Rick Rickert and his agent, Bill Duffy, seem to have reached a glum conclusion about tonight's NBA draft: Rickert will not be a first-round pick.

"He's pretty much in the second round at this point," Duffy said Wednesday night from New York, where the draft will commence at 6 p.m. CDT.

Duffy confirmed beliefs that the former University of Minnesota player did not make a good enough impression on NBA executives to merit first-round consideration. Rickert, who left the Gophers after two seasons, had mixed reviews on his individual workouts and might have alienated some teams by not participating in the NBA's predraft camp in Chicago.

"Like I tell all the agents, if you can flat-out play basketball, usually you show it at some point," Timberwolves vice president Kevin McHale said.

If Rickert is not among the first 29 picks, the 6-foot-9 forward will miss out on a guaranteed three-year contract, a provision in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement. Teams can negotiate more freely with second-round picks and have the discretion of offering guaranteed money. Most second-round picks do not get a guaranteed deal.