duffy article- How good can UConn be in 2013-14? We'll find out in the next month

[husky99]

http://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article...elp-but-contemplate-4342249.php?cmpid=twitter

 

[Phoenixhusky]

Sometimes, I think these beat writers, and Duffy is the best one, create these leaving for the NBA stories. I love Duffy and think he has done a great job but Napier is no where ready for the NBA. And contrary to the article, you can always improve your draft stock. I just dont see him being a 1st rounder, and leaving to be a second rounder or not getting drafted is stupid. As Jim Calhoun alsways said "you only leave early if you are a lottery pick." I am a little biased and would love him to come back because of next seasons potential.

 

[BFieldHusky]

Sometimes, I think these beat writers, and Duffy is the best one, create these leaving for the NBA stories. I love Duffy and think he has done a great job but Napier is no where ready for the NBA. And contrary to the article, you can always improve your draft stock. I just dont see him being a 1st rounder, and leaving to be a second rounder or not getting drafted is stupid. As Jim Calhoun alsways said "you only leave early if you are a lottery pick." I am a little biased and would love him to come back because of next seasons potential.

Of course they do. They want you to read the newspaper.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

These kids are obviously thinking about it. Duffy isn't making this stuff up.

 

[Phoenixhusky]

True, hope Ollie gives them a dose of reality. All the draft sites I checked had Boatright not drafted and Napier a fringe second rounder.

 

[husky99]

These kids are talking abouit it from what i hear..will it happen, no clue..just do not stick your head in the sand

 

[Phoenixhusky]

I know it may happen 99, but that does not make it a good decision. Kids, and they are kids, make bad decsions and I think this will be one of them.

 

[BFieldHusky]

I think based on everything we have read and heard they are considering it (specifically Napier and Boat). Boat would be a massive mistake. Napier can improve his stock. Just have to hope that they listen to what Ollie has to say. What do you think the time frame is here? Will they decide quickly?

 

[husky99]

Who said anything about a good decision, do not put your emotional feeling on me. Just thought it should be posted... when i just post the link, i am not saying i agree or disagree ..sure napier should stay, but i bet ollie runs the end of the year like calhoun. Almost like a end of a year business evaluation.

 

[Vuce]

Shabazz needs to look no further than a guy he played with.......Kemba. It is hard to remember because of the amazing ride that he took uconn and the fans on in 2011 but Walker was NOT a first round type player after the 2009-10 season. He drastically improved his stock from one season to the next. It is Stop to say he cannot improve his game and draft stock from a borderline second round pick to a sure fire first rounder. I think that is what he will be told and Bazz will need to decide if he wants to roll the dice.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

I don't think Bazz's NBA stock is going to change much from jr to sr year. Maybe he gets into the lower first round if he stays.Reminds me of when KEA decided to leave. It's not like Bazz could be a lottery selection if he stays.
Remember the draft is only 2 rounds and there are always so man foreign kids that most of us have never heard of or seen play that the NBA can stash for a couple years. Makes them very attractive to teams. That pushes a kid like Bazz that much lower.

BTW I want him to stay but I have a feeling he is going.

Ask yourself NBAwise can Bazz be as good/or better than AJ Price? Drafted 52 by the Pacers(I know the knee was probably a concern).
So does Bazz leave to possibly be drafted in the 40-50 range? That is the question. Is it worth leaving early?

Plus he may want to go to help his family too.
Bottom line you can't tell what the factors are. I'm sure either way he is torn.

There you have it both sides of the coin.

 

[Hi-Low]

I hope UConn cleared that picnic with RJ Evan's family....don't want any NCAA Violations for too much potato salad.

 

[CTBasketball]

LOL at Boatright to the NBA.

 

[uchusky32]

These kids are talking abouit it from what i hear..will it happen, no clue..just do not stick your head in the sand

For the kids sake I hope they don't stick their head in the sand. Boat has talent but won't get drafted this year. He hasn't proven he can be a pt. Here he has the opportunity to get quality coaching and skill training. And time floor playing.

DD has the most upside of all. But he didn't adjust well to college basketball just started playing well. What position would he play? Needs to refine SF skills or bulk up. his he could do here and get meaningful minutes.
He could be a lottery pick next year if he plays like he did against Gtown.

Bazz is the most ready. Is he athletic enough? If no that won't change. Is he injury prone? Would playing with better talent make him look better? If Bazz can get into the first round leave. If he might not ever get into the first round than what does he do?

Should be some easy feedback for Boat and DD. Bazz has the head choices to ponder for the next few weeks.

