The first step toward the next level will begin next month for Roderick Flemings in Virginia.

Flemings, who recently completed a standout career with the University of Hawai'i men's basketball team, was invited to participate in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament next month.

"I'm going," Flemings said. "It should be fun. There's going to be a lot of good players there and, of course, all the NBA scouts, so it'll be a good opportunity."

The Portsmouth Invitational is a four-day event that features 64 of the top collegiate seniors from around the country. It is scheduled for April 7 to 10 at Portsmouth, Va.

Representatives from every NBA team attend the event.

Flemings, a 6-foot-7 forward, is hoping a strong showing at Portsmouth can help his cause for the NBA Draft in June. He is currently considered a long shot to be one of the 60 players selected in the draft.

"That's still my dream," he said. "I'm doing what I can. Working out every day, trying to get bigger, working on my conditioning, stuff like that."

Flemings said he is also hoping a solid showing at Portsmouth will lead to invitations to private workouts with NBA teams.

"You never know," he said. "Just go there and do your best and hope somebody likes what they see."

The last University of Hawai'i player to get invited to the Portsmouth Invitational was Predrag Savovic in 2002.

Flemings averaged 16.6 points and 6.2 rebounds during his just-completed senior season with the Rainbow Warriors. He battled several nagging injuries during the season, but emerged as a force late in the season, when he was healthy.

In Hawai'i's last eight games of the season, Flemings averaged 20.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

One of the highlights during that stretch was a 39-point effort in a home loss to Cal Poly. It was the most points ever scored by a Hawai'i player in the Stan Sheriff Center.

Flemings finished his two-year career at Hawai'i with 964 points, which ranks No. 17 on the program's all-time list of top scorers.

Even if he is not selected in the NBA Draft, Flemings said he wants to play professional basketball.

He has yet to sign with an agent.

He said he will likely return to his family's home in Dallas during spring break later this month to discuss options with his mother.

"I've been talking to some (agents) already," Flemings said. "But I'll get my mom to look over some things with me."

ENGLISH, SAVOVIC ON ALL-DECADE BALLOT

Former University of Hawai'i guards Carl English and Predrag Savovic are among 28 players being considered for selection on the Western Athletic Conference's All-Decade Team for men's basketball.

Fans can vote for the All-Decade Team at www.wacsports.com.

English was a first-team All-WAC selection as a junior in 2003. He left UH after that season to pursue a professional career.

Savovic was a first-team All-WAC selection in 2001 and 2002. He is the only Hawai'i player to twice earn first-team All-WAC honors.

The WAC all-decade team will be announced next month.