Dante Cunningham is blessed with a calm demeanor.
But the Villanova basketball player admits that he's been a little anxious of late. Something about the uncertainty of where, or if, he'll be drafted in tonight's NBA draft will do that.
"[The] last night, you are tossing and turning" in bed, Cunningham said yesterday. "You can't go to a team and tell them, 'Pick me here.' "
Several mock drafts have the 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward going in the second round.
DraftExpress.com has the Detroit Pistons using the 35th pick on him. Jeff Lockard, on Examiner.com, expects the Pistons to take the Silver Spring, Md., native four picks later. NBADraftPress.com has the Minnesota Timberwolves using the 45th pick on Cunningham. TheDraftReview.com has the San Antonio Spurs selecting him at 53d. And Hoopsworld.com predicts the Phoenix Suns will take him at 57.
"Regardless of where you get picked, I feel that you have to go in there and establish yourself anyway," Cunningham said. "I'm going to play as if I was [the No.1 pick], regardless of what's going on."
At Villanova, Cunningham averaged 16.1 points and 7.5 rebounds this past season, en route to being named the Big East Conference's most improved player. He led the team in blocked shots (47) and was fourth in steals. The second-team all-Big East selection grabbed at least 10 rebounds on 11 occasions and had 11 double-doubles.
Cunningham expects to be productive on the next level.
"Intensity, hustling, and versatility in being able to guard guards and forwards," he said when asked what he can bring to an NBA team. "Offensively, picking and popping . . . and rebounding tenaciously."
Contact staff writer Keith Pompey at 610-313-8029 or kpompey@phillynews.com.
