Bisons power forward Adnan Hodzic has declared for the NBA draft.
Hodzic is coming off of his best season to date, averaging 22.7 points and 9.1 rebounds this season. That performance earned him his second consecutive Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year title, and also an Honorable Mention All-American award.
His 2009-2010 statistics were up from 17.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game from his sophomore season. Down the stretch this past season, the Sarajevo, Bosnia, native averaged 30 points and 18.3 rebounds.
Hodzic has scored in double figures in a remarkable 57 consecutive games. That streak is the longest active streak in the nation.
Other underclassmen declaring last week were Vanderbilt center A.J. Olgilvy (15.3 ppg), Penn State guard Talor Battle (18.5 ppg) and Florida forward Alex Tus (11.8 ppg).
Courtesy of LipscombSports.com
“It is difficult to envision Hodzic being drafted,” said Jerry Meyer, a columnist with Rivals.com and former Bisons player. “But it doesn’t hurt to test the waters as an underclassman and go through the draft process.”
Since Hodzic did not hire an agent, he will have until May 8 to withdraw his name from the draft.
By declaring for the NBA draft, Hodzic will have the oppurtunity to participate in w0rkouts with professional teams. This will allow Hodzic to get a feel for what the NBA is like and get his name out.
“It can be a valuable experience, and a player can learn a lot about his game competing against other top players in camps and workouts,” Meyer said.
Hodzic’s decision was not one that was made hastily, there was a lot to be looked at beforehand.
“After carefuyl consideration of my options and my desire to play proessionally, I have decided to enter my name in this summers NBA draft,” Hodzic said in a recent interview with LipscombSports.com. “While I hvae made great advancements on the court for Lipscomb over the last three years, I know that contniual hard work will make me an even better player. Entering my name in the draft allows me to gain valuable feedback from NBA scouts and general managers. I am grateful for my teammates at Lipscomb and I hope this process makes Lipscomb an even better program.”
Ever since Hodzic’s freshman year (8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds), the coaching staff has talked about his work ethic and desire for the game. Lipscomb head coach Scott Sanderson knows that Hodzic is the type of player that can go as far as they want.
“Adnan has worked tirelessly over the last three years to become a great player,” Sanderson said. “At the end of the process I know Adnan will make the best decision to attain his goal of playing at the next level. He’s a man of great character who will always be a part of this family and we will support him in every way possible.”