Terps Set For NBA Draft On Thursday
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Maryland men's basketball program will be on full display Thursday as the 2016 NBA Draft kicks off at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn beginning at 8 p.m. live on ESPN.
Former Terrapins Robert Carter, Jr., Jake Layman, Diamond Stone and Rasheed Sulaimon will hope to hear their name called Thursday. The foursome helped guide Maryland back to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2003 last season.
Carter, Jr., a transfer from Georgia Tech, was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection and the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner in 2015-16. He scored in double figures in 25 games and averaged 12.3 points and a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting at a .554 clip from the floor.
A two-time All-Big Ten pick from Wrentham, Mass., Layman tied Terrapin legend Juan Dixon for the most games played at Maryland (114). He capped his Maryland career ranked 18th in points (1,436) and rebounds (674). The 6-9 forward is one of only 12 players in school history to record 1,400 points and 600 rebounds.
Stone was tabbed Associated Press Big Ten Newcomer of the Year in 2015-16, his lone season in College Park. The 6-11 center from Milwaukee, Wisc., was a Third Team All-Big Ten selection and ranked third all-time in program history in blocks for a freshman in a single season (56). Stone also established Maryland single-game records for free throws made (19) and attempted (25) against the Nittany Lions.
A transfer from Duke, Sulaimon provided tremendous leadership to a youth-laden Terrapin squad last season. Sulaimon capped his collegiate career with 1,307 points, 310 assists and 115 steals. He recorded 13.0 points and 2.6 assists per game in the 2016 NCAA Tournament, including an 18-point showing versus Kansas in the Sweet 16.
The Philadelphia 76ers hold the No. 1 overall pick Thursday, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves.
