NBA Draft Camp: Sonics realize their player isn't there

The 60-plus players who filled the Milk House at Walt Disney World on Tuesday night are hoping to break the first round or just get into the draft. And there was no shortage of NBA coaches, scouts, a handful of legends and former players who filled the gym to watch the next generation of potential standouts work feverishly to impress.

Sonics general manager Rick Sund, who has worked as a camp administrator for the past 20 years, said he realizes the club will not draw its first-round pick from the pool of players participating this week.

"We know that the 10th player is not going to be there because the top player is not going to participate in the combine," Sund said Tuesday night. "In the past we found Damien Wilkins, Reggie Evans; guys who have made major contributions to this organization."

The most notable player here is UCLA guard Jordan Farmar, who is a projected mid-first round pick but has yet to decide whether he will stay in the draft.

The draft hopefuls will play in games for the next three days while some potential top-10 picks will interview with prospective teams this week.

GELABALE UPDATE: Sund has met with representatives of 2005 second-round pick Mickael Gelabale, the French forward who played this past season for Real Madrid, and the sides are growing closer to an agreement. Gelabale is under contract with Real Madrid for next season and also is a member of the French National team.

The two sides will meet again later this month.

JONES SUPPORT: Former University of Washington guard-forward Bobby Jones was participating in drills when he looked up and made eye contact with former coach Lorenzo Romar, who was sitting in the bleachers above the four-court complex at the Walt Disney Wide World of Sports.

Romar, along with assistants Paul Fortier and Jim Shaw, are in Orlando to work with Jones. Romar is not the only college coach here. Villanova's Jay Wright, Illinois' Bruce Weber and Morgan State's Todd Bozeman also watched drills.

Jones and camp teammates J.P. Batista (Gonzaga), Darius Washington (Memphis) and Denham Brown (UConn) scrimmaged against other clubs Tuesday night. The first official games will begin this morning.

"I saw him out there and he gave me the nod," Jones said of Romar. "He told me he was coming, so definitely seeing him made me feel more comfortable. It just shows how caring they are. Even though I am not on the team anymore, they still care about how I perform and what I am going to do afterward."

NOTES: Texas forward P.J. Tucker will not participate in the camp because of a groin strain. Tucker, who announced he was staying in the draft, left Texas after his sophomore season. He averaged 16.5 points per game last season. ... Tucker's former Texas teammate, Daniel Gibson, and California forward Leon Powe will not play in the camp. ... San Diego State forward Marcus Slaughter, who also will remain in the draft, left Tuesday's drills because of a sprained left ankle. ... Sonics assistant Ralph Lewis is head coach of a team that includes Farmar and Louisiana Tech forward Paul Millsap.

P-I reporter Gary Washburn can be reached at 206-448-8006 or garywashburn@seattlepi.com.

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