Terence Jones, Fab Melo, Jared Sullinger, Harrison Barnes, and Perry Jones III were arguably considered in the top 10 pro prospects of last years NBA draft had they not decided to stay in college. With the eventual NBA lockout looming on the horizon, these fabulous five forwards foresaw a financial faux pas and chose to stay in school for the love of the game.
Check out the top 10 picks from the 2011 NBA draft:
1 Cleveland Kyrie Irving 6-3 191 PG Duke Fr.
2 Minnesota Derrick Williams 6-8 248 SF/PF Arizona So.
3 Utah Enes Kanter 6-11 259 PF/C Kentucky Fr.
4 Cleveland Tristan Thompson 6-9 227 PF Texas Fr.
5 Toronto Jonas Valanciunas 6-11 240 C Lithuania Intl.
6 Washington Jan Vesely 6-11 230 SF/PF Czech Republic Intl.
7 Sacramento Bismack Biyombo 6-9 243 C Congo Intl.
8 Detroit Brandon Knight 6-3 177 PG/SG Kentucky Fr.
9 Charlotte Kemba Walker 6-1 184 PG UConn Jr.
10 Milwaukee Jimmer Fredette 6-2 196 PG BYU Sr.
Other than perennial power house schools Duke and Kentucky, who manage to reload every year, none of the college programs represented by the top 10 picks of last year are in the top ten this year. Arizona, UCONN and BYU made impressive runs in the NCAA Tournament. With the eventual champions UCONN surging behind the brilliance of Kemba Walker.
Texas underachieved last year, losing to Arizona in the tournament and are in a rebuilding year this year. Arizona lost to UCONN in the Elite Eight in quite possibly the best game of 2011, and are now trying to figure out how to win without Derrick Williams. BYU had a Haley's comet like year that won't soon be duplicated, especially now that they are playing basketball in the West Coast Conference, which is weaker than the Mountain West Conference. And UCONN is lost with out Kemba.
In the wake of NCAA investigations regarding Ryan Boatright, self imposed sanctions stemming from poor cumulative grades, and health concerns with their head coach Jim Calhoun, UCONN can be optimistic with the notion of being invited to the NIT this year. Following this year the magic of Big East basketball will be gone as well. What made the emergence of last year's Huskies so miraculous, was their impressive hot knife through butter like swath through the Big East tourney. Under the hot lights of Madison Square Garden, Kemba and his band of warriors fought off the best to become the best.
The misfortunes of Texas, Arizona, UCONN and BYU can be traced back to the decisions of Tristan Thompson, Derrick Williams, Kemba Walker and even Jimmer Fredette wanting to create fortunes for themselves by going into the NBA draft. Jimmer could have requested a red shirt year, citing his phenomenal year and urging the NCAA to keep him around forever in order to gross more revenue for the NCAA. If those that run the BCS were involved with that decision, then Jimmer would become the first ever 24th year senior. They would have kept him around until the time his kids became NCAA eligible.
In stark contrast of the teams struggling this year are the teams of those fab five forwards who decided to avoid being locked out and instead enjoy being a college kid and chase a championship. Terence Jones, Fab Melo, Jared Sullinger, Harrison Barnes, and Perry Jones III. Kentucky, Syracuse, Ohio State, North Carolina and Baylor, ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll Week 15 (Feb. 13) as numbers 1, 2, 6, 7 & 10.
Kids stay in school...unless you don't mind being locked out for several months and you are guaranteed MILLIONS of dollars.
Cue the Bone Thugs N Harmony track...
Jimmer was a senior. what would have been the point for him to request a red shirt year after his senior year?
ReplyDeleteSo that he could stay around in college to make more money for the NCAA. Please refer to blog post above. Thank you.
Delete1) how would the NCAA make more money if Jimmer took a redshirt year?
Delete2) how would this benefit Jimmer?
3) why would Jimmer stick around to make more money for the NCAA when he could (and should) be making money for himself? he did his time by playing 4 years. all these other kids could have waited another year or two until the lockout was over and it was all good.
1) Because
ReplyDelete2) I
3) said so!