NBA Draft: Jumper Edition

Straight from theondeckcircle.net - by Stu Wilkinson

This past Monday, dozens of NCAA student-athletes made life-altering decisions—decisions so big that millions of people that these young adults don’t even know could be dramatically affected by them.

That’s right: Girls Gone Wild finally started filming the long-awaited “Softball Skanks of the SEC” edition of their landmark series of documentary films.

Also, a bunch of dudes decided to either go pro and enter the NBA Entry Draft or stay in school for another year.

Although Girls Gone Wild is kind of a big deal, I’d like to focus on the NBA Draft, which just may be my favorite part of the NBA season.  We all know what’s going on at the top of the draft—Mike Beasley and Derrick Rose are battling for the right to be chosen by the Chicago Bulls (it should be Rose).

What I’m interested in today is looking at the rest of the draft. Which players not named Beasley or Rose have made good decisions by entering their names into the selection process?  Which players should have stayed in school?  Who the hell is this guy from Missiouri named Kalen Grimes?  Let’s get to the bold headings!

Good Calls

Kevin Love, Freshman F, UCLA (Going Pro)

I have to say that I was entertained by the Kevin Love Experience, even though I never really liked him as a player.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m down with UCLA.  From Danny Gadzuric to Jason Kapono to Darrick Martin, I can’t get enough of those Bruins—but I got quite enough of K-Love in the 2007-08 season.

His NBA stock skyrocketed as he played his way to a Pac-10 Player of the Year award and a Final Four.  Basketball people around the country fawned over his “fundamentally sound game” and his absurd outlet passes.

Well, congrats Kevin. You’ve played your way from being a Tyler Hansbrough-esque “only good in college” player into being a well-hyped lottery pick.  It was time to sell high, and you made the right call.

However, you better be ready for about 5,000 rookie calls against you next season thanks to your unique defending style of standing straight up and hitting attackers with your gut.  Don’t think for a second that Shawn Marion’s not getting the call when he’s posting you up next year.

Robert Dozier, Junior F, Memphis (Back To School)

Memphis will be going for its umpteenth Conference USA crown in a row this season with both Robby Dozier and Antonio Anderson back in the lineup after testing the draft waters.

Going pro certainly would have made sense for Dozier.  His team’s Big Three (Rose, Joey Dorsey, and Chris Douglas-Roberts) is going to the pros, so the chances of the Paper Tigers making another run in the NCAA Tournament are slim to none.

UAB might even knock Memphis off their Conference USA pedestal this year, making Dozier the senior leader that ended the streak of dominance (the Kris Lang of Memphis, if you will).

Even with a small chance of team success, Dozier made the right decision by coming back.  He probably won’t make it in the NBA, but if anyone can get him there, it’s Coach John Calipari.

If Coach Cal made Dorsey into a 6’8” center ready to be drafted by an NBA team, he can mold Dozier into a prototypical NBA energy guy.  A year learning how to lead his Memphis team with one of the best college coaches in the world can’t hurt, can it?

Ty Lawson, Sophomore G, North Carolina (Back To School)

Ty probably could have made it in the NBA past his rookie contract if he went pro this year.  His ridiculous quickness makes him a valuable commodity for pro teams, but his game could still use some polishing.

Sticking around in North Carolina to play with Psycho T, Danny Green, Wayne Ellington, and Deon Thompson will help Lawson improve by leaps and bounds.

Hopefully he comes out of the 2008-09 NCAA season with an improved three point shot, better finishing skills, and the prestige that comes with a championship run in March Madness.

How could the Heels not win it all next year?  Nobody else stands a chance!

Bad Calls

JaVale McGee, Sophomore C, Nevada (Going Pro)

I’m not going to lie—I’ve never seen JaVale McGee play a minute of basketball, but I’m still going to bash his decision-making ability.  He’s a legit seven-footer coming out of one of my favorite non-BCS schools, the University of Nevada (do the names Nick Fazekas and Ramon Sessions ring a bell?).

