In the spacious training facility, the squeak of sneakers on the court was incessant.
Chen Yu stood in a corner of the court, silently watching these rookies play.
There were a lot of them. 47 had come last year, but this year the number was even higher, reaching 54.
Many agents probably figured that having their rookies train at Chen Yu's camp before the official combine would add some shine to their prospects and boost their draft stock.
Nelson approached Chen Yu, nodding his chin toward a player on the court. "Chen," he said quietly, "I don't have a good feeling about that kid. Honestly, he would've been better off declaring back in '01. He's dragged it out for so long that his game is set and his potential is completely tapped out."
Chen Yu's eyes locked onto a nearby court, where a young man drove with the ball, only to have his path cut off by a defender.
His name was Damien Wilkins.
In ESPN's mock drafts, he was projected to be picked somewhere between 50th and 60th.
