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NBA releases the official early entry list

UNC Greensboro UNC Wilmington Basketball

UNC Wilmington guard Chris Dixon shoots against UNC Greensboro’s Trevis Simpson during their NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2012, in Wilmington, N.C. UNC Wilmington won 87-73. (AP Photo/The Star-News, Jeff Janowski)

AP

The NBA released their official early entry list on Wednesday, and while there were no relevant surprises -- Marcus Smart didn’t slide his name into the NBA Draft pool when no one was paying attention -- but there were a handful of names that hadn’t made their way into the headlines. Here are the NBA Draft’s seven biggest surprises:

Nurideen Lindsey, Rider: Lindsey’s basketball career has been a long and winding road, going from Philly to a JuCo in Oklahoma to St. John’s and, finally, to Rider. But Lindsey opted to enter his name in the draft in part because he wants to help take care of his sick mother.

Trevis Simpson, UNC-Greensboro: After averaging 18.8 points as a junior for the Spartans, Simpson made the decision to bypass his senior season and begin a career as a professional. It’s not likely that Simpson will get drafted, but he’s talented enough that he should be able to make enough money to support his wife and daughter playing the game. Simpson may be best known for breaking a rim putting on a dunking clinic against Miami:

Tahj Tate, Delaware State: Tate left the MEAC school earlier this month with the intention of entering the NBA Draft in large part because he believes that he’ll be “a better NBA player than a college player”. Tate averaged 16.7 points as a freshman, but his production dropped to 12.8 points as a sophomore.

Adrien Coleman, Bethune-Cookman: Coleman will pass up his senior season at B-CU, where he averaged 17.8 points and 7.4 boards as a junior. But Coleman, who began his career at Nebraska and sat out one season as a redshirt, will graduate with a degree in May.

Christian Kabongo, Morgan State: Kabongo averaged 14.6 points as a sophomore at New Mexico State before transferring to Southern Miss and, then, Morgan State, where he never set foot on the court. Kabongo is best known for an, ahem, “obscene gesture” that got him suspended after a game at UTEP. He in Myck Kabongo’s cousin.

John Taylor, Fresno Pacific: Taylor averaged 27.5 points this season and scored 50 in an NCCAA tournament game. That’s the National Christian College Athletic Association tournament.

Joshua Simmons, Spartanburg Methodist: That’s a JuCo. He’s not even listed on the roster.

Here’s the entire list:


  • Steven Adams, Pittsburgh
  • C.J. Aiken, Saint Joseph’s
  • Anthony Bennett, UNLV
  • Vander Blue, Marquette
  • Lorenzo Brown, NC State
  • Reggie Bullock, North Carolina
  • Trey Burke, Michigan
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia
  • Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse
  • Adrien Coleman, Bethune-Cookman
  • Allen Crabbe, California
  • Dewayne Dedmon, USC
  • Gorgui Dieng, Louisville
  • Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State
  • Archie Goodwin, Kentucky
  • Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan
  • Grant Jerrett, Arizona
  • Christian Kabongo, New Mexico State
  • Myck Kabongo, Texas
  • Shane Larkin, Miami (Fl.)
  • Ricky Ledo, Providence
  • Alex Len, Maryland
  • C.J. Leslie, NC State
  • Nurideen Lindsey, Rider
  • Amath M’Baye, Oklahoma
  • Ray McCallum, Detroit
  • Ben McLemore, Kansas
  • Tony Mitchell, North Texas
  • Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA
  • Nerlens Noel, Kentucky
  • Victor Oladipo, Indiana
  • Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga
  • Norvel Pelle, Los Angeles College Prep Academy
  • Otto Porter, Georgetown
  • Marshawn Powell, Arkansas
  • Phil Pressey, Missouri
  • Andre Roberson, Colorado
  • Joshua Simmons, Spartanburg Methodist (JC)
  • Trevis Simpson, UNC-Greensboro
  • Tony Snell, New Mexico
  • Tahj Tate, Delaware State
  • John Taylor, Fresno Pacific
  • Adonis Thomas, Memphis
  • Deshaun Thomas, Ohio State
  • BJ Young, Arkansas
  • Cody Zeller, Indiana

You can find Rob on twitter @RobDauster.