PRO BASKETBALL 27 players drop out of NBA draft

Several were considered lottery picks, including 7-4 Russian Pavel Podkolzine.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Charlie Villanueva, who starred with LeBron James in high school all-star games this year, withdrew from the NBA draft Friday, one of 27 early entries to drop out.
He joins 7-foot-4 Russian Pavel Podkolzine, considered a potential lottery pick, among the dropouts. Villanueva, who is from Brooklyn, N.Y. and attended Blair Academy in New Jersey, said he will attend the University of Connecticut.
The 6-foot-10 Villanueva, who in the McDonald's all-star game converted two alley-oop dunks from the Akron, Ohio high school star, originally intended to go to Illinois but changed his mind when coach Bill Self moved to Kansas.
James is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the draft, by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Has gland disorder
The 18-year-old Podkolzine learned this week that he has a pituitary gland disorder that will require surgery and decided to return to Varese in the Italian League.
Some high-profile juniors decided to return for their senior seasons including Andre Emmett of Texas Tech, Jameer Nelson of Saint Joseph's, Marcus Moore of Washington State, Ricky Minard of Morehead State, Jason Parker of Tulsa and Brian Polk of Temple. Chris Thomas of Notre Dame withdrew his name and will return for his junior season.
Minard, Nelson and Thomas were honorable mention selections on the 2002-03 AP All-America team.
Others on list
Also on the list of pullouts were two other players viewed as possible first-round choices -- 6-9 Viktor Khryapa of Russia and 6-10 Anderson Varcjao of Spain.
Three college freshmen, Sani Ibrahim of the College of Southern Idaho, Antonio Lawrence of San Jose State and Erazem Lorbek of Michigan State, all pulled their names back. Ibrahim and Lawrence will return to school while Lorbek will play in Europe.
The withdrawals left 46 early entry candidates -- 29 college and high school players and 17 international players.