Only 60 players will be selected in this June's NBA draft, yet a ridiculous 89 players appeared on the NBA's official early entry list on Thursday. Most of the names on the list were ones we expected to see. Here are a handful of early entrants we did not expect:
1. David Loubeau, Texas A&M: Khris Middleton and Loubeau were supposed to form one of the nation's best forward tandems next season, but that could all change if Loubeau does not return to school. The 6-foot-8 junior averaged 11.4 points and 5.0 rebounds this past season, helping the Aggies reach the NCAA tournament.
A Texas A&M spokesman learned of Loubeau's decision Thursday afternoon and said it appears the forward is testing the waters and will not hire an agent. Although Loubeau scored 14.4 points and shot 57 percent from the field in Texas A&M's last 11 games of the regular season, he would be a long shot to be drafted.
2. Greg Mangano, Yale: The Ivy League seldom has an underclassman enter the draft, so it was a surprise to see the 6-foot-10 Yale junior's name appear even if he isn't hiring an agent and very likely will return to school. Mangano averaged 16.3 points and 10 rebounds per game this past season and displayed a nice touch from the perimeter, yet he would be a huge long shot to get drafted.
"The most important thing to me right now remains the fact that I came to Yale to get a first class education and graduate from this university," Mangano said in a statement. "The decision to declare for the draft is just something we decided would be beneficial for my future. Playing in the NBA has always been a dream of mine, and this may help my cause."
3. Jeremy Green, Stanford: Even though Green has been suspended from school for academic reasons this quarter, the expectation at Stanford was that he'd return for his senior season. He averaged 16.7 points per game as a junior and shot 42.9 percent from 3-point range, but struggled to create his own shot off the dribble.
Stanford announced Thursday afternoon that Green will not hire an agent and can still decide to withdraw from the draft by the May 8 deadline. Green would be unlikely to be selected any higher than the late second round, if at all.
4. Ralph Sampson III, Minnesota: The most surprising aspect of Sampson putting his name in the draft is that he appears to have so much to gain if he returns. Sampson put up 10.2 points and 5.4 rebounds this past season, but he and Trevor Mbakwe would have an opportunity to take advantage of youthful, undersized Big Ten frontcourts next season.
A source told the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Thursday that Sampson's Minnesota coaches and his father are encouraging him to return to school but other influential figures in his life are telling him to consider going pro. It's unclear at this point whether Sampson will hire an agent.
Other surprises: TyShwan Edmondson, Austin Peay; Keishawn Mayes, Campbell; Cameron Moore, Alabama-Birmingham; Darrion Pellum, Hampton; Tony Taylor, George Washington
Keion Bell Pepperdine 6-3 Junior
Jacob Blankenship Southeastern (FL) 6-9 Junior
Laurence Bowers Missouri 6-8 Junior
Alec Burks Colorado 6-6 Sophomore
DeAngelo Casto Washington State 6-8 Junior
Roscoe Davis Midland JC (TX) 6-10 Freshman
Mamadou Diarra Chaminade (HI) 7-0 Junior
TyShwan Edmondson Austin Peay 6-4 Junior
Kim English Missouri 6-6 Junior
Ashton Gibbs Pittsburgh 6-2 Junior
Troy Gillenwater New Mexico State 6-8 Junior
Jeremy Green Stanford 6-4 Junior
Jordan Hamilton Texas 6-7 Sophomore
Tobias Harris Tennessee 6-8 Freshman
Desmond Holloway Coastal Carolina 6-3 Junior
Tu Holloway Xavier 6-0 Junior
Tyler Honeycutt UCLA 6-8 Sophomore
Scotty Hopson Tennessee 6-7 Junior
Kyrie Irving Duke 6-2 Freshman
Reggie Jackson Boston College 6-3 Junior
Terrence Jennings Louisville 6-9 Junior
Orlando Johnson UC-Santa Barbara 6-5 Junior
Reggie Johnson Miami 6-10 Sophomore
Tiondre Johnson Coastal Bend JC (TX) 6-6 Sophomore
Kevin Jones West Virginia 6-8 Junior
Terrence Jones Kentucky 6-8 Freshman
Cory Joseph Texas 6-3 Freshman
Enes Kanter Kentucky 6-10 Freshman
Ryan Kelley Colorado 6-5 Sophomore
Dan Kelm Viterbo (WI) 6-0 Sophomore
Brandon Knight Kentucky 6-3 Freshman
Malcolm Lee UCLA 6-5 Junior
Kawhi Leonard San Diego State 6-7 Sophomore
Travis Leslie Georgia 6-4 Junior
DeAndre Liggins Kentucky 6-6 Junior
David Loubeau Texas A&M 6-8 Junior
Shelvin Mack Butler 6-3 Junior
Greg Mangano Yale 6-10 Junior
Keishawn Mayes Campbell 6-7 Junior
Cameron Moore Alabama-Birmingham 6-10 Junior
Darius Morris Michigan 6-4 Sophomore
Marcus Morris Kansas 6-9 Junior
Markieff Morris Kansas 6-10 Junior
Darrion Pellum Hampton 6-6 Junior
J.P. Primm North Carolina-Asheville 6-1 Junior
Willie Reed St. Louis 6-9 Sophomore
Jereme Richmond Illinois 6-7 Freshman
Ralph Sampson III Minnesota 6-11 Junior
Carleton Scott Notre Dame 6-8 Junior
Josh Selby Kansas 6-3 Freshman
Iman Shumpert Georgia Tech 6-5 Junior
John Shurna Northwestern 6-8 Junior
Chris Singleton Florida State 6-9 Junior
Greg Smith Fresno State 6-10 Sophomore
Tony Taylor George Washington 6-1 Junior
Isaiah Thomas Washington 5-8 Junior
Trey Thompkins Georgia 6-10 Junior
Hollis Thompson Georgetown 6-7 Sophomore
Klay Thompson Washington State 6-6 Junior
Tristan Thompson Texas 6-8 Freshman
Thomas Tibbs Jr. Staten Island 5-10 Junior
Nikola Vucevic Southern California 6-10 Junior
Kemba Walker Connecticut 6-1 Junior
Antoine Watson Florida International 6-4 Junior
Charlie Westbrook South Dakota 6-4 Junior
Derrick Williams Arizona 6-8 Sophomore
Jordan Williams Maryland 6-10 Sophomore
Brandon Wood Valparaiso 6-2 Junior
Amy Cobb Deanna Russo Cheryl Burke Olivia Wilde Paulina Rubio
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