It’s been a perplexing journey from Darion Atkins’ last college game to an invitation to Knicks training camp. The former Virginia power forward and his Cavaliers lost in the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32 to Michigan State, a team that made the Final Four.
After winning ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors, the 6-foot-8, 240-pound Atkins was not immediately invited to the seniors-only, Portsmouth pre-draft camp despite UVa being located in the same state, just two hours down the pike. The defensive specialist wasn’t asked until the day before the camp began when another player backed out.