AFFLALO, FARMAR STICK TOES INTO WATER UCLA SOPHOMORE DUO WON'T SIGN WITH AGENTS WHILE THEY INVESTIGATE NBA STATUS.

Byline: BRIAN DOHN Staff Writer

Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmar were the first two high school players to commit to UCLA coach Ben Howland three years ago, and the sophomore guards might be leaving early together as well.

Afflalo and Farmar, UCLA's two leading scorers on a team that lost in the NCAA championship game earlier this month, did the expected Thursday and declared for the NBA draft. Neither will sign with an agent, leaving open the opportunity to return.

In fact, both players said they would return for their junior seasons if they were not assured of being first-round draft picks.

"Obviously, I'm looking to get into the first round, or I wouldn't be going through all this," said the 6-foot-5 Afflalo, who averaged 15.8 points this past season. "I seriously won't consider it if I'm second round."

Farmar, who is 6-foot-2, averaged 13.5 points and led the Pacific-10 Conference with 5.1 assists per game.

"I feel like I will be a first-round pick at some point, when I decide to come out," Farmar said. "I'm that type of player and I can work into that kind of status if it's not this year."

Both players faxed letters of intention to the NBA office. But both will remain in school and pay expenses incurred in working out for NBA teams to retain their college eligibility.

If Farmar and Afflalo return, UCLA is expected to be one of the favorites to win the national championship. If they leave, the Bruins will have lost four-fifths of their starting lineup.

"I am totally 100 percent behind them, as is our whole UCLA basketball family, in their decision to test the waters," Howland said. "These are the first two recruits that signed with UCLA basketball when I became coach. I am indebted to them forever."

According to the NBA's salary scale, the difference between being selected 15th overall and 30th overall in the June 28 draft is $1.29 million.

The 15th pick gets a two-year contract (with two option years) worth a guaranteed $3.14 million. The 20th pick is guaranteed $2.47 million, the 25th pick is slotted at $2.02 million and the 30th pick is at $1.85 million.

"People have expressed interest to me (and) they see them somewhere as early as 20, and as late as 35," Howland said.

Farmar added if he returned for a junior season, there was a very good chance it would be his last at UCLA.

"This is a win-win decision, so it wasn't a difficult decision," said Farmar, the former Taft High of Woodland Hills standout. "Arron and I both feel we can play in the NBA now. That's why the decision was made. We're definitely close. There are definitely teams that are showing interest."

Both players said they would not participate in the June 6-10 Orlando predraft camp, but would showcase their abilities during workouts for individual teams. Workouts for individual clubs won't take place until next month, after the April 29 filing deadline.

Players have until June 18 to withdraw from the draft and remain eligible for next season.

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(color) UCLA's Jordan Farmar, left, and Arron Afflalo say they won't pursue NBA careers this summer unless they're first-round choices.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images