Drummond's draft status/projection

[Prezidint]

This is an easy call . . .

If he wants . . .

A) Immediate money and a shorter/less impactful career, and less money overall, he should go.

If he wants . . .
B) A longer career and the chance to be a great player, with more money overall, he absolutely, no questions asked, should stay. In fact, depending on how things go, he should probably stay 2 years.

Andre - three things standing in between you and greatness in the NBA . . .


1. Play every play like it's your last. You gotta want it a lot more than you do.

2. Shoot the ball from over your head - lose that horrid push shot like the slapping mess that it is.

3. DEVELOP JUST ONE F------G POST MOVE! JUST ONE! I strongly recommend the jump hook/baby hook. Learn how to pin your man on the blocks, receive the pass, and shoot the hook.

That's it. It's so simple, it's virtually painful to watch you not do them.

 

[champs99and04]

Drummond's got a ways to go, obviously, but he's not nearly as bad as he looked last night. It was unfair to ask him to guard a 6'8 point forward who was that quick off the bounce. That should have been Roscoe's matchup from the start, leaving Andre to patrol the paint.

He still looks absolutely clueless to where he's supposed to be on defense, how to rebound, etc. It's disappointing that he did not make more progress in these areas throughout the season, but then again, he was learning on the fly being a freshman and all. The kid definitely needs another year, if not two. The NBA swallows raw big men like a seagul swallows a fish. Before he can move up the latter, he needs to learn to enforce his will on players who are clearly inferior in terms of physical gifts. There are a whole list of things he needs to learn, but I think we all know what they are. It will be tough to convince him to pass up top five money, but as another poster said, he'll be a lottery pick the next season anyway based purely on potential, and he'll make a lot more money through the course of his career with a little more seasoning.

 

[defense]

Great points Prez, totally agree.

 

[ruskin]

Last night was also a testament to the utter lack of decent coaching and mentoring AD got prior to coming to Storrs. Would be surprised if anyone challenged him before he met JC. I know it's tough to get tough with a nice kid w/no mean streak, but he was not well-served by the failure to teach him skills he clearly lacks.

 

[Palatine]

AD is going to be in the lottery whether he comes out this year or next.

What if he's injured?

 

[District-Husky]

No one on this team is ready to go pro.

 

[Marat]

I don't buy the "if you are in the lottery you have to go" stuff. If the result is that you are not going to play in the NBA then you are not going to better and get to that next contract. Drummond needs to mature and it won't happen sitting on a bench and being labled a bust. If he had any semblance of an offensive game I would say go but he has zip as far as an offense.

If he/his family decides he isn't ready, then he will return. He wouldn't be the first to do so. This year, J Sullinger returned and so did Terrence Jones... Not sure if they were top 5 picks, but you get the idea.

 

[Vuce]

I havent really seen that in basketball. Kenyon Martin is the only example I can think of and he is still playing in the NBA.

 

[Lefty2one]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/219851/GMs_See_Drummonds_Stock_Declining

 

[Dogdeacon]

What if he's injured?

Kyrie Irving got pretty injured in his one college season, didn't effect his draft status one iota. Same for Greg Oden who as I recall played the first two months of his one season with a cast on one wrist/hand. But please don't use the brittle Greg Oden as an example of injury risk though as AD is different physiscal specimen AND Oden has actually made a ton of money - probably more per minute played than anyone in the NBA over the past 4 years. Bottom line is that particularly for centers, draft position is very sticky to the lottery.

As soon as he announces that he'll return to UConn, Drummond is projected as #1 next year.

 

[tzznandrew]

I havent really seen that in basketball. Kenyon Martin is the only example I can think of and he is still playing in the NBA.

And he went #1 still.
Oden could have been a poster child, except he left and his issues are chronic.