As the NBA draft began Thursday night, Archbishop Mitty product Drew Gordon warned that his emotions would be flowing by the end of the night.
"Regardless of what happens, you'll see me crying," Gordon said.
They would not be tears of happiness. Gordon, a collegiate standout at New Mexico, surprisingly was not among the 60 players selected. But within minutes of the draft's end, his agent Calvin Andrews already had fielded calls from the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks about Gordon playing on their summer league teams.
"It's heartbreaking," Gordon said from Double D's Sports Grille in Los Gatos, where about 70 friends and family members had gathered for what had intended to be a celebration. "But when people who love you are there to support you, it's also heartwarming."
Gordon's eyes were red after a long walk to "get everything out." But he sounded as if he already was prepared for the challenge of taking the harder path to the NBA as an undrafted free agent.
"I'm underrated and underappreciated, but I'm still working to be a winner," he said. "This isn't the end."
Gordon a 6-foot-9 forward, is considered the best player to emerge from the South Bay in decades. He began his collegiate career at UCLA before transferring to New Mexico for his final two years. Gordon, who turns 22 next month, averaged 13.7 points and 11.1 rebounds last season for the Lobos and was named the Mountain West Conference tournament
MVP.And he was seen by most NBA draft observers as a second-round pick. Gordon had worked out for 12 teams in recent weeks.
That's why the disappointment was so visible on the faces of Gordon and his family as one name after another was announced on television by NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver in the second round, but without Gordon's being called.
"I'm not sure what happens now," Gordon said. "We'll have to see how it goes. But I just know that you haven't seen the last of me."
Contact Mark Emmons at 408-920-5745.
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