We were very surprised to hear on Monday morning that Missouri Tigers G Kim English would be declaring for the 2011 NBA draft. We weren't so surprised, though, to hear he wouldn't be hiring an agent. What this means, basically, is that English can get an idea of where he would go in the draft and what he would need to do to improve his stock next year if he decided to stay.
By not hiring an agent, his eligibility remains intact. That may have been the same line of thinking that got Laurence Bowers to also declare for the draft. He also will not hire an agent.
Mizzou has confirmed both announcements.
In the 2007-08 seasons, Mizzou's DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons also declared for the draft -- without hiring agents -- and eventually came back to school. So there's precedent at MIzzou in recent years for a player to declare for the draft only to return to school.
The deadline to declare for the draft is April 24 and the deadline to pull out is May 8.
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