Sports

POSTED: Wednesday, Jun. 24, 2009

NBA: Does anyone have Brockman on radar?

The Jon Brockman NBA draft mystery should end today.

Brockman, the career rebounding leader at the University of Washington, hasn’t participated in NBA combines or individual workouts. And neither he nor his agent has spoken to the media to explain their reasoning.

That has led to speculation that Brockman might already have assurances from some NBA team that he will be their selection, most likely in the second round.

Despite his college success, Brockman is expected to remain on the board that long because at 6-foot-7 he is considered short for an NBA power forward and he lacks the compensating outside shot that would make him a threat away from the basket.

However, if that’s the case, UW coach Lorenzo Romar thinks some NBA team is about to get a bargain.

“I think Jon can play 10 years in the NBA,” Romar said. “(His contributions) transfer into any game. The ability to rebound like he does at a high level. The ability to go out and defend, to energize a team with his work ethic – those are gifts that a lot of people don’t have. You want to have a guy that’s built like Kevin Garnett, who’s long like that; whereas Jon Brockman, he complements those guys.”

Washington senior guard Justin Dentmon also is eligible for the draft, but he is generally projected as an undrafted free agent.

“I think in Justin’s case, he’s got to sit by the phone at the conclusion of the draft to see if someone wants to bring him to camp,” Romar said. “I think he has a chance for that.”

UW loses recruit

Junior college transfer Charles Garcia won’t be part of this fall’s incoming class due to academic issues, Romar said.

It had been hoped that the 6-foot-9 power forward could step in immediately to help fill the void left by Brockman’s departure.

However, Romar said it is likely that Garcia instead will enroll at Seattle University, where he will play for former UW assistant Cameron Dollar.