Director of NBA scouting says Lawson's draft status unaffected by incident

Ty Lawson’s arrest in Chapel Hill will not affect his draft status, the NBA’s director of scouting told WRAL Friday afternoon.

Marty Blake said from his office in Alpharetta, Ga., that he projects Lawson as a first-round pick, and his arrest for drinking and then driving won’t affect that.

“It’s not going to make any difference. I think this is an isolated case,” Blake said.

Lawson told WRAL last week that he would turn professional if he projected as a top-20 pick.

Blake said many NBA clubs are looking for point guards and praised Lawson’s quickness and overall ability.

“I think he’d be drafted in the first round. He is a very good basketball player. He has very good speed,” Blake said.

“From all indications, he’ll be drafted in the first round, from what teams have told me.”

Lawson is one of three UNC underclassmen considering the NBA draft. Guard Wayne Ellington and swing Danny Green also have until June 16 to withdraw from the draft, which will be June 26. Both Ellington and Green are hoping to show clubs they are worthy of first-round consideration. First-round picks get guaranteed contracts and second-round picks do not.

Blake said he couldn’t project where Ellington and Green would be drafted.

Another local player, N.C. State center J.J. Hickson, is also considering an early jump to the NBA. Hickson had been invited to the NBA’s pre-draft camp last week in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. but was not on the list when it was released.

Blake said the NBA was willing to have the top 15 prospects go to the camp for physicals only, but no more than that. Many prospects want to do the physicals but not play in the games. Lawson, Ellington and Green did play.

Asked about Hickson, Blake said, “We felt we had the top 15. Hickson was not one of the top 15.