Seattle Prep's Hawes Goes to NBA, Garfield's Kemp Doesn't

Proving once again that Garfield grads are smarter than their private school counterparts, Marcelus Kemp today announced he'll stay in school for a year and improve his game, while Spencer Hawes announced he'll enter the draft and become the Robert Swift of 2007.

You'd think Hawes would learn from fellow Prepster Martell Webster, who entered the draft early and has never found consistent playing time in the NBA, his career so far could best be described as "a poor man's Dale Ellis."

OK, we're being facetious, if we were Hawes, looking at $4 million in guaranteed money for being a lottery pick, we'd jump ship too, Garfield education notwithstanding.

Kemp, who scored 27 points in a first-round NCAA tourney game, will be the man on Nevada with starters Nick Fazekas and Ramon Sessions both expected to be drafted in April.

NBA Draft.net has Hawes going 12th to Philly. ESPN's Chad Ford ranks Hawes his #12 prospect (subscription req.). AOL Fanhouse says Hawes is Robert Swift redux, and lottery teams should stay away.

Other Seattle-area high schoolers expected to be drafted are Marcus Williams (Roosevelt), Aaron Brooks (Franklin) and Rodney Stuckey (Kentwood)

Photo by Elaine Thompson/AP