tutt626.htm

SoCalHoops High School & Prep News

Ray Tutt Still Hopeful About
Making The NBA--(June 26, 1998)

Yesterday's edition of the Santa Barbara News-Press featured a story written by sports editor Mark Patton about Raymond Tutt (6'-4" Sr. G/F) from UCSB, who made himself eligible for the draft, but wasn't selected.

Reading the article reminded us of just how good a player Tutt really is, and how arbitrary and fickle the draft is. Tutt was a transfer from Azusa Pacific College and in two years at UCSB, he scored 1,141 points, making him the school's 12th all-time scorer. He broke the school scoring record during the 1996-97 season when he got 649 points in 27 games, (a 24.1-point average) and was the fourth leading scorer in the nation. He was rated as the POY by the players in the Big West Conference, and just missed out on the coaches' award (which was given to Schea's big brother James Cotton, then with Long Beach State). As a junior Tutt also hit 55 of 118 3-pointers and was one of the leading three point shooters in the country. As a prep player at San Pedro High, Tutt ranked second among California's prep scorers when he scored 32.5 points per game during the 1992-93 season. He was a little bit slower this last season, but still managed to average almost 18 points per game.

Was Tutt surprised he didn't get drafted?

He told the News-Press: "It was always a dream of mine to hear my name called (during the draft), so this was kind of disappointing. But I look at it like this: What do I expect, since we only won seven games all year."

He says he'll continue to try to sign on with a team and hopes to get invited to one of the camps to interest a team that needs a good three point shooter. His agent Kyle Rote Jr., thinks he's got a pretty good shot.

But realistically, Tutt may not know anything for several months if the NBA lockout occurs on July 1 as anticipated. If the lockout occurs, there won't be any camps, and there won't be any basketball for Tutt. Or for any other NBA hopefuls either. At least not for a while.