PHILADELPHIA (05/13/03) - Saint Joseph's University junior guard Jameer Nelson declared his eligibility for the NBA draft in a media conference held Tuesday morning in the Hall of Fame Room of SJU's Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse. Nelson, who filed with the NBA office on Monday, May 12, is hoping to utilize a recent NCAA rule change that allows for underclassmen to attend the NBA's invitation-only pre-draft camp in Chicago at the league's expense and retain their eligibility provided they do not sign with an agent. Nelson, who will have until June 19 to withdraw his name from the NBA draft in order to retain his final season of eligibility, has not signed with an agent. The 2003 NBA Draft will be held in New York City on June 26. Arguably the finest point guard in the 94-year history of Hawk basketball, Nelson averaged 19.7 points and 4.7 assists per game last year while leading Saint Joseph's to its third straight Atlantic 10 Conference regular season title and second NCAA Tournament at-large berth in the past three seasons. An Associated Press honorable mention All-America selection, the Chester, Pa. native (Chester High) finished last season with 591 points, the fifth highest single season total in SJU history. Nelson, who owns the top two single season assist totals in school history, ranks second on the SJU all-time list with 543 assists. He trails only Rap Curry, who dished 580 assists from 1990-91 through 1993-94. He also ranks 17th on SJU's all-time scoring list with 1,435 points. Bernard Blunt (1990-95), is SJU's all-time scoring leader with 1,985 points. A two-time Atlantic 10 first team all-conference selection, Nelson also ranks among SJU's all-time Top 10 in three-pointers made (ninth, 156) and is just seven steals shy of 10th place on the career steals list with 161. Photo courtesy of Greg Carroccio, Sideline Photos, LLC