Where on the internet has anyone seen an announcement of application for draft? He must apply. With no application, foreign players cannot be selected prior to the NBA Draft of the calendar year in which they turn 22. Is there anything in the news? Or is this just speculation like waiting on Dunleavy. This isn't like Yao, since Yao will turn 22 this year, he can be drafted without application.
There is also the matter of Nene's contract in Brazil, which runs for another year. I don't know how his team has reacted to this info about the NBA or what the buyout would be.
Now I found a link at NBADraft.net that claims the announcement, but it's not coming up http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day1/221092244&ticker=
From cbssportsline.com Maybyner "Nene" Hilario Vasco da Gama (Brazil) F 6-10 259 -- The 20-year old Brazilian has left club team Vasco da Gama and is in the U.S. preparing for the NBA Draft. Despite his great size, he's only got seven percent body fat and is impressively strong and agile. His stock should soar once teams get him into individual workouts. (Updated Apr. 24, 2002) Haven't seen anything more official than this kind of stuff though.
If nothing else, he helps the depth of the upper tier. I see the upper tier 15 deep right now: Ming, Wagner, Williams, Gooden, Woods Hilario, Wilcox, Borchardt, Marcus, Jeffries Ely, Rush, Haislip, Butler, Stoudemire After that, who knows? Guys like Clancy, apparently Scola, Sampson, the PGs. Right now, we're guaranteed 2 of those players...I don't think I'd give that #15 to Memphis. Anyhow, he's very intriguing. I'd wait for the measurements on him-he seems to have a center game, if he's got center size, he could turn out to be a nice pick. I've heard that he blocked Jermaine O'Neal 3 times in international competition...
