PHILADELPHIA, PA - UNC Greensboro forward Kyle Hines went undrafted on Thursday night, but the big man found someone still wants to talk to him. Friday afternoon, he boarded a plane for Cleveland to attend a mini-camp for the Cavaliers.
Hines will work out with the team through the weekend with other free agents and the Cavs draft picks. He will then see what other teams want him to work out, as well. This is the second time Hines has "auditioned" for Cleveland. His first team workout after the NBA Pre-draft Camp in Orlando was with Cleveland.
Hines had a strong performance in Portsmouth at the camp for seniors. The PIT showcases the top seniors that expect to move into the professional ranks, while the NBA’s pre-draft camp includes underclassmen and foreign players. At the PIT, Hines finished the three-day tournament shooting 22-of-28 from the floor for 78.6 percent, the best shooting percentage in the history of the 56-year tournament. He eclipsed the previous mark of 76.5 percent in 2004 by Xavier’s Justin Cage (13-for-17).
Hines’ 17.3 ppg scoring average was best on his team and fourth overall among the 64 players at the PIT. His 10 blocked shots was tied for the most at the tournament this season, equaling the total of Drexel’s Frank Elegar, and just one shy of the tournament record. He also averaged 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals, which was tied for third-best during the three days.
Orlando was a different story, though, for Hines as teams wanted to see how he would perform as a league. He admitted that it would take time to adjust to the change, but still managed a double-double in his final game at the tournament. Still, some teams were impressed with his natural ability -- enough so that there was some that thought he might be in the top 60 players that got drafted on Thursday night.
By not getting drafted, though, Hines may be somewhat better off. Second round picks are not guaranteed contracts -- therefore keeping Hines' options open of where he might play this summer, as opposed to a team owning his rights.
Hines, who earned his third straight USBWA All-District selection this season, set career records at UNCG with 2,187 points, 1,047 rebounds and 349 blocks. He is one of 97 players in college basketball history to record 2,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds and one of just six to also have 300 career blocks joining Alonzo Mourning, David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Pervis Ellison and Derrick Coleman. This past season, he averaged 19.2 ppg, second in the Southern Conference behind Stephen Curry. He also led the conference in blocks with 95 and in rebounding at 9.1 per contest. His 56 steals also ranked among the conference’s leaders. He became just the fourth player in the Southern Conference’s 62-years of all-conference selections to become a four-time first-team selection and the first in 20 years.
Hines scored in double figures in each of his last 81 games, the longest active streak in the nation. He finished in the Top 5 among active players in career points, career rebounds, career blocked shots and career double-doubles (45).
- UNCG -