Red Flagged Jared Sullinger not invited to the NBA draft
Jared Sullinger the Ohio State Buckeyes sophomore was expected to be amongst the top 10 picks but as it has turned out, he is not even being invited to the Thursday’s night NBA draft.
Sullinger was expected to enter the mainstream basketball last year but decided otherwise, and this time he has been red-flagged by the doctors.
According to ESPN.com, Stu Jackson has said the power-forward will not invited to the Prudential Center green room, the venue where the top 15 picks will gather for the draft ceremony.
“He’s more likely to go in the teens or in the 20s,” NBA executive vice president Stu Jackson said. “We continue to have contact with teams but at this late date we don’t anticipate inviting him.”
Sullinger has been diagnosed with back issues by the NBA doctors, but his father, a former coach himself, believes it’s more of a quad muscle problem for which he has been taking treatment.
There were recent reports that the Golden State Warriors, who have the seventh pick and were understood to be very interested in the forward, have backed off because of Sullinger’s medical issues. He has so far participated in
pre-draft workouts with Toronto Raptors, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Hornets and Detroit Pistons. All of these clubs have top picks but the recent development might force them to back off as well.
Sullinger averaged 17.3 points and 9.7 boards in the 2 years with Ohio State. The biggest hurdle that stands between him and an NBA contract are extra body fats. The 6 ft 9 in forward weighs around 268 pound and has 10.7% fat on
his body. The extra weight has resulted into the bulging of his back and has consequently forced the top pick holders to refrain from choosing him.
Satch Sullinger, his father, when asked seemed resigned to the fact that the forward will not be in the prestigious green room. He said that all he is looking towards now is for his son to make it into the NBA.
“He wants the opportunity to play," Satch Sullinger said. "He knows he'll play in the NBA. All it does is give him motivation. This just keeps him hungry and he'll earn it. It's a business. He's going to play in the NBA, whatever
number he goes doesn't matter. He's going to be like a top five pick in the NBA."
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