Family friend: Oden to enter NBA draft Friday

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) _ Ohio State's 7-foot freshman center Greg Oden will make himself available for the NBA draft, a family friend said Thursday night. <br/><br/>``There will be a release in the morning

Thursday, April 19th 2007, 8:53 pm

By: News On 6

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) _ Ohio State's 7-foot freshman center Greg Oden will make himself available for the NBA draft, a family friend said Thursday night.

``There will be a release in the morning from Ohio State. Greg Oden will be hiring an agent,'' said Al Powell, who has been a party to meetings between Oden and two other Buckeyes freshmen stars considering the draft.

As for the two others, Powell was less specific.

``Mike Conley Jr. and Daequan Cook will not be hiring an agent at this time,'' said Powell, a paid assistant coach at Dayton's Dunbar High School who helped coach all three players when they played AAU ball.

He would not say if that means they will stay at Ohio State.

If Conley and Cook do not hire agents, they'll retain the option of returning to school next fall. College underclassmen have until midnight April 29 to declare whether they intend to make themselves available for the draft.

The Columbus Dispatch and FoxSports.com, citing unidentified sources, first reported that Oden, Conley and Cook will issue a statement through the school Friday declaring their intention to enter the draft.

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