PAST DRUG USE PUTS WOODS'S DRAFT POSITION IN LIMBO

Cloudy Future

If Qyntel Woods is learning anything about the NBA pre-draft auditions,
it's that your past can come back to haunt you.

In recent weeks, Woods has seen the dreaded "off-the-court problems" tag
attached to his name. Because of it, the former Northeast Mississippi
Community College standout and University of Memphis signee's stock has
dropped in most mock drafts.

The reason for the slip is Woods's admission that he used marijuana during
his high school years at Carver. But the 6-9 guard who continues to wow NBA
teams during individual workouts insists he's clean and no team should be
uneasy about drafting him June 26.

"My past is my past . . . that's what I'm telling teams," said Woods, who
spoke publicly about the drug use for the first time Thursday. "It's my
past, and I can't change it. But it's not an issue anymore."

When NBA franchises begin looking at major prospects, who they are
literally about to give millions of dollars, the background checks are
extensive. Executives call coaches, friends and even newspaper reporters
asking about prospects' personal lives. Sometimes they find nothing. Other
times they stumble across a sketchy childhood.

This, apparently, is how the drug talk began swirling around Woods, who
worked out for the Knicks on Thursday morning and is based in Washington
with agent Bill Strickland.

Growing up in poverty-stricken South Memphis, Woods was subjected to a
drug-infested neighborhood during his teenage years. Like many others, he
said he became a "recreational user" of marijuana but never sold drugs nor
got into trouble because of them.

"He realizes this is hurting him, but you have to understand that the kid
had no idea he was ever going to be put under this kind of microscope or he
would've plotted his path a little differently," said Stanley Blue, a
longtime friend of the Woods family who has acted as an advisor. "These are
things that you do when you're growing up. I mean who hasn't had
indiscretions when they were coming up?

"Qyn's not running away from the fact that he has smoked weed," Blue said.
"But as far as it being a problem, it's not."

Northeast coach Mike Lewis said scouts have asked him "in a round-about
way" about Woods's drug use. "I just tell them that I never had a problem,"
he said. "We have random tests, and Qyn passed them all. And I never
thought that way of him anyway."

In his conversations with team executives, Woods said he is bringing up his
past - a move he feels teams "respect." But there is no guarantee it won't
hurt him come draft day.

Two months ago, Woods was projected by some to be the No. 3 pick. Now some
have him going as low as No. 11 to the Washington Wizards.

The possible drop would cost millions. Last year, the Grizzlies' Pau Gasol
was the No. 3 pick and signed a four-year, $13.9 million deal. Boston's
Kedrick Brown was the 11th pick and signed a four-year, $7.26 million contract.

"It could hurt," Blue admitted. "You don't know if (teams) are going to be
willing to take that chance. It's a gamble. But I can tell you this, for
the past two years I've been as close to this kid and his family as you can
be and it is not an issue.

"I'm telling you, if a team passes on him because of this they are going to
regret it."