Six Prospects Work Out For Blazers On Thursday

The Portland Trail Blazers began working out prospects at the practice facility in Tualatin on Thursday, hosting the following six players as they prepare for the 2013 NBA Draft.

• James Ennis | Long Beach State | Senior | 6-foot-7 | 201 pounds | SF | DX profile | No. 54 in top 100

Spent two years at Long Beach State from 2011-13 after playing one year at two different junior colleges, Ventura College and Oxnard College ... Registered averages of 13.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.67 steals, 1.03 blocks and 31.0 minutes in 67 games (66 starts) with the 49ers ... Voted Big West Conference Player of the Year and earned All-Big West First Team honors in 2012-13 after averaging 16.5 points (49.1% FG, 35.7% 3-PT, 83.4% FT), 6.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.76 steals, 1.30 blocks and 33.1 minutes.

• Richard Howell | North Carolina State | Senior | 6-foot-7 | 250 pounds | PF | DX profile | No. 60 in top 100

Played four years at N.C. State, posting career averages of 9.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.84 steals, 0.48 blocks and 21.0 minutes in 132 games (81 starts) ... Voted to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) First Team by the media and selected to the All-ACC Second Team by conference coaches after a career season in 2012-13, when he averaged career highs in points (12.7), rebounds (10.9), assists (1.7), steals (1.03), blocks (0.91) and minutes (31.6).

• Tony Mitchell | North Texas | Sophomore | 6-foot-9 | 236 pounds | PF | DX profile | No. 20 in top 100

Completed two seasons at North Texas, averaging 13.7 points (49.0% FG), 9.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.93 steals, 2.85 blocks and 31.1 minutes in 55 games (51 starts) ... Following his freshman year in 2011-12, became only the third player in Sun Belt history to earn Sun Belt Freshman of the Year and First Team All-Sun Belt in same season ... Ranked second among all freshmen nationally in rebounds and was joined by Kentucky's Anthony Davis as only NCAA freshman to average a double-double.

• Dexter Strickland | North Carolina | Senior | 6-foot-3 | 177 pounds | PG/SG | DX profile | N/A in top 100

Played four years at North Carolina, averaging 7.0 points (46.0% FG), 2.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.14 steals and 24.1 minutes in 128 games ... Finished a career year as a senior in 2012-13, posting career high averages of 7.8 points, 4.2 assists and 27.7 minutes, along with averaging 2.4 rebounds and 1.17 steals ... Led the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.19) and was fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference in assists his senior season.

• Adonis Thomas | Memphis | Sophomore | 6-foot-6 | 232 pounds | SF | DX profile | No. 72 in top 100

In two seasons with the University of Memphis, averaging 10.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.64 steals, 0.71 blocks and 27.5 minutes in 55 games (44 starts) ... Named to the All-Conference USA Third Team and to the Conference USA All-Tournament Team following the 2012-13 season, as he averaged 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists, all career highs.

• BJ Young | Arkansas | Sophomore | 6-foot-3 | 179 pounds | PG/SG | | DX profile | No. 57 in top 100

Played two seasons with Arkansas, averaging 15.2 points (47.5% FG), 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.92 steals and 26.6 minutes in 63 games (32 starts) ... Became the fifth Arkansas player with all- league and all-freshman honors in the same season following his freshman year in 2011-12, as he was named to the All-Southeastern Conference Second Team and to the SEC All-Freshman team as voted by conference coaches.

All vitals/information/videos courtesy of DraftExpress.com and notes courtesy of Casey Holdahl at Blazers.com, who has more right here.

Five of the six players are included in DraftExpress.com's top 100. Mitchell is the only one slated as a potential first-round pick. One writer argued this week that the Blazers should pick Mitchell at No. 10.

Blazers GM Neil Olshey told reporters that there will be nine more pre-Draft workout sessions. Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com reports on Twitter that the next session will be on Friday.

The Blazers hold the No. 10 pick in the first round and three second-round picks (No. 39, 40 and 45).

The 2013 NBA Draft is set for June 27.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter