A Long Overdue DeMarre Carroll Draft Post

Just in case anyone reads this blog regularly and was disappointed, I apologize for not writing anything about this earlier. I’ve been busy with other things, and honestly, wasn’t sure I had any great insight.

I spoke with DeMarre Carroll briefly after he was drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies with the 27th pick, and as usual, he didn’t say anything particularly interesting. It’s not that he’s an unintelligent or boring person—he nearly finished a Master’s degree—Carroll just seems to be careful most of the time to not say anything that would draw attention to himself.

During Missouri’s season, more than anyone else on the team, he often just repeated what his coach said. Countless times, DeMarre’s sentences would begin, “Like Coach A says….” Maybe that’s just because he’s Mike Anderson’s nephew, but I’ll be interested to see if he handles himself the same way under his new coach, Lionel Hollins.

The Grizzlies will certainly be getting a fierce competitor in Carroll, who has embraced the nickname “Junkyard Dog” so much that he even called himself that in our interview. His energetic style should be a boost off the bench, but it’s hard to see him being a consistent starter unless he makes some dramatic improvements.

Meanwhile, Leo Lyons wasn’t drafted, so he’ll be trying to earn a contract with the Indiana Pacers when the summer league starts on Monday. I still believe Lyons has the talent, but he’s going to have to do some serious work to prove he can provide enough on a consistent basis and handle the increased physicality that comes with playing forward in the NBA.

Some quick notes on the other seniors from Missouri’s Elite Eight team:

Matt Lawrence, the only Tiger to receive his undergraduate degree in May, said he’d like to try to continue playing basketball, probably overseas. He’s always been an intelligent player and could succeed with the right team. Even if he can’t find a roster spot, it seems like there’s a decent chance he could land a job on a coaching staff or in an athletic department somewhere, which is what he says he’d like to do.

Meanwhile, there’s a good chance Mike Anderson Jr. will still be around Missouri next season. He still has a graduate degree to finish, and it seems likely he’ll find some role as a graduate assistant with the team under his dad.