FIDGETY ELEY AWAITS NBA DRAFT

For Bud Eley, the waiting game is only a few days from being over.

Eley, Southeast Missouri State University's career leader in rebounding and blocked shots, has heard various reports about whether he will be selected in the 1999 NBA draft.

Eley, a four-year starter at Southeast, will find out for sure Wednesday as the two-round draft is held at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C.

Like most basketball fans, the 6-foot-10 Eley will be closely monitoring the televised draft from his home in Detroit.

"I can't wait (for the draft) to get here," said a laughing Eley, the 1999 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year who helped lead Southeast to its best-ever NCAA Division I season. "I'm pretty nervous. I've been on pins and needles waiting to see."

Most NBA draft experts don't project Eley being selected, but there is still a decent chance he could go in the second round, when teams often select bigger, rawer players with potential over smaller players who might have already reached their talent ceiling.

"I've heard I will be drafted and I've heard I won't be drafted," said Eley. "Teams don't really want to say a whole lot. And (the draft experts) say a lot of different things. I still think there's a good chance I'll be drafted in the second round."

Even if Eley isn't selected, the way the draft works these days, that might not even be such a bad thing. Eley has drawn enough interest from the NBA that, if he isn't drafted, he is certain to wind up in somebody's training camp as a free agent.

"That's a good possibility and sometimes that's even the better way to go because it gives you a chance to hook up with a team that really fits you," Eley said.

And even if Eley doesn't wind up in the NBA, he has quite a few other options regarding a professional basketball career, including playing overseas, where there are numerous leagues, many of which pay quite well.

"The NBA is my first goal, but after that, I would probably go overseas because the money is pretty good over there," he said. "And a lot of guys have gone overseas and then come back (to the NBA)."

Eley figures he helped his stock some during a solid showing at the recent NBA pre-draft camp in Chicago. Eley also attended the camp last year, when he had thoughts about making himself eligible for the draft, but believes he didn't play nearly as well then.

"I don't think I had a real good camp last year," he said. "I had a much better camp this year. I got there in really good shape and a lot of people told me they thought I did well."

Regardless of what happens, Eley is content knowing that he has his degree in criminal justice. But he doesn't want to put that to use just yet.

"I definitely want to play (pro basketball)," he said. "I've been staying busy working out and keeping in shape. And I'm just waiting to see what happens."