Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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BYU has two players currently in the NBA Draft pool, with neither one too visible on the pro hoops radar right now.
Of the two, Lee Cummard is the most viable current pro prospect, but he is not on the list of 52 players invited to the NBA's pre-draft camp next week in Chicago. Note that there are no Mountain West Conference players on the list; of the 49 collegiate players listed, 40 played for schools in BCS conferences.
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Cummard was listed as a late first- to mid-second round pick for much of the college season, and he still has his supporters who see his value remaining in that range. He has already had some NBA workouts (Cummard was in San Antonio to display his talents for Spurs' brass this past weekend), but it may not be until his workout tour has concluded that we get a better idea of his true draft prospects.
As for Jonathan Tavernari, his draft declaration was more exploratory than indicative of a pending departure, and as of yet, he has no NBA workouts scheduled. It's anticipated that if and when he gets in front of some NBA teams, it will be at one or more of the league's multi-team "combine-style" workouts, in California or Texas.
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The 2009-10 BYU Basketball schedule is coming together, with dates at Arizona, Utah State and Hawaii among the notable road games. Home dates with Arizona State and Bradley highlight the Marriott Center agenda, while the Cougars will also play in an exempt event in Las Vegas (alongside Tulsa, Nevada and Nebraska). In addition, BYU will play a neutral court game against Steve Cleveland's Fresno State Bulldogs at the Galen Center in Los Angeles (USC's home floor).
The two exhibition dates are already solidified, with a Canadian team already secured; BYU is looking for an athletic DII squad to fill the other exhibition slot.
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By the way, while the spring letter of intent signing window closes on Wednesday, there are no BYU signings imminent. The staff are intent on taking their time relative to the remaining available scholarship. BYU can add another scholarship player at any time prior to the first day of fall classes, without a letter of intent needing to be signed. The would-be player's enrollment invokes the same components of the NLI.
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With football camp less than three months away, I figured I would jog your memories with the list of players who are returning to or debuting with the program after having served an LDS mission:
TE Mike Muehlmann (attended Winter Semester)
WR McKay Jacobson (attended Winter Semester)
OL Braden Hansen (attended Winter Semester)
PK/P Riley Stephenson
DB Robbie Buckner
RB Mike Hague
LB Aveni Leung-Wai
DL Jordan Richardson
OL Ryan Freeman
DL Romney Fuga
OL Houston Reynolds
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OL Famika Anae and WR Marcus Mathews will not return in time to compete in the fall, but will have returned in time to enroll for the Winter Semester of 2010.
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Additionally, in case you are looking for players you saw last season and can't find them on the field or the roster, here's the list of players who have already left or will be leaving on missions:
LB Michael Alisa
DB Cameron Comer
TE Kaneakua Friel
LB Spencer Hadley
DL Solomone Kafu
LB Iona Pritchard
LB Daniel Sorensen
PK Justin Sorensen
DL Ian Dulan
OL Brock Stringham
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2009 signees RB Adam Hine (Timo) and OL Brad Wilcox are leaving on missions before enrolling at BYU.
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