Spanish point guard Josep Franch (1’91 m., born in 1991) will declare himself elegible for the NBA draft, one year before being automatically eligible. His agent, Igor Crespo, said so to the DraftExpress website.
Franch has struggled during his first season with UCAM Murcia, a team that bid aggresively for him while powerhouses like Barcelona or Real Madrid were interested in him. Coach Luis Guil, one of his mentors in the youth national teams, was one of the biggest reasons for young guard choosing Murcia, but Guil was sacked in the middle of the season. The new coach, Óscar Quintana, asked for a new point guard and brought Curtis Jerrells, as the point position had been the weakest link of the team.
Averaging 8.1 points and 2.4 assists per game, Franch has not proven to be ready for leading a team in ACB League, as his decision making and defense (especially in pick and rolls) have been subpar for most of the season. However, with a less important role under Coach Quintana, who uses Ime Udoka as point forward, his output has been more positive. At the moment, the Catalan player, who would have to buyout his contract with Murcia in case of joining an NBA team next season, has yet to appear in any important mock draft for 2012.
via: TuBasket
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