By Robbie Neiswanger
Arkansas News Bureau • rneiswanger@arkansasnews.com
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas point guard Courtney Fortson said Wednesday the 2010 NBA Draft wasn’t the “end of the road” for his goal of playing professional basketball.
That’s good news for he and teammate Michael Washington.
Neither Fortson or Washington were selected in the two-round, 60-pick draft Thursday night. The two entered the evening as NBA Draft longshots. It held true after Miami forward Dwayne Collins was the final player selected by the Phoenix Suns.
But Washington, at least, didn’t have to wait long for an opportunity after the draft: The New York Knicks extended an invitation for him to play on their summer league team next month. Summer league teams are primarily comprised of rookies and other undrafted free agents.
Both understood the scenario was possible entering the night despite being optimistic of being selected. Washington was the 22nd best power forward available, according to DraftExpress.com. Fortson was the 17th-best point guard. Neither player was included on most mock draft boards entering Thursday.
“Best case scenario, I get taken late first round early second,” Fortson said last week when asked what he expected. “Worst case, free agency or something like that.”
They certainly weren’t alone among the undrafted Thursday night. Other former Southeastern Conference players like Tennessee’s Tyler Smith and Wayne Chism weren’t selected. Neither was Alabama guard Mikhail Torrance.
Nick Paluch, the director of marketing and co-founder of BP Sports Management, the agency representing both players, said Wednesday he was confident both players would have opportunities to make NBA teams as free agents, though. He also said the New York Knicks had been impressed with Washington leading up to the draft even though he wasn’t selected by the team Thursday. Washington worked out for New York the day before the draft.
“We’ve been in everyday contact with the New York Knicks,” Paluch said Wednesday. “They’re not looking at him as someone who would be a big scorer. But someone who would give them 10, 12 minutes and get maybe six points and a handful of rebounds.
“What they like about him is his pick-and-roll ability.”
Washington considered entering the 2009 NBA Draft as a junior after averaging 15.5 points and 9.8 rebounds for the Razorbacks, but returned to school and watched his numbers drop in 2009-10. The McGahee native struggled with a back injury most of the year and averaged 12.5 points and 6.1 rebounds a game.
Fortson left school after a sophomore season in which he averaged a team-high 17.9 points and earned second-team All-SEC honors. But his draft status was obviously hurt by his 14-game suspension to open the year. Fortson declined to dive into specifics regarding his suspension during an interview last week, but said conversations with NBA teams regarding the off-the-court issues went well during the pre-draft process.
He was hoping someone would “fall in love” with him.
The possibility remains. However, it would have to come via free agency now and earning his way onto a roster starting with the NBA summer league.
Fortson could even head to Europe.
“I’d go over to Europe if I had to,” Fortson said last week. “I don’t have a problem with it really. My first choice is the league, but you’ve always got to have a backup plan.”
