Notre Dame forward Luke Harangody is putting his name in the NBA draft with the intention of turning pro, but will leave open the option of returning for his senior season.
Were going in full speed. Were going in to go into it, not to just see if I need to improve on anything, Harangody said Thursday. Were just going to go out there and try to get this thing done.
Still, Harangody doesnt plan on hiring an agent, meaning he can pull out of the draft by the June 15 deadline.
Notre Dame coach Mike Brey agreed that Harangody should approach the next two months as though hes not coming back.
You do this to get drafted and go, he said. Lukes never played a game just to play it. Hes always played a game to win it. I think hes got to play this game to win it.
Harangody sees the next two months as a challenge to prove to NBA teams that he is ready to step up, saying its similar to the challenge he faced when he arrived at Notre Dame without much fanfare.
I feel like I have to prove myself again, he said. Thats fine with me.
Harangody, who averaged 23.3 points and 11.8 rebounds last season, has led the Big East in scoring and rebounding in back-to-back seasons. He was the leagues player of the year in 2008.
Harangody, who is listed at 6-foot-8, said he thinks the two biggest questions about him are his height and his athleticism.
I think I can show teams Im a little more athletic than they perceive me on TV or in person, he said.
Brey said Harangody also needs to improve his defense, but said theres no doubt he will be a good NBA player.
Hes going to be a 10-, 12-year NBA player, whenever he goes, said Brey, who has spoken with people who have projected Harangody to be taken in the second round or late first.
One of the things Luke and I talked about through this, I said: Thats real interesting territory and familiar territory for you going into this because nobody thought you could play in the Big East when you came here, Brey said.
Harangody said theres no one thing that would cause him to make a decision, although he joked that if he knew he would be the top pick overall hed be ready to decide. He said knowing hed be drafted in the first round wouldnt necessarily cause him to leave his name in the draft.
Theres so much that goes into the first round, on who would draft you and when they would draft you, he said.
