Chalmers to stay in the NBA Draft

Sunday, June 15, 2008

It’s official. Mario Chalmers will forego his senior season at Kansas and remain in the NBA Draft.

Chalmers, who had told reporters for weeks he intended to stay in the draft, contacted Kansas coach Bill Self today to let him know his decision. Self said it came as no surprise.

“Even though this was official, we anticipated this back in April when he declared without an agent,” Self said in a statement. “We are excited for Mario’s draft prospects.”

When Chalmers announced his decision to declare for the NBA Draft in April, he said he would return to Kansas if he wasn’t considered to be a first round draft choice. Many draft analysts believed Chalmers would go in the second round at the time. Not anymore.

Chalmers seems to have cemented himself into the first round of the draft. All major mock drafts project Chalmers being selected late in the first round. ESPN.com’s Chad Ford, for example, has the Orlando Magic picking Chalmers with the 22nd pick.

“In my past five workouts, I have impressed the scouts and general managers, showing them my capabilities to have success at the next level,” Chalmers said in a statement.

The NBA Draft will be held in New York City and televised nationally on ESPN on Thursday June 26th. Chalmers will likely be one of three Jayhawks taken in the first round along with Darrell Arthur and Brandon Rush.

Chalmers’ lasting legacy at Kansas will be the shot he hit with just more than three seconds remaining in the national championship game against Memphis to tie the game and send it to overtime. He was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

“Being at Kansas has made me a better player and a better person,” Chalmers said. “I want to thank all the fans, coaches and players who have helped me in my three years at KU. I will always be a Jayhawk and come back and visit every chance I get.”

Ronnie Chalmers, Mario’s dad and Kansas’ director of basketball operations, said he was excited to watch his son live out his dreams professionally. That’s exactly what he did as a Jayhawk.

“He has accomplished his goals at Kansas,” Ronnie Chalmers said in a statement. “He wanted to come here and win a national championship and he did.”

Chalmers faces tough competition in draft

Mario Chalmers will be entering the NBA Draft without an agent, meaning ...

/news/2008/apr/24/chalmers/

Oh, the places Hawks will go!

Coach Bill Self expects five Jayhawks to be picked in this year’s ...

/news/2008/jun/24/oh_places_hawks_will_go/

Chalmers’ second round pick belies his worth

The former KU guard's slip into the second round might have proven ...

/news/2008/jul/01/chalmers/

Cavs give ex-Jayhawk a chance, contract

Darnell Jackson signs contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers while Sasha Kaun will ...

/news/2008/sep/08/basketball_notes/

Former Jayhawks booted from NBA program

Chalmers and Arthur expelled from rookie symposium after getting caught with marijuana

/news/2008/sep/04/former_jayhawks_booted_nba_program/

Chalmers announces he will enter draft, not ...

The junior guard held a press conference at 2 p.m. today and ...

/news/2008/apr/23/chalmers_will/

Ronnie Chalmers resigns

Chalmers is out after three years at KU.

/news/2008/aug/12/chalmers_resigns/

Jayhawks off to the NBA

Brandon Rush and Darrel Arthur declared their intention to enter the NBA ...

/news/2008/apr/18/nba/

Where will all the Jayhawks go?

As three Jayhawks hope to become first round picks in Thursday night's ...

/news/2008/jun/25/players/

Players make own decision when choosing schools

/news/2006/feb/03/fathers/

Quiet guard, fierce battle cry

Chalmers, an Anchorage, Alaska native, delivers an enigmatic persona: strong on the ...

/news/2008/apr/03/chalmers/

Morning Brew: 15 predictions for next season ...

Spoiler alert: Case Keefer says Cole and Sherron stay.

/news/2009/apr/03/morning_brew/

Five Jayhawks selected in NBA Draft

Rush was selected 13th overall while Arthur went 27th. Chalmers fell to ...

/news/2008/jun/26/rush_selected_nba_draft/

A wild night at the draft

Five Jayhawks were selected in this year’s NBA Draft, but each was ...