 

[huskyharry]

True, hope Ollie gives them a dose of reality. All the draft sites I checked had Boatright not drafted and Napier a fringe second rounder.

Actually, as I posted yesterday: on six sites I checked, Bazz is not even projected in the second round & that is likely not including the impact of his foot injury.

Someone made a comparison to Mo Williams and I think there are certainly similarities in their games, their height and weight. Although, Williams is a little more athletic and is physically stronger. However, Mo was a mid-second round selection (#47)

 

[DogMania]

Of the 3, the one who worries me most is DD. Granted it was only a four game season ending run where Daniels showed everyone a glimpse of his potential, it doesn't take much for the NBA to sniff out what looks like a nice late first round bargain and blow it up into a mid-first round or better after working a player out.

RB has the athleticism, but lacks the maturity, not to mention prototypical NBA size. I'm sure his ability to play above the rim has turned heads, but his propensity to get swallowed up by double-teams and his myopic play where he gets locked into shooting the ball come hell or high-water, no matter who might be wide open...such as Daniels on at least 3 critical occasions lately (twice in the GU game and once against PC). If he wants to get a first and maybe even second round considerations, he has to show he can run a team. He's too small to get a full-time PG gig, though he might prove me and other wrong who think such. He's likely going to turn heads as a off-the-bench instant offense type of guy. He's sort of a smaller version of Ben Gordon, when you think about it. He's undersized to play the 2G full time in the NBA. He's just not big enough, no matter how athletic he might be. The top big 2s will be launching 3s and midrange Js over him like their flipping pancakes at an IHOP. Plus the NBA is extremely physical. Once a guard gets that half step on the defender they turn the corner and are on their way to the basket. With all this said, I think RB could get a solid look if he returns for at least one more season. He's not going to get any taller. He's not going to be able to put on the type of muscle any time soon to address some of these concerns. But what he can do, is improve his decision making, ability to handle the quick double-team, lead-guard skills (finding open teammates and bumping up those assist #s) and consistency/efficiency with his offensive game (get the scoring in the 16 to 18 range on a consistent basis on much better percentage shooting, not to mention a bump in 3 pt shooting.) He's show some impressive range, as did Bazz this season, and if he can knock 'em down at a much better rate, the NBA folks will like that. Knowing that defenders will have to go out there to guard him, opening up some of his driving game, does play in the NBA well. You just don't see little guys in the league unless they can light it up, especially from deep. Enough with RB.

Bazz's situation is similar in that he needs to convince folks that he can run a team and score on a consistent basis. He's not the athlete that RB is. You don't see many in the NBA that play below the rim, but there are some. RB is young and I'm sure most NBA folks realize that there's a lot a player can learn between his sophomore and junior or even senior seasons. Look how much Kemba improved his stock in such a short period of time. In Bazz's case, they've seen a steady progression with his game, but the likely perception is his upside curve is coming close to its apex. I'm not really sure that's all that true. I think Bazz can improve his lead guard skills and show he can do a better job of finding open teammates. It will help next season if he has more options or at least more seasoned ones next season. I find it really interesting the impact of the decisions for all 3 of these players might have on each of their futures. They all sort of need each other to return to try to maximize their improvements. Both Bazz and Boat need scorers to pass to. Whoever ends up getting the ball to DD next season is going to rack up a lot of needed assists. Getting a couple bigs who can score inside will also help. Just don't know how that's going to shape up. I can't imagine our front court being any worse. The only place to go in that regard is up. So although Bazz can improve his stock by improving his lead-guard skills and consistency in his scoring, he's not going to be able to improve his body all that much. I don't think he has the body type to put on a lot of muscle, at least not over the next year. As he gets older, he might be able to thicken up a bit, but he needs to make at least one NBA decision maker believe he can be a Steve Nash type talent or at least a Steve Nash light, who can come off the bench, run the 2nd unit, put up some consistent solid numbers. Bazz is extremely smart and savvy. I would not be shocked if he finds his way on an NBA roster to be a number one PG for part of his career if on the right team, with the right system and given a chance to show that his intangibles make up for what he lacks. As for which draft he has the best shot of getting drafted or drafted highest, I'm not sure. All indications are the 2013 draft is weak, but I don't know if Bazz has done enough to maximize his position. The NBA is all about potential and availability. His foot injury is going to give teams pause considering he's not a big-upside and athletic prospect. If he can heal up quickly and impress during individual workouts and stay healthy at one or more of those NBA camps (or whatever they call those invitation events), now might be the time to go. If he doesn't have time to heal up, he might want to take advantage of his senior year. Though he runs the risk of getting injured again, and then the worries about the foot can get magnified even more. He really has a tough choice and one that I don't think is clear cut whatsoever.

