Since Kansas University’s basketball season ended on March 30, Jayhawk fans have been dying to know whether Drew Gooden would stay or go.

Turns out that the Jayhawks themselves didn’t know until Friday afternoon.

Close to 200 media representatives, KU athletic department staffers and individuals associated with KU's men's basketball team attended Drew Gooden's news conference. Gooden announced his decision to enter the NBA Draft on Friday at Hadl Auditorium.

Gooden, the Big 12 Conference player of the year, told his KU teammates he was leaving school to enter the NBA Draft about 15 minutes before he announced his decision at a much-anticipated news conference in Hadl Auditorium.

“We didn’t really talk that much,” said sophomore forward Bryant Nash, Gooden’s roommate. “He’s been pretty busy. I didn’t find out until just a few minutes ago.”

Gooden’s decision might have been a secret, but his announcement was one his teammates expected.

“It was no surprise to me,” freshman point guard Aaron Miles said. “I know he’s a great player and he’s capable of playing in the NBA and being productive in the NBA. We’re happy for him. We would have liked to play another year with him, but this is the best decision for him.”

Gooden is expected to be taken with one of the top five picks in the June 26 draft. The co-national player of the year averaged 19.8 points and 11.4 rebounds while helping the Jayhawks win the Big 12 title and reach the Final Four for the first time since 1993.

Coach Roy Williams called Gooden the best offensive rebounder he’d ever coached and said junior Nick Collison and freshman Wayne Simien will have fill that void next season.

“I am hoping that everybody will dig down deeper and work a little bit harder during the offseason and get a little bigger, stronger, quicker and understand that it is not that we want to make up for it, it is that we have to make up for it,” Williams said. “Losing Drew is a big loss.”

Gooden’s decision was a hot topic on radio call-in shows and Internet chat rooms. His announcement was a relief to those close to him.

“I’m glad it’s over,” said Heidi Inthavong, Gooden’s girlfriend of two years. “I’m tired of people asking me what he’s going to do. Some people are scared to go up to him, so they’d ask me. It’s something he’s wanted to do for a long time. I knew for a while what he wanted to do.”

But Inthavong couldn’t tell anyone which way Gooden was leaning, and the questions kept coming for both of them.

“I think he’s happy that people know what he’s going to do, so they can support him and stop asking him what he’s going to do,” she said. “It’s been hard for him to go out in public. People always want to put their two cents in.”

Two cents? The top five picks in the NBA Draft are guaranteed more than $6 million over their first three seasons. Regardless, Inthavong said she wanted Gooden to stay in school.

“I would have loved for him to stay because I want him to be close, and it wouldn’t have hurt him to stay,” said Inthavong, a Shawnee junior. “He could only get better. But I saw how happy he was today when he made his announcement.”

Inthavong recently completed her third year as a KU cheerleader. She said she didn’t plan to be part of the spirit squad next year so that she can focus on academics and “have time to visit Drew wherever he is. Hopefully somewhere close.”