Mensah hires agent, passes up final season at Duquesne

PITTSBURGH -- Kojo Mensah, a junior guard who was one of five Duquesne University basketball players shot on campus in September 2006, is passing up his final season of eligibility to enter the NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-1 Mensah decided to leave school even though he appears to have little chance of being drafted. He averaged 12.1 points and shot 38 percent in his lone season at Duquesne.

Mensah has hired agent Steve Cronin, who recently signed former Duquesne center Shawn James, Mensah's friend. The 6-foot-10 James, also among those shot, is skipping his senior season to enter the NBA Draft.

Mensah transferred to Duquesne University from Siena.

"We appreciate Kojo's efforts and sacrifice, and we wish him well," Duquesne coach Ron Everhart said Tuesday. "I hope it works out for him."

Mensah could not be immediately reached for comment. His departure was first reported by the website insidehoops.com.

Mensah was shot in the left arm and shoulder, but apparently did not have any lingering effects last season. He also averaged 3.4 assists and 3.3 rebounds, but had eight points or fewer in six of his last 10 games.

Of the five Duquesne players who were shot, only one remains on the team: guard Aaron Jackson, a senior-to-be who was the least seriously wounded with a minor hand injury.

Besides James and Mensah, forward Stuard Baldonado left school last fall and forward Sam Ashaolu, who sustained head wounds, is in school but is not playing basketball.