West will skip senior season at Saint Joe's to try for NBA

PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Saint Joseph's guard Delonte West decided Thursday to stay in the NBA draft, giving up his senior season with the Hawks. <br/><br/>It was a surprising move, considering that West

Friday, June 18th 2004, 5:53 am

By: News On 6

PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Saint Joseph's guard Delonte West decided Thursday to stay in the NBA draft, giving up his senior season with the Hawks.

It was a surprising move, considering that West isn't projected as a first-round pick. Only first-round picks are guaranteed contracts in the NBA.

``There are no guarantees, but I think there's enough interest there that I could end up in a good situation,'' West said late Wednesday night. ``With being a first-round pick, it would be good to have the guaranteed money, but money isn't the issue. It's the love of the game.''

West went back to his Greenbelt, Md., home Thursday after participating in a workout with former Hawks' teammate Jameer Nelson in Miami. West said he has workouts scheduled for next week at Atlanta and Detroit.

Saint Joe's coach Phil Martelli said West originally was supposed to fly home from a workout in San Antonio. When Martelli found out late Wednesday that West went to Miami instead, he knew the star guard wasn't returning to the Hawks.

``Delonte West is ready to be a professional basketball player,'' Martelli said.

The move could be a devastating blow for tiny Saint Joseph's, which also lost Nelson. The two formed one of the best backcourts in the country, helping the Hawks finish 30-2, reaching No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time in school history and earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

With West, the Hawks probably still would have one of the teams to beat in the Atlantic 10. Without him, Saint Joe's could be in for a rebuilding season.

Martelli talked with West, his parents and high school coach on Tuesday night and presented them with information he had gathered from NBA scouts. Martelli said feedback from NBA personnel about where West fits in the draft has been mixed.

``They've been very impressed with the way he's conducted himself in individual meetings,'' Martelli said. ``He has to change positions and become a point guard. Where it's going to fall out, I have no idea.''

West said Martelli never tried to talk him out of his decision.

``It was more, 'Where do we go from here? How can I help you?''' West said. ``He wanted to help me straighten things out so I could leave on a good note. I looked at him as a father figure throughout my time here. It speaks volumes of the guy how he handled the situation.''

West, an honorable mention AP All-America last season, attended the NBA's pre-draft camp in Chicago and played well despite a sprained right foot. West said he was eager to play point guard and was confident he could make the transition from a shooting guard. He said he was happy with the way he shot the ball at the camp, despite the injuries.

``Playing at the level I did, and knowing I wasn't at full strength, kind of gives you more confidence,'' he said.

West averaged 18.9 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Hawks as they raced to a 27-0 start. He spent most of the season in the shadow of Nelson, the consensus player of the year. Still, West was loved on Hawk Hill, where students donned cowboys hats and ``Wild, Wild West'' T-shirts.

With his left-handed release, strong free-throw shooting and knack for knocking down off-balance shots, West became one of the toughest players to defend in the conference.

Last year, Nelson went through a similar process. He also went to Chicago and the individual workouts before deciding to return for his senior season. Now Nelson is projected as a lottery pick.

Martelli said it was unfair to compare the two, since each had his own unique circumstances to consider.

West was glad he could move on.

``It was a long process. There were some days I thought I needed to come back,'' he said. ``I'm just happy that everyone involved had my best interests at heart.''