Hamilton signs with Sam Goldfeder

[huskyharry]

It's crazy how posters are taking this personally lmao. His dream is the NBA let him do what he wants. Its puerile to hold a grudge because he didn't stay at your university and play for zilch.

Very nice use of the word "puerile" haven't seen that in print in quite a while!

 

[Woof 101]

Yikes. Fellas, let's not go crazy with the ridiculous takes.

Crack, no spitting match here but if you are going to call me out please use my entire take and not just what suits your needs. Many have posted on his lack of academic investment and I for one do not think it is crazy or ridiculous to mention it. This with such a crazy and ridiculous move on his part. It would also be nice if you could point out what you feel is crazy and ridiculous. Here is was I stated...

Obviously with his class load he has no interest in being a student athlete, it does not reflect well at all on the school or the staff. I will stop with the slander and hope he comes forward with who he is getting advice from in order to save others from making a similar mistake. I will also wish him well and hope he does not get injured in a try out or pick-up game before the date he could have waited to announce.
I will also hope and pray for him whoever negotiates his contract wherever he lands is not the same person that left over seven weeks of you can change your mind time on the table.

Woof 101, Today at 8:30 PM Report

 

[8893]

It might be as simple as him wanting to be a professional athlete rather than a college student. This isn't rocket surgery.

Of course it's that simple. But the near-consensus that this is a terrible decision as a means for him to reach that goal meaningfully suggests that he really didn't like being a college student, which, in retrospect may help explain the enigma he appeared to be.

For me, it's hard not to look back with a much different view knowing that he was biding his time here. Not that there's anything wrong with that; I just thought he signed up for something different. I was wrong.

 

[starpka]

Analysis from CBS Sports:
It's commendable that Hamilton wants to help out his family. There is absolutely money out there for him to make, and he has a right to it. But given the legitimately projectable parts of his game that could lead to a much better chance of a guaranteed contract next season, this might be a bit of a regrettable decision if things don't totally go his way.

2016 NBA Draft: Daniel Hamilton declares, putting UConn in bind

 

[John]

Of course it's that simple. But the near-consensus that this is a terrible decision as a means for him to reach that goal meaningfully suggests that he really didn't like being a college student, which, in retrospect may help explain the enigma he appeared to be.

For me, it's hard not to look back with a much different view knowing that he was biding his time here. Not that there's anything wrong with that; I just thought he signed up for something different. I was wrong.

the way this is all rolling now does seem to explain a tremendous amount.

 

[djct1999]

I didn't mean "NBA player." Just a guy who gets paid to hoop, which he'll be next season no matter where he ends up.

Sticks is getting paid to play hoops. DHam had a chance to make set for life money. I get what you are saying but you don't make the decision he did, with the ability he has, simply because you want to get paid for playing. You go to a place like UConn to maximize potential. DHam is one of a few people who decided not to.

 

[swami7774]

Strikes me as another case of an extended family pressuring a kid to jump way too early.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Crack, no spitting match here but if you are going to call me out please use my entire take and not just what suits your needs. Many have posted on his lack of academic investment and I for one do not think it is crazy or ridiculous to mention it. This with such a crazy and ridiculous move on his part. It would also be nice if you could point out what you feel is crazy and ridiculous. Here is was I stated...

Obviously with his class load he has no interest in being a student athlete, it does not reflect well at all on the school or the staff. I will stop with the slander and hope he comes forward with who he is getting advice from in order to save others from making a similar mistake. I will also wish him well and hope he does not get injured in a try out or pick-up game before the date he could have waited to announce.
I will also hope and pray for him whoever negotiates his contract wherever he lands is not the same person that left over seven weeks of you can change your mind time on the table.

Woof 101, Today at 8:30 PM Report

I could have quoted your entire post and that sentence still would have been, to me, ridiculous. It's a reflection on Daniel Hamilton, that's all.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

For me, it's hard not to look back with a much different view knowing that he was biding his time here. Not that there's anything wrong with that; I just thought he signed up for something different. I was wrong.

I think I've just come to expect kids who come in with the accolades of a Hamilton to be on a year to year deal, whether they should be one and done or not. If they come back for year 2 or 3 or 4 it's a bonus, but I got tired of the hand wringing around these decisions. It's probably why I don't really follow recruiting all that much anymore. Ultimately, the team is the team from First Night until the last L and it's wasted energy to worry about what happens in the interim with respect to transfers, early departures, etc.

