UGA’s Trey Thompkins, Travis Leslie reunited in NBA by L.A. Clippers (UPDATED)
Criticism of his physical conditioning contributed to Georgia's Trey Thompkins dropping to the second round in Thursday night's NBA draft. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie thought they had left Georgia to pursue their NBA dreams separately. As it turns out, they’ll be reunited in Los Angeles after the Bulldogs’ star players were both drafted in the second round by the Clippers.
Thompkins, a 6-9, 240-pound power forward from Lithonia, was the first to go, but not until the37th pick. His call came at 10:45 p.m., or three hours and forty-five minutes after the NBA Draft show on ESPN began.
The call for Leslie, a 6-4 guard from Decatur, came 10 picks and nearly a half-hour later.
“Congrats to Trey and Travis on being drafted,” Georgia coach Mark Fox said via his Twitter account. “Never thought I’d say I was going to cheer for the Clippers. . . . I will now.”
Thompkins (17 points/8 rebounds) and Leslie (14/7) were the Bulldogs’ leading scorers and rebounders last season. In L.A. they’ll join star forward Blake Griffin and fellow Atlanta native and second-year pro Al-Farouq Aminu of Norcross.
“Leslie can be a lock-down defender and we want to make sure Blake has competition in the dunk contest next year,” Clippers general manager Neil Olshey said. “Trey is a great compliment to Blake.”
Thompkins and Leslie were UGA’s first NBA draftees since Rashad Wright was the last overall pick in 2004.
Fox believes both players have pro potential but wanted them to return for their senior seasons.
Travis Leslie's was said to be one of the most athletic prospects in the draft. (UGA photo)
“Trey has legitimate power-forward size and he’s got offensive skill and a high basketball IQ,” Fox told me the day before the draft. “I’m sure he’ll make a great pro. I think Travis will continue to improve. He improved a great deal the last two years and I don’t think he’s done improving. He’s not a finished product yet so it just depends on how teams perceive that.”
Thompkins and Leslie both entered the draft fully expecting to be first-rouond selections. But Thompkins’ stock dropped after his conditioning came into question, while Leslie had to overcome doubts he is anything more than an athletic dunker.
ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said Thompkins was “a great value” for the Clippers to get in the second round but brought up Thompkins’ body-fat percentage, which was measured to be 15.5 percent at the NBA combine.
“That’s pretty good if you’re a sealion,” Bilas said. “He could have used another year in school, as could his Georgia teammate Travis Leslie.”
Thompkins earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors the past two years. He led the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding each of his those years and concluded his UGA career with 1,396 points and 693 rebounds. Those figures rank 13th and 10th, respectively, on the school’s career charts.
Leslie was a second-team All-SEC pick by the league’s head coaches this past season. He averaged 14.4 points and 7.2 rebounds in 2011, second on the team behind Thompkins in both categories. Leslie also handed out 97 assists. He finished his career 1,099 points, which ranks 30th in UGA history.
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88 comments Add your comment
Say What...
June 24th, 2011
9:42 am
GT Fan:
Any person who calls a group of people an idiot & bigot is normally one themselves. Case in point!
Like Mr. GT Fan…
Friend of the Family Forreal
June 24th, 2011
9:42 am
It is funny how so many people have so many comments without FACTS!!! What round did your son go in? The fact is he was drafted and it will be up to him so show ALL of you nay-sayers what he is made of. CONGRATULATIONS Trey and continued blessings on your life. You have made us ALL very proud. Your success is YOURS, the rest of you should get SOME!
McDawg
June 24th, 2011
9:45 am
they should both be grateful they were drafted –with all the foreign players and underclassmen-only the elite go 1st round
Ag Dawg
June 24th, 2011
10:11 am
Thomkins will be a total bust .. I was surprised he went to the pros, then again, maybe he was worried that he wouldnt start next year. Leslie has the potential to make it but not sure if he has the drive to improve his game . Good luck to both .. GO DAWGS
Ag Dawg
June 24th, 2011
10:17 am
Family… if I was 6′ 9 and weighed 240 i would average more than 17 pts and 8 rebounds/ game. He was a good player for the DAWGS but he needed to stay another year.. I believe that is why there are so many neg . comments.. I hope i am 100 % wrong and he makes a long career in the NBA
Delbert D.
June 24th, 2011
10:28 am
The Spirit should explore trading the Hawks for the Clippers.
Friend of the Family Forreal
June 24th, 2011
10:32 am
@ Ag Dawg…. well your NOT! So, you won’t.
A total BUST???!!!Another year is not guaranteed to any of us!
IlliniDawg
June 24th, 2011
11:00 am
Fox should put up a huge poster in the locker room with these two guys side-by-side, with the caption “Stay in School” underneath. Just to remind current and future players not to make similar bad decisions.
Thompkins-Leslie: poster children for leaving too early.
