MU's Paulding, Johnson will not declare for draft

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Two of Missouri's top players say they plan to return to school for their senior seasons to play for the Tigers.

Arthur Johnson has drawn attention after leading the Big 12 with 15 double-doubles this season, while Rickey Paulding has been projected as a first-round NBA draft pick.

"I'm coming back," Paulding said Saturday after Missouri's 77-70 victory at Kansas State. Johnson said he also would stay in college. "I promise," Johnson said.

Paulding leads Missouri in scoring with 16.9 points a game and has developed into a prime defender. Johnson, already Missouri's career leader in blocked shots, is averaging 16.2 points and 9.5 rebounds a game.

"They're progressed," said former Atlanta Hawks coach Lon Kruger, who attended Saturday's game. "But they're going to make that same progression next year. Even more so, because they understand more clearly how important the work is in the offseason. They'll be better because of it. Missouri's program will be better."

In recent years, Missouri has had other players leave early for the NBA, with mixed results. Albert White left after his junior year in 1999; Keyon Dooling left after his sophomore year in 2000 and Kareem Rush left after his junior year last season.