the chance. The NFL draft is generally more rigid in its settings and there aren’t many reaches — definitely not many big reaches.