Getting back to Daniels, I have little doubt now that he's got big time talent and if he enters into the 2013 draft, will slowly move up the board as teams get to see what he's capable of during those individual workouts. His slow start this season and not being able to showcase what he's been doing the past 4 games in the post season does hurt his stock. I think he can play himself into an upper 3rd of the first round or even lottery pick (don't recall what # make up the lottery) if he returns for his junior season. Since you never really know how high you'll go until draft day, I think it would be wise for him to return, but the temptation at going for it if he begins to hear that teams will take him late in the first round, might be too much to pass up. That's still guaranteed millions, and hard for anyone to pass up. If you asked me if I was worried about losing DD a couple weeks ago, I'd say you were crazy. If you ask me now, I'd say h*ll yes!

I really don't know how all this will play out. Taking a stab at this, here's my wild guess:

RB will return for his junior year after reality sets in. Ollie's NBA recon, and that from anyone who's trustworthy that RB looks to, is not going bring back any favorable enough intell. Now RB would not be the first to ignore sound advise, and in the end, I think he'll keep his senses.

DD is a tough one, as is Bazz. I have a feeling that he's not going to get enough positive reports to give up the chance of playing his way into the lottery next year. Unless some team gives him a guarantee that they'll draft him if he's still on the board, I don't think he takes the chance this year. I think KO will be able to convince him that he can coach him into the lottery. I don't know what percentage teams so called promises hold true. I bet they're far from a solid lock. I might be wrong, bit I think the window to decide to stay in school or enter the draft is much smaller this year than in the past, so it doesn't give these kids much time to elevate their stock like it has in the past. I think that might work in UConn's favor for DD to return, but the NBA folks aren't dummies. They know DD came to UConn highly ranked and now probably see what we all saw the past 4 games, that he's going to live up to it.

Bazz is a flip of the coin IMO. If there is enough time for his foot to heal where he can workout for NBA teams and play in one of those NBA invitations w/out risking further injury, the odds of him leaving goes up big time! If it seems apparent he's going to need more time to heal, I think he returns. I'm going with the latter, but that's based on my selfish want to see one more year of Bazz.

The X-Factor in all this, IMO, is Kevin Ollie. He's got a charismatic thing about him that could be the difference in swaying these 3 young men to decide to stick around and play for him for one more year. IMO, I think that's a big factor for each to take into account. As long as returning doesn't have big odds of hurting their NBA chances, then they should highly consider it. Being around KO for another year will be huge for these 3 young men to grow into high character men that will serve them the rest of their lives. Finding a good mentor in life is no easy thing. They don't come around that often. I hope each of them takes this into account.

 

[nomar]

DM - can I get a bullet-pointed summary please? I don't have 6 hours to commit right now.

I'll say this: JC almost never let a guy make the wrong decision. KEA is the only guy I can think of. These kids respect KO, needless to say. I think that if the word from NBA people is that none are likely 1st rounders, they'll be back.

 

[gtcam]

Sometimes, I think these beat writers, and Duffy is the best one, create these leaving for the NBA stories. I love Duffy and think he has done a great job but Napier is no where ready for the NBA. And contrary to the article, you can always improve your draft stock. I just dont see him being a 1st rounder, and leaving to be a second rounder or not getting drafted is stupid. As Jim Calhoun alsways said "you only leave early if you are a lottery pick." I am a little biased and would love him to come back because of next seasons potential.

NBAdraft.net and draftexpress, both fairly reliable in terms of who gets drafted, not always when in the draft, neither has bazz or boat in either round this year and only bazz in mid second round in 2014

 

[gtcam]

I don't think Bazz's NBA stock is going to change much from jr to sr year. Maybe he gets into the lower first round if he stays.Reminds me of when KEA decided to leave. It's not like Bazz could be a lottery selection if he stays.
Remember the draft is only 2 rounds and there are always so man foreign kids that most of us have never heard of or seen play that the NBA can stash for a couple years. Makes them very attractive to teams. That pushes a kid like Bazz that much lower.

BTW I want him to stay but I have a feeling he is going.

Ask yourself NBAwise can Bazz be as good/or better than AJ Price? Drafted 52 by the Pacers(I know the knee was probably a concern).
So does Bazz leave to possibly be drafted in the 40-50 range? That is the question. Is it worth leaving early?

