He has proven durability. Starting in 129 consecutive games not to mention never missing a practice because of an injury took care of that.

He has proven ability. Leading the Southeastern Conference in rebounding for three consecutive seasons and earning SEC MVP honors following one of those seasons took care of that.

What Erwin Dudley apparently didn't prove in four years at the University of Alabama is that he earned a place in Thursday's NBA draft.

Peruse the NBA mock drafts on a variety of Internet sites and the 6-foot-8, 260-pound Dudley is nowhere to be found in the two rounds of selections. Talk to a variety of NBA scouts, as Alabama coach Mark Gottfried has over the past two months, and you discover that those draft projections appear to be accurate.

Listen closely enough and the message is repeated.