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Charlie Villanueva has heeded Jim Calhoun's advice to hit the weight room to prepare for the NBA.
Two years ago, Charlie Villanueva thought he was ready for the NBA. Now, he says he's sure.
Connecticut's 6-foot-11, 240-pound sophomore forward said Tuesday he will skip his final two years of college eligibility to enter the NBA Draft.
It will be the second time Villanueva has gone through the NBA evaluation process. Coming out of Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., in 2003, Villanueva declared for the draft, but changed his mind after workouts in front of NBA scouts.
"I knew I wasn't ready," Villanueva said. "I know I have to work on my body, to get stronger, but I'm 100 percent confident this time. I didn't have that feeling coming out of high school."
Villanueva led the Huskies in scoring this season, averaging 13.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Scouts have praised Villanueva's ball-handling, passing and shot-blocking skills, and have projected he will be a late first-round pick.
Scouts also have expressed concern he's not big enough to pound with the power forwards in the NBA, and he might not have the defense to stay with the smaller forwards in the league.
Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun told Villanueva he needs a lot of work in the weight room to get ready for the pros.
Villanueva is the eighth player during Calhoun's tenure at UConn to leave school early for the NBA. The coach said he is not shy about telling players when he thinks they are not ready.
"I don't think Charlie's making a mistake," he said. "Would I have liked him to stay for another year? Yeah. Could he use another year? To some degree, they all could."
Villanueva chose to go pro in part because his mother was in a serious car accident last year on her way to work, and he doesn't want her to have to work again.
"She wanted me to come back, but I just felt it was right," he said.
Even though Villanueva will likely earn millions of dollars next year, his departure will hurt UConn's grade under a system being implemented to evaluate academic progress of NCAA programs. Calhoun said that should be changed.
"Right now, we seem to have lost a little bit of sight that a few of our very, very special students have an opportunity to get a very, very special job," Calhoun said.
Calhoun said three other Connecticut players mentioned as possibly leaving for the pros -- sophomores Marcus Williams and Josh Boone and freshman Rudy Gay -- have told him they are coming back to school.
Villanueva said he's confident UConn can win another national championship, even if he's not on the floor.
"With me, without me, it doesn't matter. They are going to be experienced, and they are going to be great," he said.
Source: AP