Decision day looms for Downey, Archie

With a week left to make a decision on the NBA draft, Devan Downey and Dominique Archie received a little more feedback Monday.

The two South Carolina juniors were in Houston, participating in a workout conducted by multiple NBA teams. It could be the final workout for Archie, who plans to make a decision soon, while Downey has at least one more scheduled.

Downey and Archie each entered the draft last month with the intention to "test the waters." Since neither player has signed with an agent, each can return to school as long as he withdraws by Monday. The draft is 10 days later.

Four other SEC underclassmen have pulled out of the draft, the latest being LSU's Tasmin Mitchell on Monday. Only one, Florida's Nick Calathes, has decided not to return to school after entering the draft, and he signed with a team in Greece.

The overseas route is not a strong possibility for either Gamecock, according to sources close to each player. While neither is a likely draft pick, the two main options for each is to return for his senior season or stay in the draft and hope to hook on with an organization's summer league team.

The fact that neither is a likely draft pick enhances the chance each will come back for his senior season. Both have been in college four years — Downey sat out a year after transferring, and Archie redshirted — so either or both could be ready to go pro.

Monday's workout was hosted by the Rockets but was attended by other teams as organizations pool resources in the face of the recession. Downey and Archie also have worked out in Oklahoma City, while Archie was at a previous Rockets workout.

Dion Bethea, who is Downey's former AAU coach with the South Carolina Ravens, said the point guard is set to attend another workout later this week but was not sure which team was holding it.

Neither Gamecock was invited to the NBA scouting combine in late May; 52 players were, and 60 will be drafted. Chris Monter, an NBA draft analyst, said he has heard little talk about either Archie’s or Downey's draft status.

But Monter also saw the possibility that neither player would believe coming back to USC would improve his draft stock for 2010.

"Downey's always going to be a small guard no matter what he does. Archie's always going to be what he is," Monter said. "I look at it as, the more you get seen, the more chance you have."

Reach Emerson at (803) 771-8676.