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Sophomore guards Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmar both declared for the NBA Draft on Thursday with

Sophomores Jordan Farmar and Arron Afflalo of the UCLA men’s basketball team submitted their names on Thursday for the 2006 NBA Draft, but left open the option to return to Westwood for their junior season.

Both Afflalo and Farmar, the Bruins’ leading scorers this past season, indicated they will not hire an agent and will only consider forgoing their final two seasons of eligibility if they are assured to be first-round selections.

Only players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft are offered guaranteed contracts upon selection.

Several NBA general managers told UCLA coach Ben Howland that Farmar and Afflalo could be chosen as high as the 20th pick (first round) and as low as the 35th pick (second round).

According to most current draft projections, Farmar is pegged anywhere from late in the first round to the middle of the second round, while Afflalo is considered a second-round selection.

“If it’s a maybe issue if I go in the first round, then I’m coming back to school,†Farmar said. “I wouldn’t take the chance. I feel like I will be a first-round pick at some point, whether it’s this year, next year or the year after that. I can work into that status if it’s not this year.â€

Afflalo expressed similar sentiments.

“I’m looking to get into the first round, or else I wouldn’t be going through all of this,†Afflalo said. “I won’t seriously consider leaving (UCLA) if I’m in the second round. I’d most likely definitely be back. If I’m looking at it now, there’s a much better chance I’ll be a first-rounder next year.â€

The sophomores have until June 18 to withdraw their names from the draft. The NBA Draft will be held on June 28.

By submitting their names for the draft without retaining an agent, the 6-foot-2 Farmar and the 6-foot-5 Afflalo could at best potentially crack the first round with impressive workouts, and at worst receive valuable feedback from NBA scouts and return to Westwood.

“They will benefit if they come back. I’m confident of that,†Howland said. “If they come back, God bless them, I’ll be so happy. And if they elect to stay in the draft and go in the first round, that’s great too.â€

While both Farmar and Afflalo anticipated being invited to the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando, Fla., from June 6 to 10, neither expected as of Thursday that he would attend.

The sophomores said most of their pre-draft workouts would come from invitations to practice from specific NBA teams, for which Afflalo’s and Farmar’s families would have to foot the bill for traveling expenses.

Declaring for the draft following their sophomore seasons represents Farmar’s and Afflalo’s only chance to test the waters of the NBA and still return to college.

The duo cited numerous reasons why now, instead of next year, was the right time to declare for the draft.

If UCLA had not reached the national championship game, would Afflalo have declared?

“Probably not,†Afflalo said.

If Farmar and Afflalo didn’t think they were ready for the NBA, would they have declared? Probably not.

“We both really feel we can play in the NBA. That’s why the decision was made now rather than next year,†Farmar said.

Afflalo, who led the Bruins in scoring with an average of 15.8 points per game, and Farmar, who averaged 13.5 points and a team-best 5.1 assists per game, led UCLA to its first national championship game appearance since 1995 and first Pac-10 title since 1997 as they compiled a 32-7 record this season.

Because of NCAA rules, Afflalo and Farmar will become part-time students this quarter and will have to drop one of their three classes.

While Afflalo will be dropping his upper-division sociology class, Farmar was reluctant to admit which class he was going to drop, so as not to give advance warning to one of his three professors.

In case he does remain in the draft and turns pro, however, Farmar made an assurance the two classes he’s taking this quarter won’t be his last.

“I’m getting my degree no matter what,†Farmar said. “I promised my mom that.â€