Draft decision not looking good for some

When will the underclassmen learn that there are only 60 spots in the draft and a number of those head overseas to players who are being stashed away for future consideration?

The potential lockout didn’t scare these Americans from leaving. Still, they bolted. And now they have been crushed.

The list:

• Stanford’s Jeremy Green. Green was ineligible for the spring quarter but was expected to be eligible for the fall, per coach Johnny Dawkins. Green now must find a home overseas or wait to see if he can get into a camp. That will be difficult considering that there is likely to be a lockout.

• Washington State’s DeAngelo Casto wasn’t going to go back to Pullman. So, he took a chance. It didn’t work out. Now he must find a home to play.

• Louisville’s Terrence Jennings was a surprise early-entrant. Too bad. Jennings would have seriously helped the Cardinals in their quest to win the Big East.

• Jereme Richmond had a chance to be an elite player at Illinois -- if he had stayed more than one season. He was a non-factor at the pre-draft combine in Chicago. And now he has nothing to show for his decision but a long road ahead. Once again, this was a poor choice by Richmond. He would have had a major role for the Illini next season.

• Fresno State’s Greg Smith could have shined for new coach Rodney Terry and assistant coach Jerry Wainwright. Smith would have been the most dominant player in the WAC in the Bulldogs’ final season in the league. Instead Smith will have to fend for himself.

• Notre Dame’s Carleton Scott stayed in the draft. But he had already graduated. He was done with the Irish. So, his decision isn’t a poor one.

• Tennessee’s Scotty Hopson never reached his potential with the Vols. Sure, there was a coaching change, but that shouldn’t have made his decision for him. Hopson could have been an anchor for new coach Cuonzo Martin. Instead, Hopson will have a hard time finding a home in professional basketball.

• Notre Dame senior Ben Hansbrough, who was the Big East player of the year, had an ankle injury during the draft process and wasn’t able to work out until eight days prior to the draft. That hurt his chances of being drafted. But his agent Jeff Schwartz said Hansbrough will have multiple offers to play overseas.

• Best story in the first round is Marquette’s Jimmy Butler. Butler deserved a first-round selection and got one with Chicago taking him at No. 30. Butler was kicked out of his home by his mother at 13, found a new home with friends in Tomball, Texas, and is a great success story.

• Boston seems committed to sticking with the Purdue tandem of JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore. If that happens that’s a fine continuation for two players who never had a shot for a national title because of Robbie Hummel’s knee injuries.

• Josh Selby stayed in the draft and landed at No. 49 Memphis. That can’t be what he thought would occur.

• I’m surprised Cory Joseph of Texas got selected in the first round by San Antonio at No. 29. Joseph appeared to be making a mistake. He can justify his decision now.

• Boston College’s Reggie Jackson was shut down due to a “knee injury” but had a promise all along from Oklahoma City. Maybe that’s the new trend. Don’t do anything and land in the first round at No. 24. Well, probably not.

• Denver did quite well to land Kenneth Faried at No. 22. He will rebound for the Nuggets.

• Iman Shumpert wasn’t a big winner for Georgia Tech. Let’s see if he can win for New York.

• Kemba Walker went to Charlotte and Jimmer Fredette to Sacramento. So, in the end, everything worked out quite well for the two biggest names in the draft. They told me that those were two locales that they would be pleased to play in next season.

• I was never sold on UCLA’s Tyler Honeycutt and Malcolm Lee or Georgia’s Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie staying in the draft. All four of them went in the second round and will have to earn roster spots in a more difficult manner.

• Darius Morris could have led Michigan toward a possible Big Ten title. Now he’ll have a hard time sticking with the Lakers.

• Washington had quite a night. The Wizards got Jan Vesely, Chris Singleton and Shelvin Mack. Mack had played in consecutive national title games. There’s not much more he could do at Butler. He’ll stick with the Wizards.

• Duke’s Kyle Singler will follow the path of former Blue Devils Carlos Boozer and Chris Duhon and stick out of the second round. Singler went to Detroit.

• Maryland’s Jordan Williams has a real chance to stay with New Jersey. So, not bad for him.

• Josh Harrellson may be the biggest success story in recent memory in college basketball to go from not playing much at all for the Wildcats two seasons ago, to only playing last season because Enes Kanter wasn’t eligible to being a second-round pick that ultimately went to the Knicks.

Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/30727/draft-decision-not-looking-good-for-some

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