Villanova's Cheek enters NBA Draft

DOMINIC CHEEK comes from a rough part of Jersey City, N.J., where he became a McDonald's All-American at St. Anthony's High. Now he wants to start helping his parents, grandmother and three brothers (two younger) by playing basketball for a living.

Wherever that might take him.

"I know it could be a bumpy road," he said Thursday at Villanova, where the Wildcats' junior guard, as expected, made it official by announcing he's making himself available for the NBA draft. "But I'm willing to face that challenge, do whatever I have to do to . . . pursue my dream of a pro career.

"It was based mostly on [financial considerations]. I'd do anything for my family. The neighborhood where I'm from is one of the worst in the city. My grandmother lives in the projects. She's taken care of three kids. I just want to get her out of there. That's what I'm trying to do."

Earlier this month, junior Maalik Wayns, the team's top scorer, at 17.5 points a game, also said he was leaving to turn pro. This latest news was more of a surprise, even though Cheek was the second-leading scorer at 12.5.

"Each kid is different," coach Jay Wright said. "There's a lot of personal issues here. I can see it. I agree with them.

"We've talked a lot. There's a lot to this, and I admire the way he's handled it. With his situation, it might be better for him to do it now. Everybody [on the outside] isn't going to understand, but it probably was the best time. It wasn't a decision he made quickly."

Cheek said he's prepared to deal with whatever lies ahead. Right now, he wouldn't figure to project as a draft pick, but it takes only one team. His agent, Los Angeles-based Happy Walters, represents Cheek's former 'Nova teammate Corey Stokes, another North Jersey product, who played last season for a team in Germany.

"I've had my ups and downs [at the college level]," Cheek said. "But I got through it. It made me a better person. I'm a man. I had to make a decision for myself. It's time.

"I'm pretty excited right now. If [my opportunity is] overseas, then that's what I'm going to do to support my family. I'm just chasing my dream, trying to prove a lot of people who doubt me wrong."

This leaves Wright with eight returning players from a team that lost 19 games for only the second time in program history and missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004. Three - junior center Mouphtaou Yarou, sophomore guard James Bell and freshman forward JayVaughn Pinkston - averaged between 11.3 and 7.0 points. Four others were first-year guys. Wright will have two newcomers, forward Daniel Ochefu and guard Ryan Arcidiacono, who could merit immediate minutes.

Sources have said Villanova might be close to getting former Neumann-Goretti guard Tony Chennault, who started the last two seasons at Wake Forest. He's transferring to be closer to home for family reasons and could apply for a hardship waiver that would make him eligible next season.