SoCalHoops Recruiting News

Fresno Bee Reporting DeShawn
Stevenson To NBA--(May 2, 2000)

We've seen this one coming like a train bearing down on a gasoline tanker truck sitting half on and half off the tracks at a railroad crossing. . . .  Look out. . . get out of the way. . .

We're talking about Fresno Washington Union's Deshawn Stevenson (6'-5" Sr. SG) and his impending decision to forego college, reject his signed letter of intent with Kansas, and jump immediately to the NBA out of high school.

It's coming. . . . whooo whoooo.

This is either going to be one gigantic train-wreck or DeShawn will wake up in time, get off the tracks and jump out of the way of that fast-moving freighter and get his butt to Kansas, at least for a couple of years. . . .

Or, he'll avoid all the pitfalls, pratfalls, and the snakes, and become a huge and unbeliveable success in the NBA, the next Kobe Bryant, possibly Michael Jordan in training. . . . or he won't.

Hey, we're not going to pull any punches about this one:   We think DeShawn should go to college.  At least for a couple of years.   Mature, grow up a bit, learn something about the world and himself before he becomes a boy among men, sitting in hotel rooms with no one his own age around him except some posse of hangers-on.  Perhaps the train-wreck analogy is a bit too extreme.   DeShawn will probably be just fine. He's got his head screwed on a lot better than Leon Smith (isn't that true for about 90% of the population?) and he's certainly not Korleone Young. . . but those images can only serve as a haunting warning to kids who jump too early.

Is DeShawn ready?  Who knows.  A lot of NBA scouts we've talked to seem to think he is.  His parents probably believe he's physically ready, or they at least must believe that he's got the skills to turn into an NBA player in a short summer. But they'd like him to attend college, that much is clear. 

Hey, it's tough to imagine what we'd do if we had DeShawn's talent and his youth. . . it's got to be awfully tempting to pass up the big bucks, all the fame, the opportunity to travel and just do what you want to do out of high school:   Play a game and get paid for doing it.   We imagine that it's especially tough because the initial decision to attend college seems not to be DeShawn's first choice , but something he's been told to do by his parents.  Sigh. . . . Youth truly is wasted on the young. . .

In any event, based on the news out of Fresno today it seems all but certain that DeShawn Stevenson will throw his name into the NBA draft.  His travel team coach, Darren Matsubara, is having trouble with DeShawn's mom, and David Falk is lurking on the sidelines. . . This is going to get interesting.

We do have just one message for DeShawn:  Remember, when you throw your name into the ring and declare for the draft, there's no turning back, because high school players who enter the draft lose their NCAA eligibility immediately. . . Sure you can petition to get it back, but it's only been done once.  In short, this is the single most important decision you'll ever make. 

Don't screw it up.

In any event, here's the report from the Andy Boogaard of the Fresno Bee. . . .and a link to the story on their website as well:

Valley star reaches for heights

DeShawn Stevenson is to enter the NBA draft today.

By Andy Boogaard
The Fresno Bee
(Published May 3, 2000)

DeShawn Stevenson took a brief break from marathon telephone conversations Tuesday night, stepped out of his bedroom and confirmed what many expected all along:

"I'm going," the 19-year-old Washington High School senior said.

Going immediately to the world of grown men and phenomenal athletes -- the NBA.

He then returned to his bedroom in his family's southeast Fresno home and casually closed the door, distancing himself from a mother and stepfather simmering from the day's developments.

Stevenson, the all-American basketball player who had committed to University of Kansas, is expected to make his NBA decision official at a news conference today.

"It's more than likely we won't even be there," Terry Popps, the stepfather, said of him and his wife. "We're devastated."

Genice Popps, Stevenson's mother, said, "I'm not happy at all because I feel people have been doing things behind my back."

She targeted her wrath at Darren Matsubara, her son's longtime summer tournament coach, whom she said has been feeding her son NBA information and orchestrating the decision without her knowledge until Monday.

"He's known this. He's done research," she said. "Then he comes here Monday and tries to tell me stuff. He asked if I wanted to meet with agent David Falk and another guy. I told him I didn't want to hear it, and that I didn't want to meet with anybody."

Her husband added: "DeShawn has been programmed by 'Mats.'"

Matsubara declined comment late Tuesday, saying he didn't want to settle an argument with the family through the media.

Matsubara for years has helped give young Valley basketball players improved national exposure by coaching them in summer tournaments across the state and country.

As speculation mounted that her son would declare for the NBA draft by the May 14 early entry deadline for high school seniors and college underclassmen, Genice Popps had stood firm in her stance that he attend Kansas, with which he had signed a letter of intent.

In fact, the all-American guard -- who hasn't been declared eligible to attend college -- recently told The Bee: "My choice is to leave for the NBA right now, but my mom wants me to go to college, and I will because I want to make her happy."

The Central Section's career scoring leader added, "I can sacrifice for a few years," meaning that he would leave Kansas early for the NBA.

But Stevenson, still awaiting results on college entrance examinations that could give him NCAA clearance, apparently changed his mind in the past few days.

His mother said: "Now his whole attitude is, 'If I go to college, I'm going for you, I'm not going for myself. So, I'm not going.'"

Genice Popps said she thinks her son has actually passed the Scholastic Assessment Test, one of the standardized exams required for Division 1 eligibility as a freshman.

She didn't receive her son's test result this week but said she received related literature, though she was unclear as to who sent the letter.

"I was sent a letter saying DeShawn's results are being reviewed in New Jersey," she said. "I was told if he did pass it, they would probably review it for the mere fact that he has not taken that particular test SAT since 10th grade. I'm assuming that DeShawn passed it for them to send it in for review.

"I don't know that I will call about it because it seems DeShawn has made up his mind."

The family is also awaiting results of another placement test -- the American College Test -- but didn't expect to learn the result until after May 14.

Stevenson is convinced he'll be taken in the first round of the June 28 draft.

A few NBA officials and others familiar with Stevenson and the draft have told The Bee that the 6-foot-5, 210-pounder will definitely go in the first round, which will command a guaranteed three-year salary totaling between $9.5 million and $1.9 million -- depending where he's taken.

By signing NBA early entry documents, a high school player waives his NCAA eligibility, regardless what transpires in the draft.

Stevenson is the first high school player to declare for the 2000 draft.

Leaping directly from high school to the NBA has evolved smoothly for such stars as the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, the Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Garnett and the Toronto Raptors' Tracy McGrady.

But for others, such as Leon Smith, Korleone Young and Ronnie Fields, the move has failed miserably.

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