He’s projected to be a late first round pick, but we all know that NBA teams drool over size and potential, which is exactly what he brings to the table, so he could find his way into the lottery very easily.

Despite his potential lottery status this year, I still don’t like this guy going pro.  I feel like another year at school dominating the WAC with the Wolfpack would have made McGee into a well-hyped top ten prospect.

When I hear about this guy, I can’t help but think of Patty O’Bryant, the seven-footer out of Bradley who came out after his sophomore year and went in the lottery to Golden State a couple years ago.  Guess who’s not having his option picked up this year?  Don’t worry, the question was rhetorical.

Donte Green, Freshman F, Syracuse (Going Pro)

I really wanted to see everyone stay at Syracuse for next year.  Paul Harris, Jonny Flynn, Donte Green, Eric Devendorf, and the great Andy Rautins could have formed a great core for the Orange.

Green could have been a key cog in that machine thanks to his Stephen Jackson-esque game (treys and dunks), but he’s going pro instead.

I can’t really blame him—he’s projected to be a lottery pick—but I feel like another year at 'Cuse and a deep run in the NCAA Tournament with Jim Boeheim and company could have made him into a top five prospect.

Chase Budinger, Sophomore G/F, Arizona (Back to School)

Chase, what are you doing?  Last year you were riding shotgun with one of the best point guards in the nation, and you still couldn’t bring Arizona back to their winning ways.

Your program, at least from an outsider’s perspective, appears to be in disarray, with Lute Olson’s future shaky and Kevin O’Neill’s status as heir apparent gone with the wind.

You were a highly touted freshman thanks to your freakish athleticism, but that has never translated to team success at the college level.

It’s time to get that paycheck from a spot in the first round before your stock pulls a Josh McRoberts.  Just go pro and get it over with—Arizona ladies can’t be that much better than NBA groupies.

Calls I Was Personally Insulted By

George Hill, Junior G, IUPUI (Going Pro)

George Hill really pulled a fast one on me here.  Last year, during the NCAA Tournament, I anointed IUPUI as one of next season’s non-BCS sleeper teams.  George was set to average something like 23-7-5 next season for the high-octane Jaguars of IUPUI (pronounced ooo-eee-poo-eee).

Now that George turned down that opportunity of a lifetime in favor of being a second round draft pick, I’ll have to put all my marbles on the San Diego Toreros bandwagon next year.  I hope you’re happy, “George.”

Shawn James, Junior C, and Kojo Mensah, Junior G, Duquesne (Going Pro)

These two were both victims of the shooting at Duquesne (in Pittsburgh) nearly two years ago, so their situations might be a little more complex than others.  That said, it sucks for me, the potential bandwagon Duquesne fan, that these two talented youngsters are leaving the program early.

So nuts to you, Shawn James and Kojo Mensah.  Your departures have forestalled a classic City Game between two solid teams, instead of one solid team and one College Basketball Invitational candidate.

While I don’t know much about Kojo (he’s got undrafted written all over him), I know that Shawn James is a beast in the paint that could have success in the NBA.  He averaged 6.5 blocks per game at Northeastern in the season before he transferred to Duquesne.

After sitting out a season for the transfer and to recover from being shot, James averaged four swats a game playing in the much tougher Atlantic 10, helping Duquesne post a somewhat respectable 17-13 record after several seasons of futility.

Dominic James, Junior G, Marquette (No Decision Necessary)

Dom James is back for his senior season at Marquette!  Even with his head coach, Tom Crean, bolting for the pressure-packed pastures of Indiana University, James decided to come back for one last run with the Golden Eagles.

For his sake I hope it’s more successful than his most recent efforts—his scoring average has gone down in his last two seasons.

Don’t worry though, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that Dom will be alright.  After all, anyone I anoint to be the next Stevie Francis can’t fail.  Can they?