It's hard to blame The Big Secret for taking a shot at the NBA.

Remember, the NBA tends to draft big men based on potential.

If you don't know by now, The Big Secret is former Nevada center JaVale McGee.

The 7-footer wasn't highly regarded coming out of high school in Chicago. He had bounced around - from Detroit Country Day to Providence Christian Day to Hales Franciscan in Chicago.

He chose the Wolf Pack over San Francisco and averaged 3.3 points and 2.2 rebounds as a freshman. Last season he averaged 14.1 points and 7.3 rebounds - which was enough for him to sign with an agent right out of the gates.

The decision may not look all that intelligent, but McGee has one thing straight.

``The NBA drafts people off potential," he said.

McGee, who said he is up to 240 pounds (he was 215 as a freshman) is hoping to go somewhere in the lottery.

MARTIN PREPARED TO LOSE WALKER

Kansas State coach Frank Martin will likely lose his two top players.

Michael Beasley has already signed with an agent and is expected to be taken first or second in the June 26 NBA Draft. Beasley's teammate, Bill Walker, still hasn't signed with an agent and will likely take his decision right up to June 16 deadline for underclassmen to withdraw.

``I'd be surprised if he came back," Martin said. "I think he's a first-round pick. There's not 30 better players than him out there and I think he's starting to solidify himself as a first-round pick."

According to sources close to the situation, there is little chance that Walker returns to college for another year.

Remember, Walker was considered a lottery pick by many NBA executives prior to the knee surgery he suffered about 18 months ago.

``He's proven he's healthy and he had a hell of a year," Martin said. ``The hardest thing for him was being compared to Mike Beasley every night."

CALHOUN GOING STRONG

How about the fact that UConn coach Jim Calhoun completed 31 miles in the Jim Calhoun Cancer Challenge bike ride on Sunday.

Calhoun, who had prostate cancer in 2003, had surgery to remove a cancerous mass on his neck last month.

Calhoun said he'll have six weeks of radiation from Monday to Friday, but still intends to get out on the recruiting trail on the weekends in July.

RANDOM NOTES: Kentucky big man Patrick Patterson remains in a boot after ankle surgery in early April. ... LSU's Tasmin Mitchell, who missed most of the year with an injury, is working out with John Lucas in Houston, according to Tigers coach Trent Johnson. Mitchell's teammate, Garrett Temple, is out until August after foot surgery.