When Chris Wilcox decided to relinquish his final two years of eligibility on the University of Maryland basketball team to become a first-round draft pick in the NBA, he probably never thought that four years later, he would be relegated to spot duty on a team that has rarely held even a glimmer of success.

But that is how it stands for the 23-year-old Wilcox as his starter status with the Los Angeles Clippers a year ago has now been cut to barely over a quarter per game.

The former Whiteville High All-Stater, who went on to help pace the University of Maryland to the 2002 NCAA championship, was the Clippers’ No. 1 draft pick in 2002, the eighth player selected overall.

Wilcox appeared to be well on his way with the Clippers last year as he had worked his way into the starting lineup after playing almost exclusively in a reserve role his first years. After starting the first 25 games, he was sidelined with by a foot injury that kept him out of action for more than a month. He returned late in the season but not as a starter.

Thus far in the 2005-06 season, the 6-foot-10 Wilcox has played in 34 games while starting only one. He is averaging 13.5 minutes per game while averaging 4.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per outing.

Coach Mike Dunleavy has opted for the strong inside play of 7-footer Chris Kaman to complement the play of power forward Elton Brand and guard Sam Cassell.

The Clippers are carrying a 20-14 record, good enough for second place in the Pacific Division, behind the Phoenix Suns, but the record includes a 12-game stretch in which they lost nine times.

Last June, when Wilcox conducted his annual Chris Wilcox Basketball Camp and Celebrity Golf Tournament in Whiteville, he indicated that he would probably be interested in getting traded, preferably to a team on or near the East Coast. At the time, he stated that he wasn’t discontent with his role with the Clippers but that he did want to play for a team where his talents best fit in.

Since joining the Clippers at the start of the 2002-03 season, Wilcox has scored 1,303 career points, has collected 769 rebounds and 70 blocked shots. His career field goal percentage is 52 percent and his accuracy from the foul line is 63 percent.

Wilcox was a two-year starter for Coach Glenn McKoy’s Whiteville High squad and led the Wolfpack to the 1999 state 2A championship his junior year. He played his senior season at Raleigh’s Enloe High before signing with Maryland.

After experiencing a sporadic freshman season in 2001 when Coach Gary Williams’ Maryland squad advanced to the Final Four, Wilcox became a strong force for the Terrapins his sophomore season. By the middle of February, he was being touted as a possible first-round draft pick.

Then he played a major role in the Terrapins march to the national title. He was named to the Final Four’s All-Tournament team following wins over Kansas and Indiana in Atlanta.