It's been one crazy, wild ride for 7-foot-5, 300-pound Russian Pavel Podkolzine. On Thursday, Podkolzine cut the trip short by withdrawing his name from the 2003 NBA Draft.

Podkolzine told ESPN.com that he felt he just wasn't ready.

"I don't want to be a project," the 18-year-old Podkolzine said. "I want to prove to NBA teams I am ready now. I will go back to Italy, work very, very hard and come back next year stronger, and more ready to contribute to the team that drafts me."

Podkolzine's decision will come as a shock to most NBA general managers. He was largely projected as a top-10 selection in next week's draft.

"There's no way he would've slipped out of the lottery," one NBA GM told ESPN.com.