Fresno, Calif. ? Kansas basketball signee DeShawn Stevenson considers it a “win-win situation.” And why not?
Door 1: The Jayhawks and four years of college
DeShawn Stevenson
Door 2: The NBA.
“I could play for a great college team or play for $2 million,” the Fresno Washington All-American told the Fresno Bee in Sunday’s editions.
Speculation continues to gather steam that not only will the 19-year-old guard declare for the NBA draft within a couple of weeks, but it’s a cinch he’ll be a first-round pick when the event unfolds June 28 in Minneapolis.
“I think that’s definite,” an NBA assistant who asked not to be identified told the Bee. “And if I had to pick a first-round number for him right now, I’d narrow it down to 10 to 15.”
If true, Stevenson will receive between $3.12 million and $4.13 million his first three years in the NBA guaranteed.
When asked where he thinks he’ll be in six months, Stevenson answered: “In the NBA.”
But it’s not his first choice. Rather, it’s not his mother’s first choice.
And Genice Popps is the primary consideration in the ongoing saga enveloping arguably the greatest high school basketball player in central San Joaquin Valley history.
“My choice is to leave for the NBA right now, but my mom wants me to go to college, and I will because I want to make her happy,” Stevenson said of the woman who raised him alone until she married Terry Popps three years ago. “I can sacrifice for a couple years.”
So he’s headed to Kansas … if he can record a qualifying score on standardized tests. And that is growing doubtful.
May 14 is the early entry draft deadline for high school seniors and college underclassmen.
“This is a real serious situation; Stevenson’s definitely going pro,” Marc Q. Jones, a former Washington High player now coaching at Natomas High in Sacramento, told the Bee. Hired by the NBA’s Orlando Magic as a West Coast scouting consultant a year ago, Jones, too, believes Stevenson should he declare for the draft will go in the first round.
An NBA assistant who requested anonymity said, “In our organization, Stevenson has a big all-star game and all of a sudden he’s become a stock-riser.”
Orlando, stocked with three picks among the first 15 in the draft, clearly has a keen interest in Stevenson. The 6-foot 5-inch, 210-pounder also said he has been told San Antonio, Houston, Portland and Sacramento are considering him.
But, in his next breath, Stevenson emphasized again he’ll go to Kansas should he qualify.
Not that his mother and stepfather are convinced. Consider this recent scenario that unfolded in their home:
Reporter: “It’s certain that you’ll go to Kansas if you pass the test?”
DeShawn: “Yeah.”
Terry: “The question is: Monday, we get the test score back, you passed, then what?”
DeShawn: “I go to Kansas.”
Terry: “OK, done deal, you’re going to Kansas.”
Genice: “Is that definite?”
DeShawn: “Unless they’re talking about the fifth pick in the draft, then I’m going to the NBA.”
It is all but certain he will not go to Kansas on scholarship and be able to practice but not play in games should he become a partial qualifier. Remember this is a youngster says he will attend KU one or two years maximum even if he’s fully qualified.
The system pains Stevenson, who has an overall grade-point average of 3.2 and is expected to graduate with a 2.75 GPA in core classes.
“I’m not embarrassed,” he said. “I know I’m smart enough, it’s just a hard test, and some people can’t pass it.”
Stevenson has taken both the American College Test (ACT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), either of which can be used for college placement. He awaits the latest results on each, including an ACT when he was awarded extended time (five hours as opposed to three) after it was determined by a Washington psychologist that he has some learning difficulties, his mother said.
Further, school guidance learning specialist Hans Wiedenhoefer Jr. said Stevenson was granted a “non-standard testing site” that will afford him 12 hours over multiple sessions to take another attempt at the ACT, should he choose.
One major snag: Stevenson, if he took it, would not learn that result before the May 14 draft deadline. Money isn’t an immediate issue he can wait a couple years yet Stevenson says Michael Jordan’s agent, David Falk, wants to sign Stevenson now.
“He wanted me to go to L.A. and sign with him,” said Stevenson, who would forfeit his college eligibility by contracting a representative.
“I’m not being pressured to declare, but people are telling me to look at options because NBA teams are looking at me. So, I’ve been looking at options just in case I don’t pass the test.”
Even though DeShawn thinks he can adjust to life in the NBA, his mom wants her precocious son to experience college living, even if for only a couple years.
“I wasn’t fortunate to do all that because I had DeShawn when I was 18 years old,” she said. “But Terry went to Bakersfield College and Fresno State, and he told me how fun that was. I want that for DeShawn. Those are things you can never go back and recapture.
“But I want DeShawn to do what’s best for him, not what’s best for me, because I don’t want him to look back later and say, ‘I should have done this, but I did that.’ I can give him my input, but, ultimately, it’s DeShawn’s choice.”
Then she dropped the hammer.
“Once you put your name in the NBA, your whole life changes.”
Once a high school student declares for the NBA, he waives his right to play in college ever regardless what transpires in the draft.
It has worked wonderfully for Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady and now, it can be said for Rashard Lewis.
“At first, I was stressed,” he said, “but now, I consider it a win-win situation. I just want to make Mom proud. I just want to play basketball. It’s a fun game.”
