Brandon Jenning's Fall

Had things gone according to plan, Brandon Jennings would have been entering the 2009 NBA Draft as a top-three prospect from the University of Arizona. But things got a bit more complicated than anyone could have expected, and as a result, Jennings chose to cross the pond and get paid to play professional basketball for Lottomatica Roma rather than play for an American college team.

It is alleged that his reason for not being able to attend Arizona was due to his inability to pass a qualifying test to enter Arizona, but regardless of what is or isn’t true, his draft position has fallen quite dramatically in the last year.

There is no denying Jennings' athleticism. He proved himself in the McDonald’s All-American game by scoring 12 points and passing for nine assists. In his senior year of high school at Oak Hill Academy, he averaged 32.7 points, 7.5 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game; it was a remarkable stat line for any player. And even in the Euroleague this past season, he was able to average decent numbers.

This leads many to wonder why it is that he has fallen from a possible first overall pick to a last-of-the-lottery pick. Is the reason simply that he chose to go to Europe instead of college, or is there more to his fall?

There should be no reason for NBA executives to doubt his game. Considering the experience he gained in Europe, it wouldn't be surprising if his game has actually improved and evolved dramatically since high school. Due to the different styles of basketball played in Europe and in the NBA, his game is likely much more versatile than it would have been had he chosen to go to Arizona.

So I doubt that the hop is the reason. What it comes down to is the same thing that cost Michael Beasley the No. 1 pick: maturity, or lack thereof.

After all, Jennings is only 19 years old, and who would be foolish enough to put the future of a team on the shoulders of a 19-year-old who chose to take the easy way out of his situation? Is he always going to take the easy way out?

Due to his previous actions, there is no reason why any NBA executive would trust him. He’s talked badly about players like Ricky Rubio rather than acknowledge that they are great talents, and he called Shawn Marion "selfish" via his Twitter account. Sounds like he’s going to need a really good PR representative, and so is the team that lands him.

Still, in the end it will come down to whether or not a team thinks he is worth it. As of now, I’m going with "no."