Paul Harris & Eric Devendorf, Come On Down...Hopefully (Updated)

The NBDL Draft is tonight at 7pm EST.  And to answer your first question...no, I'm not kidding. 

Here's what's so great about the age we live in.  There's a sports blog dedicated solely to the NBDL and if you want coverage or analysis of tonight's event, you need not look any further.

Syracuse fans might be particularly interested in the draft because there's a reasonable chance that at least one Orangeman's name will be called.  Both Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf has tried to catch on with an NBA team but nothing has stuck, leaving this as their last, best option other than playing abroad.  Harris played summer ball with the T'wolves and went into camp with the Jazz but an ankle injury put the kibosh on that.

According to Matthew Brennan at the NBA's Prospect Watch, Harris is among the top prospects available tonight.

Harris was a top-high school recruit and earned All-BIG EAST honors during his three-year tenure at Syracuse. The 6-5 Harris is a bit undersized for an NBA forward, but his outstanding athletic ability should help make him a top player in the NBA D-League. Harris was with the Utah Jazz in training camp but was hampered by injury and should now be raring to go for whatever team selects him on Thursday.

In fact, it's already a foregone conclusion that Harris will go in the first round according to friends and a certain SU legend:

Friends of Harris, including former Niagara Falls High School basketball assistant Sal Constantino, and former Syracuse basketball player John Wallace, have fielded calls this week from D-League coaches who have said Harris will likely be a first-round pick.

Constantino said Harris has been classified as an A player, meaning he’ll get the highest possible salary for a D-League rookie.

Harris is quoted in the story as saying "Right now, I wouldn’t go play in Europe if they paid me a million dollars," due to his desire to make it in the NBA.  We shall see on that one.

The folks at Ridiculous Upside peg Harris as a good fit for our old friends, the Bakersfield Jam.  The Franchise that Gerry McNamara Built (Not Really) pick fourth overall.

While Harris' name keeps popping up, Eric Devendorf's name has not.  A few weeks back Devo's agent say he was still mulling his options, which include the NBDL.  Given the apparant lack of interest, he might not have a choice but to go International. There are 128 potential spots up for grabs tonight...if Devo doesn't get asked to be one of them, Latvia here we come!

Update 1: Paul Harris is off the board and heading to Maine!  He's the first pick of the Maine Red Claws (8th overall).  The Claws are in their inaugural season and are affiliated with the Celtics (makes sense) and Bobcats (huh?).  Our good friends over at the CMSB have all the Red Claw news and notes you could care for.  FYI, their head coach is Austin Ainge, son of Danny.