Charlotte 49ers Freshman Center Martin Iti To Declare for NBA Draft

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Freshman center Martin Iti wants to "see where I stand" and has announced he will enter the NBA Draft.

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Iti Wants Opportunity to Test the Waters; Will Not Sign With Agent

May 4, 2004

Charlotte, N.C. - Charlotte 49ers 7-0 freshman center Martin Iti (Sydney, Australia) has announced that he will declare for the NBA Draft, which will be held in June. Iti has further stated that he has no plans to sign with an agent, thereby keeping his options open to return to the 49ers.

"I'm really just testing the waters with the intention of coming back to Charlotte," Iti said, noting that he hopes to compare his skills at the upcoming NBA Draft camp in Chicago. "I want to go up against the best and see how I do. Coach (Bobby) Lutz and his staff have helped me a great deal and I love playing for the 49ers. I just want to see where I stand."

Iti was named to the Conference USA all-Freshman team after averaging 6.0 points and 4.7 rebounds, this past year. He led the 49ers with 35 blocked shots and 37 dunks while shooting .569 from the floor. Iti started 23 of Charlotte's 30 games, helping the 49ers claim a share of the C-USA regular-season title and notch their fourth NCAA bid in the last six years. Iti scored a career-high 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting and added four blocks vs. Tulane. He scored in double figures four times and pulled double-digit rebounds three times while averaging 18.4 minutes per game.

Prior to joining the 49ers, Iti, a Top 10 national prospect, was selected as the nation's top post prospect by ESPN.com. Iti was rated third, overall, at that time behind LeBron James and Luol Deng.

"Martin has decided to take advantage of the existing system which allows him to go to Chicago without forfeiting his eligibility," said 49ers head coach Bobby Lutz. "I support Martin in his endeavor to better evaluate his current status as a player."

Iti is the second 49er in the last four years to declare for the draft early. In 2001, Rodney White, then a freshman, declared and was taken with a lottery pick, ninth, by the Detroit Pistons. White is currently with the Denver Nuggets.