ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 30, 1996 TAG: 9604300090
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ARDMORE, PA.
SOURCE: Associated Press
KOBE BRYANT MAY BE the next Michael Jordan or Grant Hill, but he's only 17.
Kobe Bryant, like Kevin Garnett last year, has decided to skip college and jump right to the NBA.
Bryant, a 6-foot-6 forward recognized as the national player of the year by several organizations, including USA Today and Parade magazine, announced Monday he will become the sixth high school player to enter the NBA draft.
``I know that I'll have to work extra hard and I know that it's a big step,'' he said at a news conference in the gym where he led Lower Merion High School to the state class AAAA championship. ``I can do it.''
Bryant, 17, is expected to be among the top 10 prospects in the June draft. Last year, Garnett went directly to the NBA from Farragut Academy in Chicago; he was picked fifth by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Garnett won a starting position midway through this season.
Other NBA players who did not play in college were Moses Malone, Shawn Kemp, Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby.
Bryant was the all-time leading scorer in southeastern Pennsylvania with 2,883 career points.
His senior year, Bryant averaged 31 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, five blocked shots and four steals a game to lead the Aces to a 31-3 record and 26 consecutive wins at the end of the season.
In selecting the pros, Bryant decided against playing for La Salle, where his father, former Philadelphia 76ers player Joe Bryant, is an assistant basketball coach.
The Explorers, as well as national powers Kentucky, North Carolina, Arkansas, Duke, Michigan and Villanova, were among the college programs Bryant was considering.
Gregg Downer, Bryant's coach at Lower Merion, compared Bryant's style of play to Michael Jordan, Alonzo Mourning and Grant Hill.
The coach, however, said he wasn't entirely convinced of the wisdom of Bryant's decision.
``I have some concerns about some of the physical demands and other dangers of the NBA,'' Downer said. ``But I think whoever drafts him, if they are patient with him, he's going to make the team very happy.''
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Kobe Bryant averaged 31 points, 10 rebounds and fiveby CNBblocked shots on a team that went 31-3. color. KEYWORDS: BASKETBALL