Phil Pressey was happy not to get drafted


When a guy leaves school early for the NBA (which Phil Pressey did after his junior year at Missouri) and then fails to get selected on draft night, it's usually an indication that he made the wrong decision.  But in Pressey's case he claims he was very pleased not to get chosen in the second round last June. Via Scott Souza of the MetroWest Daily News, here's what Pressey had to say on the matter:

"After the first 35 picks or so you don't want to get drafted, because (that team) has your rights and they can send you overseas. Going undrafted was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. In the second round, about No. 48, 49, I talked with my agent and he said it's so much better for you not to get drafted. I felt like that was in my best interest at that point." 
"They (the Celtics) showed a lot of interest from day one. Danny Ainge talked to me since the beginning of the draft (process). I was a good fit for them. At the end of the draft I kind of knew this was going to be my best shot to make it in the NBA."


While it's easy for Pressey to say this in hindsight, he does have a point.  Second round picks aren't guaranteed any money, and more often than not don't last long in the NBA.  If you're confident you can make it in the league, why wouldn't you want to be able to choose what team you go to?

In Pressey's case he played some high school ball locally, and spent lots of time as a kid around the Celtics organization while his father Paul was a coach here.  It's no surprise that he was happier signing with Boston than getting drafted somewhere else.



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