NewnanDawg
June 24th, 2011
11:19 am
Just like most who HAVE commented here, I don’t know enough about TT and TL to comment on their decisions. Regardless, they were highly instrumental in getting the Mark Fox era at UGA going, so I thank them for that and all of the entertainment at the games. I wish them the best whether they make it in the NBA or end up elsewhere.
Side note – voting is tight with Uga slightly down to the Notre Dame tradition with the “Play Like a Champion” sign. So, go vote for Uga!
http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/post/_/id/6681916/1-notre-dame-vs-8-georgia
Go Dawgs!
AL E. GATOR
June 24th, 2011
11:41 am
Gators Ball playing against UGA and these two was fun to watch. Both solid college players that are oozing with potential. I do think they both would have been better served by staying at UGA for their senior year. However – if they both make the roster – then they will be getting paid a lot of money! So good for them – they have opportunity!!!
Where does this leave UGA’s basketball program?
The Price kid overachieved – but basically – UGA basketball was all about Thompkins and Leslie.
UGA will struggle to produce another 2010 season as they have a lot to replace.
Think 2010 will be Fox’s best year – and he will be stuck as a midpack SEC team – like UGA football!!!!
Dawg Tired
June 24th, 2011
12:02 pm
Hindsight is 20-20.
BuckheadBill
June 24th, 2011
12:02 pm
To GT Fan: Shows your “GT Klass”. Calling kids “Clowns”. Have you ever called anyone “Clown” face to face. I thought not,
Baffled
June 24th, 2011
12:05 pm
How can the Nerds (GT) have anything to say negatively about ANY other football or basketball program? Bring the GE College Bowl back & maybe their sliderule nerds can win a couple.
NewnanDawg
June 24th, 2011
12:47 pm
Al E. – All of UGA’s backcourt players (some very strong ones in D. Ware & G. Robinson Jr.) are back + a big time recruit there also, so this year’s team will feature them much more strongly with a younger frontcourt group. Two returners, Donte Williams and Marcus Thornton, don’t have the size of a Price or Thompkins, so I expect to see a lot more movement in the Triangle with them this year. Coached properly, which I think they will be, there will be times of struggling, but I see this year’s defense being strong with a different vibe on offense, hopefully without a huge drop off; should still be fun to watch though.
Go Dawgs!
naynaymayo
June 24th, 2011
1:14 pm
To all you UGA fanatics. 1st knowing Trey and his parents since he was 5, I beg to differ with your comments about his “wrong decision”, and his parents “pushing” him out there for the money, etc. All are incorrect and guess what? No his parents didn’t push him to go forward with the NBA draft, it was his decision. And they are really good parents, actually the very best a child could have. 2nd, the ability to play in the NBA is not your decision, but it was the Clippers ownership & management’s decision. Actually you don’t have any money to pay him jack. And last the decision’s been made, and as long as he has his family, friends and prayers behind him, it matters not what you say!
Fact Checker
June 24th, 2011
1:23 pm
Congrats to these guys. Wish them well. However how about some press for Marshon Brooks the first round choice of the Celtics from Tucker High. Also how about some press for Marshon, Travis and Andrew Goudelock who all come from the same area. It’s no small feat when 3 NBA players come from the same small area. By the way Region 6 has won the last 10 class 4A state championships in boys basketball.
Friend of the Family Forreal
June 24th, 2011
1:30 pm
@naynaymayo… well said!
Lion's Den
June 24th, 2011
1:33 pm
Good Luck to both of these young men for following their dreams and be assured the South Dekalb County Community is PROUD of you.
Make your haters your motivators!
NBA Draft Grades 2011: Clippers Add Dunk Expert Travis Leslie – SB Nation | Blake Griffin Zone
June 24th, 2011
1:48 pm
[...] draftLos Angeles Times2011 NBA Draft Results: Clippers Take Travis Leslie at No. 47Bleacher ReportAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -Press-Enterpriseall 178 news [...]
CecilDawg
June 24th, 2011
3:19 pm
Has anyone else noticed that first-round picks are always known by all of us ahead of time? If you have to think about it too much, you ain’t first round. Shumpert moved up; good for him. But most kids should stay in school if it isn’t a sure bet. What’s so terrible about cruisin’ in college, anyway? Wish I could do it for about 10 years…
Beast from the East
June 24th, 2011
3:24 pm
http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20110624/ARTICLES/110629740/1136?p=2&tc=pg
SEC West predictions from one of the Gainesville Sun beat writers.
GT93
June 24th, 2011
4:05 pm
Wow! Congrats to Trey and Travis … they have not only achieved their dreams of playing in the NBA, but also get to go to the same team together. I wish them much happiness and success.
GBR
June 24th, 2011
4:56 pm
Words cannot describe how bad Trey’s decision was. He did not have a great season in 2010/2011 and reportedly showed up for the draft combine in less than great shape (15% body fat). In watching Trey last year he seemed frequently to be moaning to the Refs about getting filed and not getting a call. In hind sight the body fat and lack of muscle would tend to let you get pushed around, and Trey does not look like he spent much time in the weight room. It is always sad to see a kid with so many potential tools not do his best because he fails to work hard enough or on the right things.
