Glenn Robinson - expected to be the first pick in the NBA draft - may spoil the show as no-show Wednesday night. And he may not be alone in his protest.
The Milwaukee Bucks are expected to take the Purdue All-American. But Robinson might not be at the Hoosier Dome, his agent, Charles Tucker, told The Indianapolis Star in a story published Sunday.The boycott would protest both the legality of the draft and a possible rookie salary cap, Tucker said.
"If he doesn't participate, Jason Kidd (California) and Grant Hill (Duke) have also said they're not going to participate," Tucker said. "But I haven't fully made up my mind on that situation yet.
"I'm in the process of figuring out what I'm going to do and I'll figure that out by Monday. Right now, Glenn Robinson is not in the draft."
Bucks spokesman Bill King said the issues being raised by Tucker would have to be settled through collective bargaining between the NBA and the Players Association, and a boycott of the draft by Robinson would not affect the team's top selection.
"The draft will still be held on Wednesday regardless of whether players are in attendance or not, and the Milwaukee Bucks still hold the No. 1 pick in the draft," King said.
Robinson, Kidd and Hill are the three players the Bucks interviewed in preparation for using the top pick, King said.
Kidd and Hill are expected to go behind Robinson, and Tucker said the absence of the top players would take some of the excitement out of the draft.
"The NBA makes a lot of money off the draft," Tucker said. "When the first three picks put those hats on their heads, that means a lot of money.
"It's like a classroom. I don't care how good the teacher is, if you haven't got any students, it's not going to continue."
Tucker said Wednesday's draft is illegal because a six-year collective bargaining agreement between the players and the league expired Thursday. The NBA has filed a lawsuit to extend the previous agreement's terms until a new one can be reached, but Tucker said rookies are not covered by the old deal.
"The draft is illegal right now because they don't have an agreement," he said. "Officially (Robinson) can go anywhere he wants to go until they come up with a collective bargaining agreement. Anything can happen."
The Players Association is supporting the boycott idea because it would like the draft abolished, said Charles Grantham, executive director of the group.
The union has sued to abolish the draft twice before, but a settlement was reached each time.
The union's biggest concern, though, is a rookie salary cap, Grantham said.
"It's unfair. (NBA Commissioner) David Stern didn't have any salary cap put on his money," Grantham said. "He got a big bonus. So why should players have a salary cap put on them, especially rookies?"