Lofton announces plans to stay at UT for Sr. year
Lofton said he wasn?t projected high enough in the upcoming NBA draft to warrant leaving school early.
?I think I knew all along I was coming back anyway. It was just a little part of me in my mind of waiting to see how everything shakes out. I?m not surprised by this,? Lofton said during a news conference at the university with coach Bruce Pearl.
Lofton is one of the best long-range shooters in the country, leading the SEC in scoring at 20.8 points a game and in 3-pointers per game at 3.42. Pearl said he envisions Lofton becoming more of a combo guard next season and even sharing some of the point guard duties.
He helped the Volunteers advance to the regional semifinals of the NCAA tournament before they were stopped short of reaching the final eight for the first time in school history. Lofton scored 24 points in the 85-84 loss to top-seeded Ohio State.
Lofton was not considered likely to leave college early like other stars such as Texas? Kevin Durant or Ohio State?s Greg Oden. Either freshmen sensation could be the overall No. 1 pick.
Competing against a large number of draft-eligible big men, Lofton was projected to be a second-round pick in the NBA draft in June.
?The draft situation wasn?t really anything guaranteed. I think that it was best for me to try to come back and just to improve and help my team go farther in the tournament next year,? Lofton said.
If he had been projected for the first round, Lofton said he would have entered the draft without an agent and taken his chances by getting into a camp.
?They say this is one of the top drafts in the last 10 years. It?s good at the top, which last year?s draft wasn?t and it?s extremely deep. I think Chris and his family did a really good job. They were patient,? Pearl said.
?I think the fact that he waited until this point, to see what a lot of other guys are going to do. Every time somebody else entered their name in, whether it be Oden or (Ohio State point guard Mike) Conley or (North Carolina forward) Brandan Wright it pushes you down one more spot.?
Pearl said Lofton is the first player he?s coached to be projected as high as second round.
The Maysville, Ky., native is a big fan favorite and was passed over by home state schools Kentucky and Louisville when he was recruited by former Tennessee coach Buzz Peterson. Lofton has improved every season, and Pearl pushed him to add more driving lay-ups to his repertoire the past season.
?I had confidence in myself in high school. I always had big dreams and I thought if I could work hard and try to make progress each and every year I could have a chance to do this,? Lofton said.
He is the first Tennessee player to be named to the first or second team All-America list by the Associated Press since Dale Ellis in 1983. Lofton was honorable mention a year ago.
Pearl plans to have Lofton become either the backup point guard or even challenge Ramar Smith for the position.
?There is no question in my mind Chris can play the position,? Pearl said. Lofton said he played point guard ?occasionally? in high school or AAU but has mainly been a shooting guard.
Pearl also announced Lofton has been invited to try out by USA Basketball to be on its team for the Pan Am Games this summer.
The landscape of Tennessee basketball has changed dramatically since Lofton was a freshman. Pearl has brought a high level of success the last two years that hasn?t been seen in Big Orange country in decades. The winning has translated into more donations to pay for a new practice facility and renovations to Thompson-Boling Arena, which have already started.
Lofton said he didn?t want to pass up adding to the history.
?It?s been a 360 for me since when I first got here. We went from nobody comes to our games to last year a lot of people were coming and this year we got to a whole other level,? Lofton said.
?So next year I expect a lot more big crowds with our team coming back. We?ve got some new additions and I think with hard work and determination we can be a great team at the end of next year.?