Tuesday, May 04, 1999
Coach: UC recruit Johnson not eyeing NBA draft
Curtis Malone, club basketball coach and recruiting advisor for Cincinnati Bearcats recruit DerMarr Johnson, disputes an Internet report that Johnson was in Toronto last week to work out for members of the Raptors scouting staff.
Johnson, a 6-foot-9 shooting guard from Maine Central Institute, did work out last week with former California coach Todd Bozeman, an ad vance scout for the Raptors who does not search for college talent.
The workouts were conducted in the Washington D.C. area, while Johnson was there on break from MCI.
“Todd Bozeman is a very good friend of ours,” Malone said. “He worked out D.J. as a favor.
“The Toronto Raptors wouldn't be interested in DerMarr Johnson, anyway, with Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter on their roster.”
The report was posted on the sportsamericainc.com Web page.
Johnson signed a letter of intent last month and is the top prospect in the Bearcats' class. Malone said it is likely Johnson would play in college for more than one season.
Johnson still could file for early draft entry, before the May 16 deadline, but his only interest in entering the NBA directly out of high school would be if he could be chosen among the top 15 picks.
“Right now, we just haven't been really looking into it,” Malone said. “He signed (with UC), and that's out of the way, and that's it right now.”
— Mike DeCourcy
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 Coach: UC recruit Johnson not eyeing NBA draft
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