 

[superjohn]

There isn't much to analyze, it's a young guy making a really dumb decision. It's too bad because it's most likely going to cost him a tremendous amount of money and a chance at his dream. He will still make money playing a game which isn't bad, I just fear he won't be looking at this decision too fondly down the road.

 

[gtcam]

I doubt the doesn't want to be a student argument. These guys get all the help in the world with academics which have gotten easier. Edmund Saunders was able to do the school work!!

Maybe he just wants to play hoops and not even think about schoolwork?
All the help doesn't do squat if you don't want to do any of it
I think DHam is one of those kids that didn't do schoolwork and maybe skated by?

 

[jorge34]

There isn't much to analyze, it's a young guy making a really dumb decision. It's too bad because it's most likely going to cost him a tremendous amount of money and a chance at his dream. He will still make money playing a game which isn't bad, I just fear he won't be looking at this decision too fondly down the road.

I don't think it's dumb, nor do I think he will regret it. He is a legit NBA talent, it's all up to him how much he works to improve. Maybe officially signing with an agent is the incentive he needs. College is not for everybody.

 

[UCweCONN]

This decision certainly makes sense after how the season went. It always seemed like he cared more about showcasing himself than winning. He better not screw our APT or he's dead to me like Gavin Edwards.

 

[jorge34]

This decision certainly makes sense after how the season went. It always seemed like he cared more about showcasing himself than winning. He better not screw our APT or he's dead to me like Gavin Edwards.

That would me more of a concern to me, I agree

 

[TheChamps990411]

Damn. I wish him the best of luck, but selfishly, this sucks.

This. Wouldve liked to have seen him come back but it appears not to be. I mean did anyone seriously think he`d be coming back? I doubt he gets picked any lower than 15.

 

[huskyinfl]

Oh, I get it. My point is that if you are Emeka and want to take advantage of the school and push yourself they are there. If you say I want to ball and have no intention to graduate, they have a path for that too. 3 week classes, summer classes, online classes... I took classes all year long and thats where they stuff these guys.

The viewpoint I have like most others is - how 1 more year - could be the difference for him.

I wish him well though, hope he is the #1 pick.

 

[superjohn]

I don't think it's dumb, nor do I think he will regret it. He is a legit NBA talent, it's all up to him how much he works to improve. Maybe officially signing with an agent is the incentive he needs. College is not for everybody.

He has some NBA talent but he's nowhere near an NBA level player at this point. He's not going to be a first round draft pick so no guaranteed money and it's incredibly hard to make it into the league as a D-leaguer or late second round pick. He's most likely going to have to learn a foreign language to continue his dream, if that's what he wants it's not a bad decision.

 

[jorge34]

He has some NBA talent but he's nowhere near an NBA level player at this point. He's not going to be a first round draft pick so no guaranteed money and it's incredibly hard to make it into the league as a D-leaguer or late second round pick. He's most likely going to have to learn a foreign language to continue his dream, if that's what he wants it's not a bad decision.

How could you possibly make the statement he is not going to be a first round pick? Because
some mock draft says so? It's a weak draft, it's not out of the realm of possibilities.

 

[James]

How could you possibly make the statement he is not going to be a first round pick? Because
some mock draft says so? It's a weak draft, it's not out of the realm of possibilities.

It's pretty much out of the realm of possibility. There are 50 better prospects better than him not counting euros. Scouts have seen him quite a bit , especially @ the Nike camp in 2015 where he was invisible among his 'Peers'.

I also don't agree with the premise of him turning into a lotto pick after 1 year, Denzel valentines don't grow on trees.

 

[JimHurley]

Time to hand over the keys to Adams, Gilbert, and Larrier. They will be our big 3 for the next few years and I'm looking forward to it.

 

[blackbird]

I think he's giving up a lot of money, but I don't know why he might do this.

It's a shame, Adams and Hamilton should have been a fun team next season. But at the same time, I didn't get the sense that Hamilton's heart was here, like I do with Adams, Brimah, and Purvis, and I still think Purvis and Brimah stay.

