COLLEGE OR PROS?:

The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, May 16, 1979-Page 11

....

Hub: wavering, wondering

By DAN PERRIN
Don't bother asking Phil Hubbard
whether he's going to accept a contract
offfer from the National Basketball
Association team which drafts him on
June 25-Michigan's 6-7 center has yet
to answer that question for himself.
Although a pair of published reports
indicate the Canton, Ohio senior would
abandon his final year of eligibility for
the professional cage ranks, Hubbard,
when contacted yesterday, would
neither confirm nor deny the rumor.
"Right now, I plan on going to school,
but I'm still thinking about it (turning
pro)," Hubbard said.
Since Hubbard's class has already
graduated, the injury-plagued center
who missed the entire 1977-78 season
with torn knee ligaments may retain his
collegiate eligibility through the draft
and until he signs a contract with an
NBA team.
While Detroit Piston coach Dick
Vitale experessed a desire early last
season to draft Hubbard, a source close
to the team denied reports the NBA
club was going to make the former
Olympic gold medalist a high draft
choice next month.
"Before we make any comment, we'd
want to have our doctors look at his
knee. He didn't play up to expectations
last year, so there still must be
something wrong.
"In view of the fact Hubbard has said

he'll be back (in school) next year, we
don't want to be guilty of forcing him to
sign with us.
"If it was OK'ed by Hubbard and
Michigan, we -would entertain the
possibility of him playing for us," he
said.
Hubbard said he is basing his
decision on several considerations: how
high he's drafted, how much he's of-
fered and how he feels Michigan will
fare in the Big Ten next season.
When asked if Michigan's less-than-
spectacular recruiting year would play
a part in his decision, Hubbard replied,
"We have a lot of good players. If they
play the way they're supposed to, it
shouldn't make a difference (in my
decision)."
Earlier this year, it was rumored that
guard Keith Smith might be ineligible
next fall and that Johnny Johnson and
John Garris were thinking of tran-
sferring elsewhere. Obviously, the loss
of those three cagers would greatly
deplete the Wolverine squad, all but
killing their chances of contending for
the Big Ten title.
Hubbard quickly dispelled the
rumors, however, claiming that "as far
as I know, they will all be here."
When and if he decides to turn pro, it
will be Hubbard alone who makes the
decision. "It's pretty much my
decision, besides my family. It's mostly
up to me."

PHIL HUBBARD is still considering his option of turning pro next season, pending
the outcome of the NBA's June draft. Whether he stays at Michigan or not, Hub
will be banking on a return of the skills that made him a standout in his first two
seasons.

SPORTS OF THE DAILY
Play Ball! Ump strike nears end
i m . . . r"~~w rn I'+P A CTnrf That iC Wh

It

By The Associated Press
NEW YORK - Major league umpires
have reached a contract agreement
with the American and National
Leagues and will return to work this
weekend, the Associated Press learned
yesterday.
A marathon negotiating session
which carried into Tuesday morning
apparently settled the final issues
which have kept the regular umpires on
the sidelines since the beginning of
spring training.
PRESSURE FOR the settlement
built last week when minor league and
sandlot umpires who have been
replacing the regulars were involved in
a series of uproarious arguments pun-
ctuated with bench-clearing brawls in
Atlanta and Minnesota.
The settlement apparently will be
presented for approval of the major
league owners at a joint meeting of the
two leagues in Chicago Wednesday. If
approved, it then would be announced
at a joint press conference Thursday in
New York.
Both American League President Lee
MacPhail and attorney Richie Phillips,
who has represented the umpires in this
dispute, said the two sides were close to
a settlement but stopped short of an-
nouncing a final agreement. But a
source familiar with the talks said the
matter has been resolved and all that
remains is the initialing of the
agreement.
China chat
PEKING - China announced yester-
day it has proposed a formula which
would permit its participation and that
of Taiwan in the 1980 Olympics and

warned that if it is not accepted, the
United States and the Soviet Union
could face political problems.
Bulletin
The Los Angeles Lakers have called
an 11 a.m. (PDT) press conference
tonight at which they are expected to
formally announce they will take Ear-
vin Johnson of Michigan State with
their No. 1 pick in the June 25 National
Basketball Association draft.
Sung Chung, Secretary General of the
All-China Sports Federation, told
western reporters the formula would
recognize Peking as the sole Olympic
committee representing China but
would allow Taiwan to continue its
membership temporarily under the
name of "Chinese Taiwan Olympic
Committee."
GET COOL
FOR
THE SUMMER
U-M Stylists
Dave & Chet
at the UNION

He added that Taiwan's athletes and
officials were welcome to take part in
the Games in the Peking delegation but
they could not use the name Republic of
China, its flag or its anthem.
CHUNG SAID the compromise had
been offered to Lord Killanin, President
*of the International Olympic Commit-
tee, and he hoped it could be accepted in
time for China to take part in the
Games.
If it is not, he added, first the United
States, as host of the Winter Games,
then Moscow, which stages the Sum-
mer Games, would be confronted with
difficulties.
"Since China and the United States
have established diplomatic relations,
if the United States allows Taiwan to
enter the Winter Games under the
name of the Republic of China and
allows it to use its flag and anthem, that
would be a serious political problem, no

longer a matter of sport. a s wa
the United States will have to face if the
Chinese representstion issue is not set-
tled in the International Olympic
Committee," he said.
"Talks with both sides will continue,"
said Killanin.
Cash crop
NEW YORK - Phil Hubbard may or
may not do it, but college standouts Sly
Williams of Rhode Island, Cliff Robin-
son of Southern California, and Garcia
Hopkins of Morgan State have already
renounced their collegiate eligibility for
the upcoming NCAA season.
Williams, 6-7, was 19th among NCAA
Division I players with a 23.9 scoring
average, Robinson averaged 18.8 and
Hopkins 21.7.
-UPI

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