Why is Battle going pro?

[br801]

AGree but also think you need to get the first contract to get the second, and I am not in the group that thinks you can't develop your game and get better while riding pine in the NBA. As is obvious from some of our guys, staying 4 years at college is no guarantee you get better.

Simply getting to the NBA in the first place is such a longshot that angling for that second contract before you even get there seems like folly. If you have a significant chance of being drafted, most are better off coming out sooner rather than later.

 

[hoopsupstate]

SU has such a flawed roster, why would Battle want to put himself through another year like this year. Nothing will change next year. Still no post game to keep the defense honest. Shooting won’t be any worse, but you won’t have the best shooters on the floor. Buddy, Girard, and Guerrier are the three best shooters. You can’t have them and Battle on the floor at the same time. You also have Carey, who can’t shoot a lick and Goodine who will all want minutes.

 

[OttoMets]

He's going to graduate #1. His game is basically formed. And the defenses he'll face with less contact will help him.

I'm basically for everyone staying and think he should go. And I love Battle.

Yeah, I'm generally with you on these things. My only outstanding questions would involve quality of life (does he want to be a college senior or a member of the workforce?) and graduation ("close" to a degree can mean a few different things).

But playing for this Syracuse team can't be all that fun, and the beating he takes on the court every night doesn't look enjoyable either. I can't put myself into his shoes, but I wouldn't second-guess him if he wanted to play in an actual basketball league where there's offensive freedom of movement and fouls are called.

 

[Gotothehole]

Because he going get paid really well and will be playing for a good team

 

[OttoMets]

Being 23 years old playing professional basketball in Italy or France or Greece or Israel for 6 months out of the year is nothing to feel bad for someone about. He'll have a nice 10-12 year pro career, and with his great personality I'm sure will get into coaching afterwards.

Why would he go into a silly, 70-hour-week, no-job-security, transient profession like that when (if?) he's got a BS from the iSchool?

 

[Eric15]

Why would he go into a silly, 70-hour-week, no-job-security, transient profession like that when (if?) he's got a BS from the iSchool?

I'll rephrase... "I'm sure he will get a great job afterwards in whatever field he chooses."

 

[OttoMets]

I'll rephrase... "I'm sure he will get a great job afterwards in whatever field he chooses."

For the record, I agree. Sorry his career hasn't panned out exactly as some of us would've liked, but if you hear him interviewed it's clear that he's going places.

 

[sugrad68]

I don't know anything about UVA's roster next year but I would be pretty comfortable stating they will finish ahead of us in the ACC standings.

Tony Bennett will get it done somehow.

 

[cuse522]

It seems like a lot of people forget about how much money can be made playing overseas. Battle could bank a million in 10 years playing overseas - a lot of it could be tax free, and given that a lot of his living expenses would be covered, bank truly means bank, not earn.

So another year at 'Cuse is perhaps $100K less in his bank account when he finishes up his pro career. My guess is he won't go straight to Europe, though. He'll probably give the G-League at least a year or two and gamble on it. If he can get two 10-day contracts in a year, that'd get him above $100K for that year. I wouldn't bet on that happening for him next year, but you never know.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I just don't get it.

When Flynn, Lydon, Grant, Malachi, Ennis went pro I was disappointed because the team would have been better if they had stayed, but you couldn't really argue the choice given where their draft stock was at.

With Battle it's a completely different situation. Why leave early to get drafted mid to late second round. That seems crazy to me. Those guys rarely break out and have meaningful careers with huge earnings. It happens, just not Often.

He could have left and had a middling journeyman pro career literally at any point in college. What's the benefit of leaving after this year?

He's not going to get any better by staying. That's why.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Honestly I was being generous.

It's entirely possible he does not get drafted at all.

He's trading one year of being a star playing in front of 25,000 people for one additional year of making a g league salary.

Maybe not the choice I would make I guess.

He would a terrific player in most leagues of Europe.

 

[realorange]

Of course they'll be back at UVa next year.

Hunter is gone and maybe Jerome.