JV just announced he would declare like most of you speculated..

[99jc]

<span style="font-size: 11px;">STARKVILLE, Miss. - Mississippi State All-SEC forward Jarvis Varnado has declared himself eligible for the 2009 NBA draft, but will leave the door open to return for his senior year by not hiring an agent.</span></p>

<span style="font-size: 11px;">This past season as a junior, the 6-foot-9, 210-pound Brownsville, Tenn., native started a school-record 36 games and averaged a team-high 12.9 points and 8.8 boards in leading the Bulldogs to a 23-13 ledger and a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.</span></p>

<span style="font-size: 11px;">He was also instrumental in MSU winning the SEC Tournament in Tampa, Fla., with his MVP performance of 13.8 points, 8.8 boards and 22 blocked shots in the Bulldogs' magical four-game run to the crown.</span></p>

<span style="font-size: 11px;">Varnado, a two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, had to file his paperwork with the NBA by midnight on Sunday. His deadline to withdraw his name is June 15.</span></p>

<span style="font-size: 11px;">"I just want to test the water to see where I stand," said Varnado, who led the nation with 170 blocks, an SEC single-season record, and has 394 for his career. "I'm not going to hire an agent so I can have an opportunity to return."</span></p>

<span style="font-size: 11px;">Should he return for his senior season, he would need just 19 more blocks to surpass former LSU great Shaquille O'Neal's SEC career mark of 412 and 141 to tie the NCAA record of 535 Louisiana-Monroe's Wojciech Mydra set from 1998-2002.</span></p>

<span style="font-size: 11px;">He's also just 93 points shy of becoming the 31st MSU player to score 1,000 for a career, while his 727 rebounds rank ninth all-time. If he were to grab the total of 317 boards he had this year, he would finish third with 1,044, behind Bailey Howell (1,277) and Rickey Brown (1,092).</span></p>

<span style="font-size: 11px;">"We are in full support of Jarvis and his father's decision to enter the NBA draft and test the waters," said MSU coach Rick Stansbury, whose 231 victories are the most in school history and 16th best in SEC history. "It will be a great opportunity for Jarvis to experience some workouts and gain knowledge of things he needs to work on."</span></p>

<span style="font-size: 11px;">Stansbury and Varnado will not comment further regarding this situation.</span></p>

 

[dawgstudent]

[No message]

 

[msudawg12]

Why did anyone doubt this would happen?

It makes no sense for him not to declare sans agent.

 

[Coach34]

i'd say its going to be 50/50 of getting him back...his draft workouts could see his stock rise and a team or two realize they could get him full-time to add weight and strength, and get a bench player that would provide some defense with the 2nd bunch the next couple of years as he develops...

Hopefully he wont slide to the top of round 1...even in round 2 the right deal could be struck to sway him

 

[bonedaddy401]

He could be a lottery pick next year and I think scouts and other people of that ilk will tell him that. He needs another 15 20 pounds at least to play on the block in the NBA. This day in age there are SF's that are 6'10 and most of them shoot the three.

I don't mind him "testing the waters" he has every right to explore his future as a millionaire.

 

[Coach34]

I dont think he is going to be a lottery pick next year either- next year's draft wont be as weak as this years. It simply is going to come down to does a team draft him at the end of the 1st round to get him full-time to work on him. If he goes early in round 2, he probably comes back unless he gets some kind of assertion he will make the roster. Mid-to-late 2nd- he's a Bulldog one more year.

I think its 50/50

 

[TDAWG.sixpack]

A huge factor in his decision may be what type of financial situation his family is in. These days, in baseball especially, players skip college to get guaranteed pro money to help out there family. It is probably a little different in basketball because they get full scholarships, but I imagine it will definately play into his decision. Also, the NCAA tournament probably hurt him this year after being outmatched by the Washington, so he may have a lot to prove in the camps.