 

[UCweCONN]

He has some NBA talent but he's nowhere near an NBA level player at this point. He's not going to be a first round draft pick so no guaranteed money and it's incredibly hard to make it into the league as a D-leaguer or late second round pick. He's most likely going to have to learn a foreign language to continue his dream, if that's what he wants it's not a bad decision.

If he just wanted to play professionally somewhere he could've left after last season. I don't think his stock improved much this season compared to last and he lost a year of earning pro money by staying for his sophomore year. The NBA had to have been the goal and I just think he's making a really bad choice.

 

[jorge34]

It's pretty much out of the realm of possibility. There are 50 better prospects better than him not counting euros. Scouts have seen him quite a bit , especially @ the Nike camp in 2015 where he was invisible among his 'Peers'.

I also don't agree with the premise of him turning into a lotto pick after 1 year, Denzel valentines don't grow on trees.

All it takes is one team to fall in love with his potential.

 

[HooperScooper]

All it takes is one team to fall in love with his potential.

“I got to tell you watching the conference tournament and NCAA games, I loved the way he played compared to the beginning and the middle of the year,” a scout from an Eastern Conference team said.

“I think someone will take him in the first round,” another Eastern Conference scout said.

 

[Huskybass]

At first I thought this was a really bad decision by Daniel Hamilton. However the more I thought about it the more I figured it was the best decision for him. He never seemed to be really happy as a college student and I don't recall ever seeing him smile during a game. It seemed like he was just doing what he needed to do until he could play professionally . I wish him the best although I would have loved to have him come back for his junior year.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

It really isn't as bad a decision as everyone is making it out to be. At first I thought it was because he needs more polish to his game, but this draft is pretty damn weak and next years is gonna be loaded. Makes sense for him. He could've played alot better next year and not made up much draft ground because of the talent in next years draft

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I also don't agree with the premise of him turning into a lotto pick after 1 year, Denzel valentines don't grow on trees.

This is sort of my feeling. It's always the "one more year" that's going to turn a kid into a lotto pick but maybe Hamilton's NBA prospects aren't all that great either year.

 

[Tenspro2002]

When I first heard it, I was shocked. But after thinking about it a little longer, I'm not terribly surprised.

Remember, this was a guy who had to be talked out of transferring last spring. For all the jokes about him de-committing and going to UCLA, he clearly was never fully invested in being here.

The line about helping his family is bogus -- he has two older brothers playing basketball, one already in the NBA. I would have bought that if, say, Boat, had left after his junior year. But not Hamilton.

There are a few ways to look at this for the future of our program:
- For next year, our ceiling just got cut down by a bit; we'll now have major question marks at both the 3 and the 4
- On the other hand, we'll be able to more quickly move past the disappointment of the last 2 years and get on with the Jalen Adams (or Alterique Gilbert) Era
- Hamilton had a much better chance of sticking in the NBA if he left after a potentially excellent junior campaign rather than a mediocre sophomore year. We're now going on 4+ years without having an impact-NBA-player drafted; if we continue to lose that cachet and reputation, it will hurt recruiting

 

[tcf15]

When I first heard it, I was shocked. But after thinking about it a little longer, I'm not terribly surprised.

Remember, this was a guy who had to be talked out of transferring last spring. For all the jokes about him de-committing and going to UCLA, he clearly was never fully invested in being here.

The line about helping his family is bogus -- he has two older brothers playing basketball, one already in the NBA. I would have bought that if, say, Boat, had left after his junior year. But not Hamilton.

There are a few ways to look at this for the future of our program:
- For next year, our ceiling just got cut down by a bit; we'll now have major question marks at both the 3 and the 4
- On the other hand, we'll be able to more quickly move past the disappointment of the last 2 years and get on with the Jalen Adams (or Alterique Gilbert) Era
- Hamilton had a much better chance of sticking in the NBA if he left after a potentially excellent junior campaign rather than a mediocre sophomore year. We're now going on 4+ years without having an impact-NBA-player drafted; if we continue to lose that cachet and reputation, it will hurt recruiting

Can you provide a link for this?

 

[Tenspro2002]

Can you provide a link for this?

I remember last year there were rumors (by reputable insiders on this board) that Hamilton very nearly left after last year, and was gone until KO told him to stick it out. When asked if it would have been for the NBA, it was implied that it was not.

Of course, none of this would have been discussed openly by anyone directly involved, so maybe it should be taken with a grain of salt.