Yes but why would you give up your remaining eligibility to play overseas and not live out your NBA dream. That's ridiculous. I hope you can understand that. The Turkish league money will be there when the NBA dream fails.
Shabazz Napier Draft Decision
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Yes but why would you give up your remaining eligibility to play overseas and not live out your NBA dream. That's ridiculous. I hope you can understand that. The Turkish league money will be there when the NBA dream fails.
willie99
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if Ollie actually he said "he hopes they're both coming back", I can only surmise the only advice they're getting from KO and JC is to "come back", which also suggests the draft day feedback they're getting from their sources is not favorable
maybe Bazz is just holding out hope at this point, maybe there is a team out there considering him for a late first round pick but nothing locked up
maybe Bazz is just holding out hope at this point, maybe there is a team out there considering him for a late first round pick but nothing locked up
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What says he will play in the NBA after this season should he stay? What if he blows out his knee, becomes the next dyson? I don't want him to go but it's whats best for his future not one year.
willie99
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Bazz is going to be an excellent player in the NBA, he is grossly underrated, he has consistently sacrificed the scoresheet to help the team, he brought us a national championship and an unexpectedly strong season this year.
The only issue with him is health. If he can stay injury-free and train and play at full intensity consistently, he'll be in the NBA. If he had better luck with injuries, this would be the right time to declare and I'd be very happy for him. I don't know his current injury status and maybe he still can declare. We'll see. If not, it will be wonderful to have him back, this team can be special next year.
Boatright needs more experience as a point guard at this level. It would be a mistake for him to attempt the jump right now.
The only issue with him is health. If he can stay injury-free and train and play at full intensity consistently, he'll be in the NBA. If he had better luck with injuries, this would be the right time to declare and I'd be very happy for him. I don't know his current injury status and maybe he still can declare. We'll see. If not, it will be wonderful to have him back, this team can be special next year.
Boatright needs more experience as a point guard at this level. It would be a mistake for him to attempt the jump right now.
willie99
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going off on a bit of a tangent here, but why do people who think he should leave early think they're thinking in the players' beat interests but others are not?
is life really that black and white? so simple? What if people have supported all the lottery picks that leave early but don't support kids who won't get drafted leaving early? are they thinking in the players' best interest?
The only player who left early who's decision I didn't support was Josh Boone, and that's only because JC didn't think he should leave. I believe his quote went something like "he's listening to people who he must think know more about the process than me"
Based on EVERYTHING I've read, they should both come back. It's in their best interests to do so
is life really that black and white? so simple? What if people have supported all the lottery picks that leave early but don't support kids who won't get drafted leaving early? are they thinking in the players' best interest?
The only player who left early who's decision I didn't support was Josh Boone, and that's only because JC didn't think he should leave. I believe his quote went something like "he's listening to people who he must think know more about the process than me"
Based on EVERYTHING I've read, they should both come back. It's in their best interests to do so
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Napier was chosen to unveil the new b-ball uniforms today, just FYI.
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Rico444
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The only reason people should be upset with Shabazz leaving is if there is evidence that he can play his way into a 1st round pick after next season if he stays. I have serious doubts about that; sure, it's possible, but I can't imagine him playing much better than he did this year. And I can't recall very many players making significant strides from their Junior to Senior seasons.
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Of course, so was Kelly Faris who's graduating this year, so I wouldn't read terribly much into it. It's not a bad sign, though.
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I'm not reading anything into it at all, that was the point of my post... was responding to another poster who suggested Napier not representing the Men's Team at the groundbreaking may mean he's leaving.
Husky25
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My guess is that Napier stays. My only circumstantial evidence is this: The APR.
According to the Courant article, "Napier is not projected as a first-round pick, or even considered a certain second-round pick."
Based on the Calhoun interview on CenterStage with Michael Kay earlier this month, An early entrant's academic performance doesn't against the school count provided they are signed to a professional basketball contract (call it the One and Done exception). Second rounders are not guaranteed a contract. I don't remember if he said solely NBA, so even if the player goes overseas, the kid's performance (or lack thereof) may count against the school.
