KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The soft yellow paint, all-star memorabilia and inspirational banners on the walls suggest a typically upbeat Disney experience for anybody entering the Milk House Gym.
But when UA guard Mustafa Shakur and his "Team Three" teammates jogged onto the court for their first game Wednesday at the Disney Wide World of Sports facility, there were no cheers and few smiles.
Instead, the hundreds of NBA personnel in the stands offered only hushed conversations and stares. They scribbled notes, mentally and physically, evaluating 64 of the draft's better prospects during the first full day of their annual pre-draft camp.
En route to a team-high 13 points, Shakur found a few familiar faces around him. Former Stanford stars Dan Grunfeld and Matt Haryasz joined him on the bench. Ex-Illinois star James Augustine, an adversary in UA's infamous 2005 Elite Eight loss, converted an alley-oop pass from Shakur, too.
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But there was no mistake this was different. It was an atmosphere that all players had to adjust to, none more so than the point guards who had to direct teammates they did not always know too well.
"I'm just trying to go out there and play, and not think about it too much," Shakur said. "I just felt like getting into my comfort zone, getting used to it that these are my players and having them get used to me. Tomorrow, I'll probably be a little more settled in my decisions. Today, I just tried to get my feet wet and be aggressive."
Shakur was unmistakably aggressive. He had a game-high four steals but had three turnovers to his five assists, penetrating too deeply and turning the ball over on occasion, like he has done so many times at Arizona. He also missed a pair of easy baskets after stealing the ball at midcourt from opposing guard Will Blalock.
But overall, Shakur still had one of the game's better efforts. He was 5 for 11 from the field, hit 3 of 3 free throws and collected three rebounds, playing nearly 20 minutes in five-minute blocks.
Blalock, his Team Four adversary from Oklahoma State, was 3 for 7 from the field with one assist, three steals and six turnovers. C.J. Watson of Tennessee, Team Three's other point guard, was 2 for 5 with six assists and three turnovers.
UCLA point guard Jordan Farmar, meanwhile, was 3 for 7 (0 for 3 from three-point range) with three assists and two turnovers in an earlier game for Team One.
All of them were making difficult adjustments, but Grunfeld, who has played opposite Shakur often, said the UA point guard made them better.
"You go out there with a different group of guys and you're expected to be a cohesive unit," Grunfeld said. "For guys who are used to playing in a program, it's not the ideal situation. But you make the most of it, and Mustafa did a really good job of getting everyone together."
Shakur will have two more games to impress the NBA personnel — this afternoon and Friday morning — before the camp ends. He said he then expects to work out privately for several teams, possibly the Cavaliers and Pistons, before making a decision on whether to return to the Arizona basketball program next season.
"I definitely think this is a key week in my decision, and the following week will be also," Shakur said. "Of course, my teammates are still on my mind. I think about that every day, about going back and winning the championship. But right now, I'm just trying to concentrate on what I'm doing."
Shakur has until June 18 to withdraw his name from the draft — if he wants to retain his college eligibility.
Already, his effort to test the NBA waters has required him to stay eligible by finishing spring courses via correspondence (he said he will take eight more units during the second summer session if he returns), live with a relative in Chicago while he trains, and pay his own way to a private workout in Memphis.
He said family members have sent him money to help. But the drive to succeed, Shakur knows, can only come from within.
"It's been hard at times," Shakur said. "A lot of times I'm on my own. But this is what I want to do at this point."
