Howard Capital Classic MVP; Wright Enters Draft

NBA-bound big man Dwight Howard earned MVP honors at Saturday’s Jordan Capital Classic with 18 points and 15 rebounds, but the other big news was that small forward Dorell Wright, who scored a game-high 24 points, will reportedly join Howard in the NBA Draft.

Last week, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy (Ga.) center Dwight Howard announced his intentions to bypass college and enter this summer’s NBA Draft.

On Saturday night at the Jordan Capital Classic all-star high school basketball game, Howard proved why he’s ready to make that leap.

Howard, a 6-foot-11, 235-pound senior who’s expected to be the No. 1 or No. 2 pick in the draft, earned Capital Classic MVP honors after dominating the game with 18 points, 15 rebounds, six blocks and three assists while leading the Black team to a 107-96 win over the White team on Saturday at the Comcast Center in College Park, Md.

But perhaps the biggest news from the event was that South Kent Prep (Conn.) small forward Dorell Wright has also decided to enter the NBA Draft, according to The Washington Post.

Wright, a 6-foot-8 DePaul recruit who scored a game-high 24 points and pulled down seven rebounds in a losing cause for the White team on Saturday, will reportedly not hire an agent, leaving open the possibility that he can withdraw from the draft and still attend college. Wright has been compared to Tracy McGrady because of his slender build and amazing athleticism.

As for the game itself, other top players for the victorious Black squad included Renaissance High (Mich.) small forward Malik Hairston and Bridgton Academy (Maine) shooting guard Robert Vaden. Hairston (undecided) scored a team-high 23 points and Vaden (Indiana) chipped in with 21 points.

In addition to Wright, Prentiss High (Miss.) center Al Jefferson and Archbishop Spalding High (Md.) small forward Rudy Gay played well for the White team. Jefferson, who has signed with Arkansas but is also mulling a leap to the NBA, scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Gay, the lone local star in the game and a UConn signee, added 14 points and two blocks.

Saturday’s game marked the 31st Capital Classic, which has featured players like LeBron James (last year’s MVP), Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Carmelo Anthony in its previous 30 years.

This year’s game will be televised on ESPN2 this Wednesday, April 21 at 5 p.m. EST.