Villanova sophomore Donte DiVincenzo, who is participating in 5-on-5 play at this week’s draft combine in Chicago, has yet to hire an agent, which gives him the opportunity of returning to the Wildcats for his junior year. However, he tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that he expects to go pro if he’s confident by the May 30 withdrawal deadline that he’ll be drafted in the first round.
“I think I have a really good chance to being a late first-round pick,” DiVincenzo told Wojnarowski. “Obviously, things can change, other people can fall in the draft. I’m aware of that. But my confidence level is that I can be a first-round pick.”
As DiVincenzo looks to prove his worth, let’s round up a few more draft-related items…
- We heard on Wednesday that Boise State’s Chandler Hutchison had withdrawn from the combine, though at the time the reason was unclear. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony tweets that Hutchison has also canceled all his workouts after receiving assurances that he’s found a “safe landing spot.” Givony speculates that a team picking in the 20s may have given Hutchison a promise.
- The NBA released the official list of measurements for 2018’s draft combine participants today, and there are some interesting results hidden within that list. The most notable measurement might belong to Mohamed Bamba, who has a staggering 7’10” wingspan.
- Florida Gulf Coast guard Haanif Cheatham, who had been testing the NBA draft waters without an agent, will return to school for his senior year, coach Michael Fly tells ESPN’s Jeff Goodman (Twitter link).