Afflalo, Farmar Set Workouts

By Brian Dohn
L.A. Daily News

The most significant stretch of UCLA's 2006-07 basketball season begins today, nearly six months before the season tips off.

The two prominent players in UCLA's unexpected run to the national championship game loss to Florida - shooting guard Arron Afflalo and point guard Jordan Farmar - begin workouts for NBA teams.

Afflalo said he has workouts scheduled with four teams, beginning with the Lakers. By this time next week, Afflalo said he will also work out for the Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Through UCLA, Farmar said he is not conducting interviews until he reaches a decision on whether he will remain in the draft. But he will work out for the Clippers today. His mother, Mindy Kolani, said her son also had workouts scheduled with the Lakers and the New Jersey Nets.

Farmar is also trying to solidify workouts with Sacramento, and possibly a few others, but Kolani said "I'm not sure that's been completely cemented."

It's common for hometown teams to work out college players. But more intriguing for Farmar, as well as UCLA, is the Nets' interest.

New Jersey has the 22nd and 23rd picks in the first round, and it could be willing to select Farmar to back up, and learn from, Jason Kidd.

Both players have until June18 to withdraw from the June 28 draft and return to UCLA for their junior seasons. Both said they would return if they were not certain of being first-round choices.

Several mock drafts have Farmar being selected in the bottom third of the first round, and sources said he is leaning toward leaving UCLA.

Afflalo is hoping to use the workouts to play his way into the draft.

Despite being listed as either a second-round pick, or not being selected at all, Afflalo was unconcerned.

"I want to show my other aspects of the game I didn't get to show (at UCLA)," said Afflalo, who outlined a few of his perceived limitations with the Bruins.

"Probably my ability to put the ball on the floor as much as I can. I took a lot of jump shots. Also, my ability to post up."

(reprinted with permission)

(BruinBasketballReport.com)