Plus he may want to go to help his family too.
Bottom line you can't tell what the factors are. I'm sure either way he is torn.

There you have it both sides of the coin.

Price ia a TRUE PG and his shot was more consistant. Boat proves vs a poor S Fla team that he cannot lead a team and cannot score when trying. His asset is being a scoring guard and there are plenty of them looking for work who are bothe bigger and stronger. Bazz is probably an equivilent to Price but I think AJ is a more natural floor general-like coach KO

 

[Ts5034]

Hey DogMania, I always wanted to ask this question...are you an English teacher because you really like to write? Its good stuff though

 

[cohenzone]

This thread, or I guess the topic in general, is depressing to old schoolers. Instead of talking how these kids might jell together, the attention is on
how soon they might leave. By coincidence, I'm visiting my son who lives near UCLA and we were in Pauley Pavilion today for a gymnastics event. All those Wooden Era banners are there. In today's world how many would there be? Of course those guys couldn't play varsity until Soph year. It is insane that Boatright is seioisly considering jumping. Napier a little less insane but seems unrealistic. Daniels might be a first rounder, but to apply Calhoun's test, I can't see him as lottery pick.

 

[AtlantaHusky]

Is it me or did Dogmania's FONT GET LARGER EVERY PARAGRAPH

They are all coming back. Napier's foot won't allow him to perform in camp to his potential and he has some love he's not ready to let go of. DD is convinced next year he makes the lottery, and Boatshow gets some water thrown into his face making him realize he can really do much better to improve his stock.

Whatever happens, I wish all the kids the best.

 

[aceboon]

I still don't buy Duffy's point that Bazz can't improve his stock. Bazz has improved as a player every year he's been here, and he made a tremendous leap from soph to junior year and he spent a great deal of the offseason in a walking boot and then had his foot operated on, if Bazz gets an entire offseason to continue working on his game and his body how can he not come back a better player? And while he'll never become Nate Robinson or even Boat athletically, there are workouts that you can do to improve your speed and vertical, and he most certainly can tighten up his body from a muscle standpoint. He might have to go outside the program because I'm kind of skeptical of whoever is running our strength and conditioning program(see the transformation AO underwent once he went to Mizzou for example), but it can be done. I just don't understand the reasoning for going pro just hoping to be drafted when all of the evidence will be given to him that he's not even guaranteed to get picked at all. I hate to bring them up because I know this board will go nuts, but if Bazz went to Duke and wasn't guaranteed to be drafted would there be any question he would be coming back? I mean Nolan Smith had a very similar JR year to what Bazz has had, won a title, and there wasn't even any question that he was coming back for his SR year. Yet we have beat writers encouraging players to go pro when it's in doubt whether he will be drafted at all.

 

[Gurleyman]

There has been a little bit of a bias against college seniors in the draft in the last 15 years. The thought being that when you are 22 or 23, you are closer to your ceiling, so they become more enamored with young talent with a greater possible long term projection. There are exceptions, and Lillard doing well may help with other seniors in the copycat world of GMing.

The problem with comparing Bazz and Kemba is that they are different types of players. Kemba was a plus athlete who learned how to harness it and become a complete player when taking over the leadership mantle. Bazz is already a complete player, for the most part, but doesn't have the same plus athleticism. He isn't going to develop Kemba's quickness in the next year. He can improve, but some incremental improvement won't help his draft stock all that much - he'll just be considered to be a year further along in his development. A big leap next year (22 ppg, 7 apg and impeccable game management, for example) might help his stock quite a bit, but that could be offset by a deeper draft class, if indeed next year is that much better (it doesn't matter if the top 10 are better next year, only if the prospects from 15-30 are better, particularly at PG).

There isn't an easy answer, but ultimately it is his life. Staying certainly wouldn't be a bad decision - there's potential for a great senior year, helping his stock, getting the degree now, etc. On the other hand, if he wants to take his shot now and be content with a good salary in Europe if he doesn't make it, it isn't a bad decision either. You have a window of 10-15 years to make money in pro sports, and when you feel ready to go for it, might as well. College will be there afterward. The only reason we care is that he plays hoops - every UConn baseball player in the lineup goes through the junior year singing "should I stay or should I go" and we kinda ignore that.

 

[DogMania]

Hey DogMania, I always wanted to ask this question...are you an English teacher because you really like to write? Its good stuff though

No, but I've written novel and some short stories. I enjoy writing.