Why is this important? Napier suffered through the post-season ban incurred through no fault of his own. He is likely not going to force those coming after him the same fate.
take it FWIW.
According to the Courant article, "Napier is not projected as a first-round pick, or even considered a certain second-round pick."
Based on the Calhoun interview on CenterStage with Michael Kay earlier this month, An early entrant's academic performance doesn't against the school count provided they are signed to a professional basketball contract (call it the One and Done exception). Second rounders are not guaranteed a contract. I don't remember if he said solely NBA, so even if the player goes overseas, the kid's performance (or lack thereof) may count against the school.
Why is this important? Napier suffered through the post-season ban incurred through no fault of his own. He is likely not going to force those coming after him the same fate.
take it FWIW.
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I don't really think the contract stipulation matters as long as they leave in good academic standing. Bazz was honored for having a 3.0gpa the 1st semester, I would assume he would complete his coursework through the 2nd semester if he were to declare. Lamb did the same last year, I don't think it mattered with Drummond since he was considered a walk on.
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I'm not saying it is in his best interest to leave - far from it. I'm saying it is in his best interest to make his own decision.
The only reason we care is that he plays basketball for the team we root for and we want our team to do well. We're not some sort of fan advisory board that has any sort of say in the matter. Whether we support anyone's decision or not is irrelevant. We're just thinking selfishly, unless you benevolently weigh in on strangers decisions all the time - saying what UConn baseball players should do after their junior years, or what regular students should do when their family needs a fulltime income.
The NBA may be a dream for him - but probably so is making money, supporting his family, etc. He has spent the last two years getting kicked around by NCAA politics and his own fan base, so perhaps there's part of him that is maybe just tired of college hoops and would rather take a shot now, go play ball in Europe if he doesn't make it, and get paid for any future bs he deals with. I couldn't blame him. Hopefully, there's also a part of him that loves his team and his school, and wants to experience March Madness again before becoming an adult, as well as a part of him that is self-aware enough to know he has more work to do to help his draft prospects. But we don't know what's going through his mind and what's most important to him.
I hope he stays for the team's sake, but if he goes now, I wish him well and hope he makes it and becomes the next Isaiah Thomas (the Washington one, not the Indiana one - who declared early, was mocked, and now starts for Sacramento), or that he finds a great situation overseas. I also know my support or opinion on the matter means about as much as a Starbucks barista who hands him a latte.
The only reason we care is that he plays basketball for the team we root for and we want our team to do well. We're not some sort of fan advisory board that has any sort of say in the matter. Whether we support anyone's decision or not is irrelevant. We're just thinking selfishly, unless you benevolently weigh in on strangers decisions all the time - saying what UConn baseball players should do after their junior years, or what regular students should do when their family needs a fulltime income.
The NBA may be a dream for him - but probably so is making money, supporting his family, etc. He has spent the last two years getting kicked around by NCAA politics and his own fan base, so perhaps there's part of him that is maybe just tired of college hoops and would rather take a shot now, go play ball in Europe if he doesn't make it, and get paid for any future bs he deals with. I couldn't blame him. Hopefully, there's also a part of him that loves his team and his school, and wants to experience March Madness again before becoming an adult, as well as a part of him that is self-aware enough to know he has more work to do to help his draft prospects. But we don't know what's going through his mind and what's most important to him.
I hope he stays for the team's sake, but if he goes now, I wish him well and hope he makes it and becomes the next Isaiah Thomas (the Washington one, not the Indiana one - who declared early, was mocked, and now starts for Sacramento), or that he finds a great situation overseas. I also know my support or opinion on the matter means about as much as a Starbucks barista who hands him a latte.
Husky25
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This is not what what Calhoun said. The reason is because retention is a big part of the calculation, IIRC. A school obviously does not retain a junior who declares early.