/news/2008/jun/29/wild_night_draft/

Basketball players make plans for next year

Several Kansas players received attention from scouts this year, but Mario Chalmers ...

/news/2007/apr/12/mbb/

Summer leagues offer beneficial practice for former ...

Mario Chalmers shows off his potential to Miami and guarantees himself a ...

/news/2008/jul/17/summer_NBA/

Profiling the legends: Rush and Chalmers

Brandon Rush and Mario return to Allen Fieldhouse next weekend for Legends ...

/news/2011/sep/21/legends-rush-chalmers/

Mario makes history with game-saving shot

When every KU fan hung their head and thought the National Championship ...

/news/2008/apr/08/mario_makes_history_gamesaving_shot/

Jayhawk rookies starting to shine in NBA

Rush, Chalmers look to All-Stars for guidance in NBA

/news/2009/feb/11/rookies/

Jayhawk basketball reunites father, son

/news/2005/jul/08/father_son/

High expectations for KU alumni in the ...

All eyes, especially Cole Aldrich’s, are on NBA rookies Brandon Rush, Mario ...

/news/2008/nov/07/basktball_NBA/

Morris twins enter NBA draft, sign with ...

Marcus and Markieff Morris have foregone their senior season at Kansas to ...

/news/2011/apr/07/twins-draft/

Collins sits on the borderline in the ...

Sherron Collins has undeniable talent, but size could hurt him in the ...

/news/2010/mar/03/collins-sits/

Should he stay or should he go?

Champion debaters take sides on Sherron Collins’ basketball future.

/news/2009/apr/06/question_answer/

Six Jayhawks receive postseason awards

Brandon Rush and Julian Wright made the All-Big 12 first team with ...

/news/2007/mar/05/mbb_brief/

Chalmers ready for Kansas' courts

/news/2005/sep/21/chalmers_feature/

Success of NBA players crucial to college ...

Former Jayhawks' success in the NBA help out the team.

/news/2008/feb/15/success_nba_players_crucial_college_recruitment/

Kaun signs contract with Russian team

Sasha Kaun will play in Russia for at least the next three ...

/news/2008/jun/22/kaun_signs_contract_russian_team/

Morning Brew: Pick your player

Two first year NBA players have similar records, but remarkably different salaries.

/news/2009/feb/04/brew/

Departing players leave uncertain future for Jayhawks

Kansas stands to lose five players to graduation and other may be ...

/news/2008/apr/10/basketball/

Letter of intent signing puts team over ...

Kansas coach Bill Self has said that Rush would enter the NBA ...

/news/2008/apr/17/appleton/

Self says Oklahoma State is in the ...

Rumors that Oklahoma State is prepared to offer Bill Self a $6 ...

/news/2008/apr/09/self/

Rush still undecided about draft

Brandon Rush will announce by the end of the week whether he ...

/news/2007/apr/26/mbb/

For the love of the game

Several one-time KU basketball players have missed out on the riches of ...

/news/2008/apr/28/love_game/

Still no word from Rush

Brandon Rush could withdraw his name from NBA Draft if he does ...

/news/2007/apr/23/mbb/

Basketball stars keep KU tenure short

Former coach Roy Williams recruited players who were likely to stay four ...

/news/2007/apr/30/leaving/

After the Big Dance, a big question

For Collins and Aldrich, the main factor in deciding whether to declare ...

/news/2009/mar/31/after_big/

Who will be back for the '07-'08 ...

After a disappointing end to an otherwise successful season, speculations arise about ...

/news/2007/mar/28/mbb/

Robinson won’t give up on dream

Former Jayhawks guard still fighting to earn a spot in the NBA.

/news/2009/dec/09/robinson-wont-give-dream/

Vosburgh: Aldrich says goodbye

Cole has decided to enter the NBA draft, but hopes to work ...

/news/2010/mar/30/vosburgh-aldrich-says-goodbye/

Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.

Sign in to comment

Or login with:

OpenID