this guy is a genius. Ten for Tuesday: Should they stay or should they go? Gregg Doyel April 10, 2006 By Gregg Doyel CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer Underclassmen have until April 29 to decide whether to enter the 2006 NBA Draft -- but why wait? As usual, Ten for Tuesday has all the answers. 1. Leon Powe, Cal: He could graduate at the end of the 2006-07 season, and Cal could be really good if he stayed in school. So why should Leon Powe turn pro? Because of his left knee. He has had three major surgeries, and despite that, there's an NBA team that would take him in the first round this year. If he hurts his knee again, it's over. First round in 2007 or 2008? No way. Furthermore, Powe's low-block game isn't changing. His ceiling isn't getting any higher. Next year, when the draft pool will be much deeper, Powe's stock goes down -- even if he stays healthy. Oh, and not to pick on Cal, but if Powe stays in school, teammate DeVon Hardin has to turn pro. Has to. Hardin's game won't grow in Powe's shadow. Listen to an NBA scout: "(Hardin) is going to be a first-round draft pick, and nobody besides NBA scouts knows how good he is." Adam Morrison still has a lot to prove at the collegiate level. (Getty Images) Adam Morrison still has a lot to prove at the collegiate level. (Getty Images) 2. Adam Morrison, Gonzaga: Maybe this won't make sense to anyone but me, but here goes: Morrison should stay in school. He hasn't (yet) taken Gonzaga to the Final Four, and by returning for his senior season, he would go down as one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball. Only seven players have scored 3,000 points, but Morrison could be No. 8. Understandably, the diabetes factor is something he must weigh. 3. Patrick O'Bryant, Bradley: Bradley coach Jim Les is a fine guy in my book, so with no ill will toward him or his program, go pro. Go pro and don't look back. Never again will his stock be as high as now, fresh off his NCAA Tournament spanking of Pittsburgh 7-footer Aaron Gray. That was the game of O'Bryant's life, and while he's probably not true first-round material, some NBA team will be unable to pass him up late in the first round. They'll see his 7-1 body, his still-filling frame, his raw background. They won't see -- because they won't want to see -- his skinny shoulders and absentee low-post game. Go now, Patrick, before the NBA figures you out. But thank Les for being the first college coach to believe in you. 4. Darius Washington, Memphis: Turn pro, Darius, but not because you're ready. You're not, but you think you are, so do it. Prove us all wrong. Listen to your father or your peeps back home in Orlando, whoever it is that whispers that junk in your ear about being ready for the NBA. Physically you're not ready yet, and mentally you might never be ready. But whatever. Just leave. Why? Because I'm sick of thinking about your wasted talent. 5. Josh McRoberts, Duke: OK, this one gets interesting. Financially, McRoberts should go. Next year's draft is deep, this year's draft isn't, and after playing in the shadow of Shelden Williams and J.J. Redick, McRoberts didn't have to prove this season he is NBA superstar material. Next year he will have to prove it, or watch his stock slip. Only next year he could be the only ACC-caliber big man at Duke. He'll have his back to the basket, and he'll be double-teamed. It'll be worse than what happened to Shavlik Randolph and Chris Burgess, because at least those guys had great teammates in the post. McRoberts will have nobody, unless Duke can sign Lance Thomas. McRoberts isn't ready for the NBA, but he's a lottery pick right now, and this time next year he might be in the 20s. So go. 6. Kyle Lowry, Villanova: Lowry is a puzzle. Kentucky guard Rajon Rondo's desire to turn pro, despite having no jump shot, makes sense: Rondo doesn't like Tubby Smith. But Lowry? Like Rondo, he's a point guard without a jump shot. Unlike Rondo, Lowry likes his coach (Jay Wright). So stick around, Kyle Lowry. Learn to shoot. And when you enter the NBA in a year or two, enter it as a starter, not a scrub. 7. Rudy Gay, UConn: This goes against logic, but what's new? Stay, Gay. Stay in school and do what you were meant to do. Absolutely dominate games, become national player of the year, and then become the No. 1 overall pick in 2007. Right now, Gay is a high-lottery pick, but he won't play in the NBA. Not right away. He'll sit and watch, and if that's what he wants, fine. Take the money. But please, don't tell me that Gay or Morrison or any of these guys will "never" recoup the money they'd lose by not entering the draft the first chance the lottery beckons. By the time these guys are 35, they'll have earned more than $100 million. If that's not enough, shame on them. 8. Marcus Williams, Arizona: Can't believe we're even having this discussion. After playing third fiddle to Hassan Adams' explosive game and Chris Rodgers' corrosive ego, Williams is thinking about entering the 2006 NBA Draft? Please. Stay in school, become a sophomore star, and then enter the NBA as a stud. Don't be Trevor Ariza, that's what I'm trying to say. 9. P.J. Tucker, Texas: Tucker has had academic issues. We all know it. Furthermore, his perimeter game has not developed to the point where he can play shooting guard in the NBA. We all know that, too. Is either issue definitely going to get better next year at Texas? No. So Tucker needs to say goodbye to school and spend next year earning his master's degree in basketball on some NBA team's roster. Plus, he's a first-round pick this year. Next year, when the draft pool deepens? No telling. 10. Glen Davis, LSU: Another guy who needs to go. It's simple. He's the SEC Player of the Year. He's an All-American. He's played in the Final Four. If he's not going to play four years of college -- and he's not -- then what's he waiting on? He's not going to get any more skilled with another year as LSU's center. And like Tucker, Davis is a first-round pick right now, but his odds will decrease next year. So go now, make your money, and tell Tyrus Thomas what it's like in the NBA. Yes, that's right. I'm telling Thomas -- No. 1 overall pick or not -- to stay in school and learn how to play small forward. Do that, and he's the 2008 NBA Rookie of the Year on the way to the Hall of Fame. Don't do it, and he's the 2007 rookie version of Gerald Wallace, on the way to ... more Gerald Wallace. http://sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/9369919
I read the thread title and thought you had gotten hold of some bad drugs! (Only reading the post did I realize those were someone else's thoughts. ) Has the doofus who wrote that ever heard of Brandon Bass? :dis:
in terms of meeting your potential before declaring, i agree. in terms of common sense probably both should go pro if big baby is indeed a first round pick this year.
I'm not trying to say anything sounding too negative about either player...nor am I trying to unrealistically try to convience myself that both will stay (but I do think one of them will stay), but I think Big Baby could seriously improve his draft position (from a "potential 1st rounder" to perhaps a "potential top 10") after another year in college. He needs to drop another 10-15 lbs., IMO. At his current size, I find he plays "below the rim". Yes, his size gives him some advantage in taking up space, but I think he could still be more effective if he was able to go back up strong after a rebound....his legs could probably get him a little more verticle if they weren't pushing up 310 lbs.
this is all common sense analysis. the problem with it is that it ignores the tremendous draft class of next year headlined by greg oden the 7 footer who will most likely be declaring out of ohio state. that's why people say he should leave.... the people who will be in the draft next year.
He shouldn't leave because he is ready to leave, he should leave because his stock may never get higher. He was a media darling throughout the tournament, he was the player of the year, he's coming off a final four year, All American...what else can he do?? If he's a first rounder her should go. I'm not saying he's ready. Tyrus should take the money and run. I think BB should return.