I don't know if there is a transcript of the interview and this part of the interview is not unfortunately available on yesnetwork.com.
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It has nothing to do with signing a professional contract. It has to do with pursuing a professional career. If a player leaves school early to pursue a pro career, and is in good academic standing, he will not cost an APR point.
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Any kid who leaves for the pros is exempt from the calculation. Nor does his GPA have to be above 2.3 (or 2.6). That only applies to transfers (another absurdity). This is why Kentucky has a good APR.
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Doesn't have to hit a certain # on GPA. By good academic standing, he simply needs credits. That's it. Grade doesn't matter. It only matters for transfers.
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Because he wants to? Because he could go over there today and start earning a nice paycheck and seeing the world? Because for some reason you're conflating playing another year in college with "living out [his] NBA dream"? I don't get why you seem to think that staying another year at UConn = NBA career, while leaving now doesn't. That's just you trying to rationalize your own selfish interest in his decision.
Shabazz is going to have to earn a spot in the NBA whether he comes out this year or next year. He's not going to be a first rounder. So if he feels like it's in his best interest to call it a career at UConn and move on to the next challenge that's his decision and he's more than entitled to it.
[But oh boy will that throw a monkey wrench in next year's lineup.]
CAHUSKY
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But youre assuming he can't play his way into a first round pick and a guaranteed contract next year. Coming back to UCONN is absolutely the best way to make that happen. I suppose if he leaves he has decided there isn't any way he is going to be a first round pick ever and he might as well start making money. Thats a pretty risky strategy.
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Of course he is entitled to, he entitled to quit now and never play basketball again. His life.
But why leave early to play in Europe? That is silly, if it was not kids would be going there outta high school to start earning a nice paycheck and seeing the world. Get your degree and work on your game and see if you can get drafted. If you cannot and then have to go Europe so be it. At least you have a college degree, gained another year of experience, living in the US close to your family, working on your game and building your name. You at least know you gave it all you had.
Have you talked to people who have played in Europe? Ever heard an interview with Jennings about the life? Sure the money is nice, but living in Kiev in the winter on your own is not all its cracked up to be.
Husky25
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If you're late to the game here on the APR, it's the grade-and-graduating measuring tool that simplistically deduces how a program keeps its players in school and in good academic standing. You get one point if a player is academically eligible. You lose one point if a player flunks or drops out of school. You don't get punished if a player is drafted into the pros before graduating.
I'm trying to find the quote. Again, I believe Calhoun mentioned the contract part of this. Unlike first rounders, second rounders are not guaranteed contracts.
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I don't see it as particularly risky. Is there an off chance that Shabazz could end up going in the first round next year? I suppose there is - never say never - but he would have to have an absolutely spectacular season, and some of the strikes against him (size and athleticism) he can't do much about. I just don't see an NBA team burning a first round pick in an absolutely loaded draft on a kid who's going to have to find the right situation to catch on as a backup. You can get those kids in the second round, or sign them over the summer. Like I said, I think he's going to have make a roster whether he comes out this year or next. Homer-in-charge Willie99 thinks he can play himself into the lottery, i think that's just lunacy.
But my bigger point was that the kid's got a decision to make, and people on here have absolutely nothing beyond their own fandom invested in it, so they should shelve the posts where they posit what the "right" decision is for Shabazz, because (a) only he knows what that is and (b) it always tends to coincide with what's best for the team they root for.
Husky25
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I don't remember any UConn early entry leave school who was not at least a lottery pick and most likely a top 10 selection other than El-Amin.
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Exhibit A. So the right decision for you is to come back to UConn and finish out your career. Congrats. Don't assume that applies to somebody else.
No offense to Brandon Jennings, but his thoughts on his experience in Europe as a spoiled 18 year old don't do much for me. Who's next? Jeremy Tyler?
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So you have no argument as to why it makes sense for him to go. All you can say is it his decisions.
Got it okay.
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MWill and Boone, although the former was thought of as a borderline lottery pick before he showed up to workouts fat and out of shape.
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