To steal a page from the [Tom Keegan][1] stylebook, here’s a little baseball analogy to ease my way into today’s episode.[Brandon Rush is eligible for the NBA Draft][2]. Finally. And while the potential for him to return remains, having not signed with an agent, don’t expect to see his name on the back of a KU uniform next season.No one has any right to be bitter, because no one can say they expected what they wound up getting in return for Rush slipping on a KU uniform.Much like a spot-starter in the rotation, his addition to the KU roster two summers ago came out of seemingly nowhere. When he arrived, there was already the idea that he wouldn’t go the distance as far as a Jayhawk career was involved. Many people expected one potentially turbulent year from the kid who brought the famous last name, the reputation that came with it and the handful of high schools on his resume. They got two good years. Kind of like getting five quality innings out of one of those Plan C arms on the bump – a good amount of innings, not too much damage on the scoreboard and still in a position for success.**Where he truly stands**As of Thursday afternoon, [41 players had submitted their names][3] as early entrants for the draft and everything leading up to it.Based solely on their entire bodies of work while in college, taking everything into consideration (production, team success, level of competition, etc.), I ranked 12 of them ahead of [Rush][4]: [Arron Afflalo][5], [Corey Brewer][6], [Mike Conley Jr.][7], [Kevin Durant][8], [Jeff Green][9], [Taurean Green][10], [Roy Hibbert][11], [Al Horford][12], [Greg Oden][13], [Joakim Noah][14], [Brandan Wright][15], [Julian Wright][16].That’s perfect, if you truly think about it.Right now, Rush is projected anywhere from the mid-to-late first round into the opening phases of the second round on June 28. If you’ve watched a significant amount of Jayhawk hoops over the past two seasons, there’s no reason to believe he should go any lower. Rush has always been a big-game performer. He saves his best for when it’s needed the most. For his career’s sake, it’ll be needed the most May 29 thru June 4, when scouts and executives from every NBA team will be in attendance at the NBA Draft camp in Orlando, Fla. There’s no reason to believe, given his track record, that Rush will lay an egg while teaming up with and competing against college basketball’s elite, all gunning for their spot on the 60-pick Draft board on June 28 in New York. He’ll represent himself well on the floor, and keep his draft stock steady. My personal prognostication is holding him somewhere between picks No. 20 and 25.Should that stand up – which it probably will – the athletic 6-foot-6 wing is going to be headed into a nice situation, sliding onto the roster of a playoff team more than likely. He won’t be asked to save a franchise, and he won’t be asked to be the face of an organization. He’ll be asked to be a productive role player, who can score anywhere between eight and 12 points per game and be relied upon as a stuffy defender off the bench.In other words, he projects out to be very much like a [Bruce Bowen][17] of the San Antonio Spurs, given his defensive abilities and length. ([The Greene Room: Rush and Wright revelations – Jan. 30, 2007][18])If his collegiate career is any indicator, he can get that done at the next level. His athleticism often went unnoticed over the last two years, but Rush consistently made it clear that he doesn’t tire during games. He has NBA range on his jump shot – namely from behind the three-point line. And when needed, he can get to the rack. Oh, and also he was regarded as one of the country’s top defenders. Heck, that’s what could help him boost his draft status leading up to this year’s draft.Looking at the list of early entrants, the names Nick Young, Kevin Durant and Joakim Noah stand out. Rush’s stingy defense on those three was a key cog in helping KU go 4-0 against their respective squads. As it stands right now, all three of those guys are projected to be picked well ahead of Rush. Given Rush’s track record against them (seeing how they could very likely cross paths at not only the draft camp, but team workouts), he could change some opinions over the next several weeks.**He ain’t comin’ back**Rush has said repeatedly that it’ll take a top-20 promise to get him to stay in the draft. I’m not buying it.I say if he’s anywhere ahead of pick No. 30 – the final pick of the first round – he’s gone. And he will be.Honestly, there’s not a ton of difference between 20 and 30 other than a little bit of money. But the later you go in the first round, the better a situation you’re more than likely walking into. It’s a trade-off, but one which could help a player like Rush. Given the type of NBA player he could be in the long run – somewhere between a quality starter and a role player – the more experienced, talented group he meshes with, the better. It’s not the same boat fellow KU sophomore Julian Wright is in. Wright is projected somewhere in the first 12 picks, which means that unless he lands in Chicago or Phoenix – two playoff teams who get lottery picks thanks to previous trades – he’s going to be playing for a franchise in desperate need of a boost, placing more pressure on him.If Rush goes to a veteran-laden team, which he more than likely will late in the first round, the grips are off, he can take his time, get accustomed to things, and as long as he doesn’t screw around and stop caring, he should be on his way to a lengthy career.Anyone who says Rush needs to come back to improve his draft status, you’re grossly wrong. If Rush were to be taken in the lottery, he’d be a disappointment in the NBA, in my mind. Potentially, he’s a ‘nice’ NBA player – not a star. He’s the type of guy who, with his game and skill set, just needs to get his foot in the door, whether it be in the tail end of the first round or beginning of the second. As long as he has his head on straight, which he did while at KU, he’ll be fine.Final verdict: Good choice, Brandon.**_KUSports.com editor Ryan Greene can be reached at rgreene@ljworld.com, or by phone at (785) 832-6357._** [1]: http://www2.kusports.com/staff/tom_keegan/ [2]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/apr/27/rush_enter_nba_draft/ [3]: http://www.nbcsports.com/cbk/1261091/detail.html [4]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=28158 [5]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=22163 [6]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=22151 [7]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=31544 [8]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=31579 [9]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=22425 [10]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=22153 [11]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=22426 [12]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=24424 [13]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=31545 [14]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=22154 [15]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=31611 [16]: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=27143 [17]: http://www.nba.com/playerfile/bruce_bowen/index.html [18]: http://www2.kusports.com/blogs/greene_room/2007/jan/30/rush_wright_revel/
