European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 12, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                12 2007 stars and stripes Page 51 Durant leaving Texas to enter Aba draft by Jim Vertuno the associated press Austin Texas by the look of his Texas tank top and shorts Kevin Durant might have fooled someone into thinking hed changed his mind was it a hint he might stay in College no Chance the kid is leaving for the Aba Durant an 18yearold freshman and the associated press player of the year said tuesday he will leave the longhorns to enter the june draft bringing a Quick end to what was a Short but spectacular col lege career i just thought it was time to go Durant said at a news conference to announce his decision if s been my dream for a while i Felt i was ready after an Al american season in which he swept the major player of the year awards few expected Durant to stay at Texas now the question is whether hell be the first player drafted Durant and Ohio states freshman Cen Ter Greg Oden who has not yet said if hell leave College Are considered the Likely first two picks i know ill be one of the higher picks it Doest really matter if i go one or two As Long As i go Durant said Durant parents Wayne and Wanda Pratt said his year in College was invaluable the University of Texas has been very Good to him Wayne Pratt said Hes matured a lot much so that the player whose diet often consisted of too much Candy who was so Humble hed keep stats at team Man agers pickup games said Hes ready to matchup up with Kobe Bryant Tim Dun can and the rest of the nabs Best you trying to scare me Durant said it will be a Challenge i dont want to be just a player in the Aba i want to have an Impact Durant attire at his news conference suggests he never wants to leave the basketball court announcing a pro career sure to bring millions of dollars in playing and endorse ment contracts might Call for a new suit or at least a Shower instead Durant Skinny arms poked out of his practice uniform As he sipped on a sports drink he looked somewhat eager to get Back on the court for a pickup game with his teammates when he was done an swering questions in still a part of this team Durant said in proud of him Point guard do Augustin said i saw what he was going through i know it was a Tough decision Durant was one of the country most heralded recruits when he arrived on Cam pus an Aba Rule change required players to be 19 and out of High school for a year be fore they could enter the draft Durant was a dominant Force in College from the Start the big 12 player and freshman of the year he averaged 258 Points and 111 re Bounds one of three players in the coun try to average More than 20 Points and 10 rebounds he shot 47 percent from the Field 40 per cent from three Point Range and 82 percent from the foul line he led the longhorns in steals and blocked shots and scored at least 30 Points a big 12record 11 times he led Texas which started four fresh men to a third place finish in the big 12 and to the second round of the Mcaa tournament where the longhorns lost to South Ern California the longhorns finished 2510 what he has accomplished this year has never been done coach Rick Barnes said everybody goes to College to better them selves very few get to see their dreams come so Early in life Durant made his decision last weekend when he was in los Angeles to receive John r wooden award although word leaked out monday night Durant said he didst Tell his coach or his teammates until tuesday Jack Texas freshman Kevin Durant the a player of the year announces he will enter the draft during a news conference tuesday he didst really think about the Magni tude of it All until he had a quiet moment by himself in his room i just started smiling Durant said its been my dream since i was Young Hansbrough Lawson opt to stay with tar heels the associated press Chapel Hill no Tyler Hansbrough and to Lawson will return to North Carolina next sea son instead of entering the Aba draft Early Ive definitely decided that i will be Back for my Junior year Hansbrough said tuesday night after the teams annual awards cer Emony personally in not ready for the next step of the Aba playing another year with coach Roy Williams will help me improve my game individually theres also some team things that i want to accomplish College is a great experience for me and id like to be Here another year Lawson who had the Best As Sis turnover ratio in the Atlantic coast conference announced he would return for his Sophomore season by dead panning a joke Dur ing the ceremony at the Dean Smith Center i just like being a College basketball player Lawson said after the ceremony they became the third tar heels this week to announce they would return for another season joining shooting guard Wayne Ellington school spokesman Steve Kir Schner said acc Rookie of the year Brandan Wright has not made his decision and would have no immediate comment the Earl entry deadline is april 29 Wright had always been the most Likely of the tar heels to leave Early because of is size and shot altering wingspan Williams said Hansbrough and Lawson reached their decisions separately nearly two weeks earlier but kept silent because i Felt like it would put undue pressure on Brandan to make a decision quicker but As we went along it College basketball just got to be a situation where we needed to go ahead and say some thing so we could get everybody off their Back Hansbrough was the acc fourth leading scorer its Sec on Best rebounded and a Consen sus Al conference selection one of Only four players in school history to be unanimously named Allacc Lawson ranked fourth on the team in scoring averaging 102 Points and his assist mover ratio of 257 was the Best Ever by a North Carolina freshman Afflalo skipping senior year Urcla Al american guard Arron Afflalo is passing up his senior year to enter the Aba draft Afflalo who averaged 169 Points 28 rebounds and 19 assists and led the Bruins to consecutive final fours announced his decision tuesday at a news con Ference on Campus the 21yearold Junior from Compton declared for the draft last year but withdrew his name and returned to school after attend ing evaluation Camps a player who declares a second time int Al Lowed to return to school the decision want easy he said i did this for my personal growth my happiness and where i Felt i should be As an individual what can get me to compete and be the Best basketball player i can be Afflalo averaged 108 Points while starting each of Duclas 29 games As a freshman and a Tea leading 158 Points As a Sophomore when the Bruins 327 reached the Mcaa championship game before losing to Flor Ida 7357 Urcla 306 was eliminated by the gators for a second straight year on March 31 losing 7666 in the National semifinals Florida beat Ohio state 8475 in the title game Afflalo was the pac10 player of the year this season and finished sixth in the voting for the John r wooden award Given to College basketballs outstanding player Bei Foss Steps Down As Kentucky women coach Lexington by Kentucky women basketball coach Mickie Demoss abruptly resigned wednesday after four seasons saying she wants to step away from the game after 30 years Demoss said she has been coaching since she was 21 and has never really had a break i need some time to myself right now Demoss said at a morning news conference Demoss met with players Early wednesday said Susan lax who handles Media relations for the team lax said Demoss Depar Ture was initiated by the coach not the school Demoss said athletic director Mitch Barnhart asked her to re think her she did but reached the conclusion she wants time away from the game i appreciate the Effort and Energy Mickie put into the growth of our women basketball pro Gram Over the last four years Barnhart said in a statement i also appreciate the 30 years of ser vice she gave to women collegiate basketball Demoss a former assistant coach to Pat Summitt at Tennes see agreed to a new contract lasted Kentucky women head basketball coach Mickie Demoss resigned her position on wednesday citing the need for time away from the game year that would have kept her with the school through 2011 and would have paid her about a season the wildcats finished 2014 68 Southeastern conference this year making the National invitation tournament last year Demoss led the wildcats to their first Mcaa tournament appear Ance in seven years and a breakout season that included a Victory Over the to ranked lady vols Demoss career record As a head coach is 116124 she was 7156 at Kentucky Ltd hires former Wanba olympic coach Van Chancellor former olympic and Wanba coach Van Chancellor will be hired As leu women basketball coach replacing Pokey Chatman a top athletic department official told the associated press on wednesday the appointment was to be announced at an afternoon news conference on the Baton Rouge la Campus said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the hiring was not yet announced Chatman resigned March 7 amid allegations of inappropriate conduct with a former leu player when that player was a member of the women basketball team Chancellor was the women coach a Mississippi from 197897 before leading the Wanba hous ton comets to four straight championships he also coached the us team to a Gold medal at the 2004 olympics and has a 380 record in International Competition