With his coach as their main motivator, junior Memphis guard Antonio Anderson and Junior forward Robert Dozier will enter the NBA Draft without hiring an agent. Coach Calipari advised them to test the waters in order to get into the NBA pre-draft game and see what how they stacks up in the eyes of NBA scouts.
"I sent my letter in today," Anderson said to draftexpress.com. "I'll be entering the draft without an agent. I'll be trying to learn as much as I can and try to see where I'm at and what teams think of me."
Calipari told local reporters Tuesday that he also advised junior forward Robert Dozier to enter the draft without an agent to see his potential in the camp.
"I'm recommending to both Antonio and Robert Dozier that they put their names in the draft and see about getting workouts from teams," Calipari said. "They're making the decision, but what would it hurt to put your name in the draft and explore it themselves? They're juniors so they might as well.
"They tell me Joey (Dorsey) has an opportunity in the first round. I think (Chris Douglas-Roberts) is anywhere from a No. 15 (pick) to No. 25. I think Derrick Rose is the No. 1 pick in the draft. That's why I'm telling Antonio and Robert that maybe someone in that first round likes you."
Anderson was mostly known for his defensive abilities in his past three seasons with Memphis. However, he received attention for his all-around game toward the end of the season. His clutch performance in the Tigers 79-78 victory over UAB on the road more than paved the way for his eventual Conference USA tournament Most Valuable Player honor.
With Memphis down by six, Anderson hit one of his four three pointers with 1:23 left in the game. During the C-USA tournament, Anderson averaged 11.3 points. In the C-USA final, he dropped 19 points on 4-5 three-point shooting in the Tigers third-straight conference championship.
Despite his active play, Anderson had only one turnover the entire tournament and led the team in minutes played, two feats that Calipari said was definitely MVP-worthy.
"I was so happy," he said, following the game. "He doesn't get the respect he deserves. Well, I take that back. He does in the areas that matter. He does from coaches and scouts who evaluate my team. He played more minutes than any player I've ever coached. I love Joey, but I think Antonio should have been C-USA Defensive Player of the Year."
Draftexpress.com has Anderson projected as a mid-2nd round pick. However, since They will not sign an agent before the draft, Anderson and Dozier are still eligible to return to the Tigers for his senior season. If he does decide to return following the draft, Anderson said he thinks the experience of the pre-draft camp will help him no matter where he plays next season.
"He (Calipari) knows that I'm entering, and supports me 100 percent," Anderson said. "I would definitely like to go to the NBA pre-draft camp and see where this process takes me."
Anderson did not mention how low his pick would have to be for him to leave or return next season.
