UNC's Wright will enter NBA Draft
FOXSports.com
North Carolina freshman forward Brandan Wright will announce he is declaring for the NBA Draft on Monday afternoon at a 4 p.m. ET news conference, according to his former summer coach.
"I'm proud of him," said Jimmy Oden Sr., who coached Wright for five years with the Murfreesboro Stars. "He put in the time."
"It was a tough decision because he's a kid that's about education," he added.
Oden Sr. said that Wright informed him of the decision on Friday after the 6-foot-9 big man met with Tar Heels coach Roy Williams.
Oden Sr. wasn't certain, but according to a source close to the situation, Wright is expected to sign with an agent. Numerous NBA executives have told FOXSports.com that Wright is expected to go in the top five — and could go as high as No. 3 behind Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.
Wright averaged 14.7 points and 6.2 boards per game this past season while playing on a loaded Tar Heels team that was knocked off by Georgetown in the Elite Eight. He scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds in the come-from-behind Sweet 16 victory over USC.
Wright could probably have done more, but because of the abundance of talent, he accepted his role.
"He can handle the ball and he could have shown a lot more," Oden Sr. said. "But he's so coachable. Whatever you tell him to do, he just does."