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June 14, 2005 PRINCESS ANNE, MD - It has been 31 years since the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) has had a player drafted into the National Basketball Association (NBA) and it will have to wait at least one more season as forward Tim Parham will return for his senior season with the Fighting Hawks. Parham (6-9, 240lb., Chicago, Ill.) tested the waters this summer to see if he could get a look at playing for the pros. "I wanted to get my name out there," said Parham. "It is not very often that someone from the [Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference] MEAC enters the draft. I wanted to get invited to some camps and see if I can get a look." Though he did draw some interest from NBA teams and scouting departments, Parham did not feel his chances of being drafted were good enough to risk losing his last year of eligibility. Parham did not hire an agent, thus retaining his final year of collegiate eligibility for the 2005-2006 season. Parham had an outstanding year at UMES, leading the team in rebounding and standing second in scoring. He averaged 11.4 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game for the season but in the conference he averaged a double double with 13.2 points and ten rebounds, both led the team. In fact, Parham totaled a whopping 13 double doubles this season with highs of 28 points and 19 rebounds. Nationally, he was tied with the 50th ranked player in rebounding. He was recently named the team's Most Improved and Most Valuable Player. He joined a class of other early entrants into the NBA draft that includes Kelenna Azubuike of Kentucky, Andrew Bogut of Utah, Raymond Felton, Sean May and Rashad McCants all of North Carolina, Francisco Garcia of Louisville, Jarrett Jack of Georgia Tech, Kennedy Winston of Alabama, Deron Williams of Illinois and about 60 others from colleges and international leagues. Parham, if drafted next season, will be the first Hawk drafted since 1974 when UMES had three players drafted. That year Rubin Collins went in the second round, number 18 to Portland, Talvin Skinner went in the third round, number eight to Seattle and William Gordon went in the fourth round, number eight, also to Seattle. In 1970 Jake Ford was drafted out of, then Maryland State, by the Sonics. The same year the San Francisco Warriors, who became Golden State, drafted Levi Fontaine. James "Bones" Morgan was also drafted in 1970, with the Seattle Supersonics choosing him in the 7th round. The first draftee of the Hawks was Ken McBride in 1954 by the Syracuse Nationals who became the Philadelphia 76ers in 1963.
The Washington Bullets drafted Joe Pace, of Coppin State College, in 1976. He played one season for UMES before transferring to the Eagles. The last player to be drafted out of the MEAC was Jerome James in 1998 from Florida A & M. James still plays for the Sonics today.
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