Mississippi State junior center Jarvis Varnado has filed paperwork to seek feeback from the NBA about his draft status. He signed the paperwork, which comes from the NBA advisory committee, Monday night after accepting the Howell Trophy in Jackson, according to his father, Winston Varnado.

This is not the same as declaring for the draft, but it's a step in that direction. Doing this allows players to speak with NBA vice-president of operations Stu Jackson and get an idea of where they would go in the draft, and with that a “very honest look at the strengths and weaknesses of their games at this point in time”, said MSU compliance guru Bracky Brett. All the while remaining in compliance with NCAA eligibility rules, of course.

The elder Varnado said a decision by his son is probably still a ways off, especially after Jarvis' maternal grandmother passed away Wednesday night. "He’s focusing on just now and not thinking about what he’s going to do," Winston said.

Winston said it's a very tough decision for Jarvis, who led the Bulldogs in scoring (12.9 ppg), rebounding (8.8 rpg) and blocks (4.7 bpg) this season. He's loving his role on the team and the college life in general. "He loves Mississippi State; he doesn’t want to leave. He wants to come back for his senior year. I told him, 'It’s your decision, whatever you decide, I’ll support you.'

"He wants to try it, but then again he doesn’t want to try it, because he wants to come back to Mississippi State. … I told him, you won’t get your college years back."

If he does declare for the draft – which he must do by April 26 – Varnado will not hire an agent so as to retain his eligibility. (He would have until June 15 to withdraw his name.) Winston Varnado plans on speaking with Jackson in about two weeks, and it might not be until then that his son decides what to do.

"Then again, he may go home this weekend and talk with his mom and me and say, ‘I want to do this.’"