Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet plans to return to school for his junior season instead of entering the NBA draft.
The 7-foot-3 native of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was projected as a first-round pick in the draft.
Thabeet averaged more than 10 points and almost eight rebounds a game as a sophomore, and ranked third in the nation with 147 blocked shots. He was the Big East's defensive player of the year, helping UConn to a 24-9 record.
"As a team, we took a step in the right direction this year, but I look forward to us working together to win a Big East Championship and making a run at a national championship," Thabeet said in a statement released Sunday by UConn. "I really enjoy being here, getting a great education and spending time with my friends and teammates."
Thabeet, 21, has been playing organized basketball for fewer than six years.
"Hasheem has made as much progress as any player I have coached in my 36 years and if he continues that incredible progress, he will help us take the next step as a team and help himself become one of the best players in college basketball," UConn coach Jim Calhoun said.
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"Thabeet seems to have little to no interest in using his size and strength to help his team as a rebounder, not playing with much energy, refusing to get dirty and go after loose balls, and displaying a very low basketball IQ in everything to do with his anticipation skills. In practice, people who have watched him have come away with the impression that Thabeet is not a hard worker at all. He makes faces when asked to do extra work, and generally acts like he's being punished by being required to do crucial drills for his development that other players don't participate in. This lack of a high-energy motor and work ethic is usually the kiss of death for a player who is as raw as he is. He will need years of individual work before anything can be expected from him at the NBA level. Once teams find out what we're learning, if they haven't already, it can be more than enough to drop a player like him into the second round. Contrary to popular opinion, the NBA is not nearly as interested in developing raw talent from scratch as many would lead you to believe, as the coaching staff just doesn’t have time to teach the fundamentals of the game during a grueling 82 game season."
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http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Striking-While-the-Iron-is-Cold-Hasheem-Thabeet-1832/
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