April 05, 2005
Texas A&M standout Antoine Wright said Tuesday he will declare for the NBA Draft. Wright, who just completed his junior season, can withdraw from the draft by June 21 if he does not hire an agent, leaving open the possibility that he could return to the Aggies next season.
The NBA Draft will be June 26 in New York City.
"After a couple of weeks of thought, I have decided to make myself available for the NBA draft," Wright said. "My plans are to enter the draft and do everything I can to make the NBA as soon as possible, but I also want to leave my options open to return to school by not hiring an agent."
Wright earned first-team All-Big 12 honors this season after averaging 17.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game and leading the conference in three-point shooting at 44.7 percent. He has started in 83 of 87 games at A&M and ranks ninth in school history with 1,338 career points.
Under first-year coach Billy Gillispie, Wright led the Aggies to a 21-10 record after they finished 7-21 the previous season, the biggest improvement in the nation. A&M also finished 8-8 in Big 12 play after going 0-16 the year before and advanced to the third round of the National Invitation Tournament, its first postseason appearance in 11 years.
"When my sophomore year was over and we were getting a new coach, I considered entering the draft or transferring but after meeting with coach Gillispie, I decided to come back to A&M," Wright said. "In our initial meeting, I told him of my desire to enter the draft as soon as possible and coach told me he would help me reach that goal. We've both worked hard to make this happen. He told me that for me to be a first-round draft pick, I had to have a great year and if I had a great year, then we would have a great year as a team.
"I know they have helped me but I think I helped Texas A&M, too. It's been a win-win situation for all of us," Wright added. "I have grown to love this university and what it has done to help me grow as a basketball player and more importantly, as a person. That made my decision extremely hard. I will earn my degree from Texas A&M. That has been a goal and will remain a goal until it's completed.
"I'll really miss my teammates," he continued. "They have been special to me. They are a great group of guys and I already miss them. As for coach Gillispie, he has made a major difference in my life on and off the court. I didn't always like him every day, but I loved him every day. He brings out things in you that you didn't even know you had inside. He wants only the best for his players. A&M basketball is on the right track and I'm proud to have helped make it better.
"I hope the fans support my decision," Wright said. "If I can't be a high pick, I'll be back next year. If I am a high pick, I'll be living a lifelong dream. Thanks for what you've done for me."
"I hate to see him go," Gillispie said. "But I think our job as educators is to try to put people in a position to live out their dreams and that's what Antoine is trying to do. He's really grown in every aspect in the last year, on and off the court. It's been an honor to coach him and I'm proud to have been a part of it. I absolutely hope he not only makes it, but makes it as one of the NBA's best. I have no doubt we will. He has the ability and character that it takes to succeed. He's a special one and we'll miss him as a person as much as a player. Antoine has our full blessing to live his dreams and he knows there is always a place here for him, now and forever."