EricB
June 24th, 2011
5:02 pm
Trey made a good move leaving now……..first team SEC two years in a row under how many head coaches and how many point guards that couldn’t create and pass?
This Kid will be conditioned and it will happen quickly with Griffin’s work ethic as a prime example…..he couldn’t get that at Georgia.
Trey’s a good size kid with good ball skills and a nice range shooter……..
Who cares what Bilas thinks? He knows nothing about playing NBA ball…..he got cut.lol
BILLY JACK
June 24th, 2011
5:28 pm
Whoever advised them to go pro should get out of the business.One more year at UGA would have made them many more millions of dollars.Both great kids but you need to listen to your coach.Big cautionary tale here.
##1
June 24th, 2011
6:05 pm
Vote for UGA!
http://sports.espn.go.com/sportsnation/story?page=ncaatraditionsvote
Rhall55
June 24th, 2011
6:43 pm
Once again the S&C program shines!! Thompkins at 15.5% body fat; compared to a sea lion!!! What the heck is goin on out there? ‘You snooze, you lose”!!!! Evidence of letting ATL Celts Coach leave the state and become an Asst @ UCLA!!! Let’s see how many players go there!!! Just WIN baby!!!
Columbus
June 24th, 2011
6:56 pm
Of course the would have been better prepared for the NBA had they stayed their senior seasons. They should have stayed? Maybe. Maybe not. After the new NBA agreement, who knows if it would have mattered that much financially and even if it did, hey, they got to go to the SAME team and that is a rare thing and must be special to them both. I hope it works out great for them both. Man it would have been awesome to have them back to make that NCAA run this upsoming season though!
2011 DAWGS KICK BUTT
June 24th, 2011
7:20 pm
If you are a fan of any of the following loser teams or a dawg hater, go to the websites.
obviously, this is our schedule without coastal or nm state.
Boise State: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syu8jx_BA94
South Carolina: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCtSJFVt4Yk&feature=related
Ole Miss: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auX1gsnG9eM
Mississippi State: http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/images/photos/001/034/491/72235052_crop_650×440.jpg?1285291133
Tennessee: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFzYJ0HmQnk
Vanderbilt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co3togVBw0U
Florida: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOhWVvsrq5k http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJAQjqZg_zI&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoVWyn07kpg&feature=related
Auburn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyx9jZYjSso http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foGHh14uvKk
Kentucky: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJWt2lIkX7c http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H-dzE2kAIw&feature=related
Georgia Tech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgbVTm59C7A
Sven Ottke
June 24th, 2011
9:52 pm
Trey Thompkins got absolutely hammered by the ESPN crew. Stu Scott said he was going to be a stiff getting dunked on by Blake Griffin and Bilas equated him to being as fat as a sealion. What a riot!!! Great moves!
Hairy Dawg
June 24th, 2011
10:25 pm
This just be proofs how Dawgs have dominants over pestky buggy nerds of Techmites. Dawgs has twice as many players drafted as Techies and Dawgs done beating them nearly 2 to 1 to with 7-4 record over last 11 years. That makes Dawgs twice as good as nerdy bugs and running ownership of state in basketball likes we doing in football.
funny...
June 24th, 2011
10:28 pm
wish them well, but in a perceived “weak” draft class it would have helped their careers to stay in school.
Hoopster
June 24th, 2011
11:25 pm
Hairy Dawg = proof God did not intend for people to mate with sheep.
Turnt_UP!
June 25th, 2011
9:51 am
Hairy Dog: Everyone said Trey Tompkins was a 1st round lock, um no he wasn’t. Nor was Travis Leslie who didn’t like being compared to an NBA player who has had a long career. Meanwhile GT’s Shumpert goes 1st round and will get a guaranteed contract. Ever heard the say, ” A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” ?
NJ Dawg
June 25th, 2011
6:33 pm
Well, hopefully Blake Griffin’s work ethic will rub off on Thompkins and Leslie. Esp. Trey, given the bodyfat issue.
DAWG FAN
June 26th, 2011
9:49 am
DAWG FANS: VOTE FOR UGA AS COLLEGE FOOTBALLS BEST TRADITION VS NOTRE DAME. VOTE NOW.
http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/post/_/id/6681916/1-notre-dame-vs-8-georgia
Wreckmaniac
June 26th, 2011
11:46 am
I hope things go well for these two young men. The overlooked point here is at UGA these two fellows learned from Mark Fox how to play team ball and have acquired a definite skill that Shumpert at Tech did not get from his coach. As a college hoops fan who dosen’t spend 5 minutes watching NBA ball, I see Coach Fox as a tremendous motivator who has totally outclassed his counterpart at Tech over the past three seasons. He is a gem and is the top story in UGA sports over the past three seasons.
bitter 10@10
June 26th, 2011
3:20 pm
L/A (lower alabamma) dawgs—————–uh!!!!!!!!!!!!—————-just saying———hahahahah
————-good luck on the west coast