After leading the Memphis Tigers to the National Championship game, All-American guard Chris Douglas-Roberts said he will skip his final year of NCAA eligibility to enter the NBA Draft. Douglas-Roberts, or CDR, as he is known among Memphis fans, led the Tigers in scoring, three-point percentage and steals.
Along with All-American honors, CDR was Conference USA Player of the Year and a member of the NCAA All-Tournament team. Upping his draft stock with his performance in the NCAA tournament, Douglas-Roberts is projected by nbadraft.net as a late first-round pick.
"The ride that we all took together this year is what dreams are made of, and now I feel it is time to pursue my ultimate dream of playing in the NBA," Douglas-Roberts said. "Therefore, I am entering my name in the 2008 NBA Draft."
Over the past three seasons, CDR improved his game to one of the best in the country. He led Memphis with 18.1 points per game on 41.3 percent shooting from three-point territory. He also shot 54.1 percent from the field en route to becoming the 43rd Tiger in history to score 1,000 points in a season (1,545).
CDR announced he was entering the draft three days after Derrick Rose announced he was leaving and one day after UCLA center Kevin Love jumped to the draft. Memphis fans may remember Douglas-Roberts' show-stopping slam over Love in the Final Four.
Douglas-Roberts said that and many other memories from his time at Memphis will be with him wherever he goes in the NBA.
"The past three years have been a great experience both on and off the court at The University of Memphis," he said. "I am truly grateful to the coaches and The University for giving me the opportunity to play and develop at Memphis, and I hope to represent them well in my NBA career."
CDR is the fourth player Coach John Calipari has lost since the end of the regular season. Senior Andre Allen was dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons earlier this month. Senior Joey Dorsey will enter the draft as a college graduate.
However, Calipari said he was not saddened by CDR's decision to leave early. Instead, he said he respects his decision and looks forward to seeing him play at the next level.
"As I was for Derrick (Rose) earlier this week, I am just as happy and excited for Chris and the opportunity that is ahead of him," Calipari said. "Like in years past, I have said that during the season, it is about the team and that after the season, it's about the individual players.
"Chris did just that this year. Chris - along with every player on the team - gave his all for the team this season, and we are grateful for what he did for this program. Since the season ended, Chris took time to evaluate his situation with his family. We support him in this decision, and we will continue to support him in any way possible."
The loss of Douglas-Roberts should have an initial effect on the Tigers next season. However, the addition of incoming freshmen Tyreke Evans, Angel Garcia and possibly Matt Simpkins, the Tigers should be ready for another NCAA Tournament run in 2009.
