Posted Friday, June 10, 1 a.m. CHICAGO – Pops Mensah-Bonsu is used to a slightly different atmosphere than that of Moody Bible Institute’s Solheim Center, site of the NBA pre-draft camp.

Things have definitely changed for Mensah-Bonsu since he was last in Foggy Bottom. No more is he in the comfort of the Smith Center, clad in the buff and blue number 21. For now, he dons a plain NBA-issued Reebok jersey marked with the number 60. Spectators are not limited to the supportive GW hoops community but NBA legends such as Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Chris Mullin, who are invited to this showcase of college talent, which runs from June 7-10.

While a poor performance in Atlantic 10 play may result in fewer minutes in the next contest, poor play during the camp could result in a plunging of Mensah-Bonsu’s draft stock. During this week’s camp, there are no excuses for a sub-par performance. In an interview Thursday, Mensah-Bonsu said his performance is where he wants it to be.

“It’s going good, real good,” Mensah-Bonsu said after a morning workout that included a breakaway two-handed dunk and a put-back over Gonzaga star Ronny Turiaf. “I had a good game today and a good camp so far.”

The idea of taking his game to the next level and becoming a professional has overtaken the rising senior since his announcement on March 26 that he would enter the June 28 draft. “Testing the waters” was the phrase used by Mensah-Bonsu and teammate Mike Hall, who also declared but did not receive an invitation to the camp in his hometown. As of now, Mensah-Bonsu has repeatedly said that he has not hired agent John Greig, a claim that the agent has not backed up. Retaining an agent would cause him to lose his last year of collegiate eligibility.

Although it is still unclear whether Mensah-Bonsu or Hall will stay in the draft, it seems as though Mensah-Bonsu is getting more serious about leaving GW for the professional ranks next year.

“All I’ve been doing is workouts with teams and stuff,” Mensah-Bonsu said while walking out of the Solheim Center. “I’ve been bouncing around from city to city, showing them what I can do. Trying to show them I can be a first-round pick.”

Pops has traversed the country, showing his stuff to the New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards and Seattle SuperSonics.

The biggest test for Mensah-Bonsu, along with 59 others at the camp, came at the Moody Bible Institute this week. Mensah-Bonsu has no complaints with his play, and has worked his way into several “players to watch” lists.

The drills section of the schedule allowed his athleticism to shine over 7-foot Australian Luke Schenscher and Turiaf. The drills, which take place for an hour in each morning, are intended to highlight fundamental points of each player’s game.

The camp is split into six teams of 10 or 11 players. Taking part in the exercises with Mensah-Bonsu and Turiaf were Eric Williams (Wake Forest), Schenscher (Georgia Tech), Will Bynum (Georgia Tech), John Lucas (Oklahoma State), Rawle Marshall (Oakland), Steven Smith (LaSalle), Roger Power (Illinois) and Bracey Wright (Indiana).

A more physical Mensah-Bonsu showed up for the camp than the one who played for the Colonials for the past few seasons. The forward fought with Schenscher – who he faced in the first round of the NCAA tournament – for rebounds, dove for loose balls, and skied over players for put-backs. Mensah-Bonsu’s physicality led to a scare, as he fell to the ground and got kicked in the mouth. He quickly got up and continued the drill set.

“I got kicked in the face,” Mensah-Bonsu explained later. “A couple of stitches won’t hold me back. Especially not this week.”

Mensah-Bonsu showcased an improved jump shot, connecting on a jumper from beyond the foul line that hit nothing but net. The shot, one not perfected in his arsenal during last season, epitomized a new look from a player that that came prepared to woo the scouts. He did exactly that in the first game Wednesday, going 3-for-6 from the floor and a perfect 4-for-4 from the line for 10 points in 20 minutes of play.

A lack of inside moves that plagued Mensah-Bonsu during his collegiate career continued to be a weak point against bigger players such as Schenscher and physical players such as Turiaf. But Mensah-Bonsu’s physical nature may be his trump card in becoming a professional player this year.

While NBA team officials cannot comment on underclassmen that have not fully committed to the draft, one scout said under a condition of anonymity that Mensah-Bonsu has a legitimate shot at going in the first round because of his tenacity. He believes that Mensah-Bonsu is intent on leaving GW this year and that a team may take him due to his potential as a player.

Another scout from an Eastern Conference team said, “Pops should go back to school. I don’t mean that in a mean way but I don’t think you should leave unless you are a superstar.”

While rumors are swirling about his hiring of Greig as an agent, when asked Mensah-Bonsu shrugs it off and smiles.

“I’m not deciding until after (the pre-draft camp in) Chicago,” Mensah-Bonsu said.

As for his plans after the conclusion of the camp on Friday, it’s back to more of chasing his dream to become a professional player. Whether that will be as a Colonial or a professional, taking a break is out of the question.