Well, thus completes the cycle of Ed Davis rumors surrounding his draft status: first, we were sure he would be gone (complete with the kerfluffle over his appearance on a sports agency’s website), then with a wrist injury that could be prohibitive for workouts we thought he might stay in Chapel Hill another year, but now he’s officially declaring for the NBA draft.
“I’ve had two great years at North Carolina both as a player and a student and now I want to pursue my lifelong dream of playing in the NBA,” says Davis. “I love being a Tar Heel and am proud to know that I will always be part of this unique family. I want to thank Coach Williams for giving me the opportunity to play for Carolina. My coaches and teammates have helped me develop as a player and a person and I will miss helping them get the Tar Heel program back on top…
“I thoroughly enjoyed being part of the student body here and I want to thank the students and all the Carolina fans for their support. Right now I want to finish the school year in good shape academically and get ready for the next step in my basketball career. Finally, my family and I again want to thank Coach Williams for giving me the opportunity to play for the Tar Heels and create so many great memories.”
The most interesting part of his decision seems to be that while analysts have suspected a few players nationwide declaring earlier than anticipated because of the expiring NBA collective bargaining agreement and thus a lockout looming for the league in the future, Ed Davis’ father talked to the News & Observer and just blatantly said that getting into the league ahead of the lockout was a big part of the decision.
Wonder if that statement makes a few Duke fans waiting for Kyle Singler’s draft decision nervous…
