Bazely changes his mind again .. and dumps G League

[TinyManInside]

Boeheim would take him back in an instant if the NCAA allowed it.

The vast majority of the "he was a jerk during his visit" stuff is revisionist history/sour grapes from people who feel slighted by his G-league decision. There was nothing overly concerning at the time but now every little aspect of his behavior has been picked apart in retrospect, in light of his decision.

 

[reedny]

Boeheim would take him back in an instant if the NCAA allowed it.

The vast majority of the "he was a jerk during his visit" stuff is revisionist history/sour grapes from people who feel slighted by his G-league decision. There was nothing overly concerning at the time but now every little aspect of his behavior has been picked apart in retrospect, in light of his decision.

People may be using 20/20 hindsight to judge his OV behavior. But it's pretty hard to fault them given the way he acted at the end of his recruitment. Frankly, I'm over it and haven't gotten involved in many of these threads. The program has moved on. We're all excited about this season. But the fact is ... Baze could have gone to Europe, and decided to sign an LOI with SU. He stoked Orange Nation all the way and led the staff to the bitter end of the cycle before dissing the program for a bag of cash. So yes, I agree with you that his OV behavior might have been equivocal. But in retrospect it fits with the other (shady) things he did.

 

[bozophobe]

I don't understand why he doesn't go to Europe? Players too old like the G league? That didn't stop a lot of skinny kids from Europe from being drafted.

Building on this idea, I've often wondered why more American players won't go abroad to play - and combine the actual playing with the same kind of endorsement/side income athletes do here. After all, pro basketball is growing in leaps and bounds globally. Who will be the first American player (during their grueling 18 game season in another time zone) to bank a $100,000 check for 6 hours of work at an ad agency?

 

[SoBeCuse]

Building on this idea, I've often wondered why more American players won't go abroad to play - and combine the actual playing with the same kind of endorsement/side income athletes do here. After all, pro basketball is growing in leaps and bounds globally. Who will be the first American player (during their grueling 18 game season in another time zone) to bank a check hawking a $100,000 check for 6 hours of work at an ad agency??

Were there Euro scouts at the Nike thing he bombed at?

 

[bozophobe]

Were there Euro scouts at the Nike thing he bombed at?

Well, he's still a bargain now...

 

[Briancuse]

The sad part of this story now is that people think he’s not very good, which couldn’t be further from the truth

He's a talent and he's completely wasting it by what he's doing.

 

[chugg21]

Should go take advantage of that Australian pro program they just started for $100k.

 

[RandygoCuse]

Should go take advantage of that Australian pro program they just started for $100k.

Is he eligible or is that only for players that are one year removed from high school I can't remember.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

Building on this idea, I've often wondered why more American players won't go abroad to play - and combine the actual playing with the same kind of endorsement/side income athletes do here. After all, pro basketball is growing in leaps and bounds globally. Who will be the first American player (during their grueling 18 game season in another time zone) to bank a check hawking a $100,000 check for 6 hours of work at an ad agency??

They do. When they are in their 20s and have a solid productive college career on their basketball resumes. None of the HS players like Brandon Jennings have been stars in Europe. LiAngelo Balls dad had to schedule exhibition games vs kids who sucked for him to get playing time in Europe we know hes nothing special but he still got a scholarship to UCLA.

Even a guy like Carmelo Anthony who stepped onto the Syracuse campus as the best college basketball player in the country may not have been able to show up to a team like Real Madrid and be the star right out of HS. Maybe he could have interesting thought/debate but its not a good development route. College is perfect.

You also don't need to spend 4 years and get a degree to benefit from the education/experience of attending college. Think Zuckerberg or Bill Gates didn't take anything from their days at Harvard even if they walked away w/o a diploma????

 

[chugg21]

Is he eligible or is that only for players that are one year removed from high school I can't remember.

Believe that's for anyone. Ferguson did it 2 years ago and Bowen is doing it this year. It's pretty much advertised for Bazely's exact situation.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Poor kid I feel bad for him he got some terrible advice. Whoever is advising him is worse than Lavar Ball.

We've had some rotten luck with parents recently. Meh we always have bad luck I guess its better than getting punished severely for keeping an ESL student eligible and being hit with a harsher penalty than Ped St. I think thats still the 2nd biggest punishement handed down by the NCAA after the one Craig James got SMU in the 80s.


I don't think we have any room at the inn but I would not care and would like to see him attend another school and do well. (Realize this is an unpopular hot take and most on here would be fuming if someone else and not us got him.)

I mean hes not going to make the NBA as a rookie with no experience past HS even if hes drafted hes headed for the G League. Europe is likely he could go and get a start on it now.

Must be very scared about being exposed and really hoping that recruiting ranking keeps him in the first 30 names called and gets him some guaranteed money.

Not really rooting for this route and decision making to be rewarded with a 1st round selection. I'd like to see him play in college for someone else or us in a year for the 19/20 season. Maybe with the rule changes he can go to the combine and withdraw and retain eligibility.

Him skipping the G League, too, is not a way to get drafted.

 

[OHIORANGES]

The kid is supposedly very immature. He would not have been comfortable that far away from his family. At least that’s the word here in Cincinnati

 

[IthacaMatt]

It’s more than that obviously...Bazley made it very clear he would have been for himself and not so much the team. Which means Bazley is most likely taking a lot of shots, trying to do a lot of things himself, etc...

My beef (and that of many others) regarding Donte Greene - wouldn't rebound in traffic because he didn't want to get hurt. Content to stay on the outside hoisting threes, or running the floor for an alley oop on the break.

How in the world did that team wind up in the NIT, even with injuries to Devo and Andy? They still had Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris, Greene, Rick Jackson, Arinze, and Scoop.

 

[721Comstock]

My beef (and that of many others) regarding Donte Greene - wouldn't rebound in traffic because he didn't want to get hurt. Content to stay on the outside hoisting threes, or running the floor for an alley oop on the break.

How in the world did that team wind up in the NIT, even with injuries to Devo and Andy? They still had Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris, Greene, Rick Jackson, Arinze, and Scoop.

You answered your own question - because our 6'11" stud forward refused to ever venture into the paint, unless it was for a lob.

And it's amazing, even last year on BArmy in TBT, he was still pretty much the exact same player he was when he left SU - chucking up ill-advised 3's early in the clock, and adding little other value.

 

[SoBeCuse]

I just have a hard time believing Bazely would’ve been some disruptive force on/off the court at SU. Unless his camp would come to Syracuse to live as well and create drama behind the scenes. I can see ultimately what OhioOranges mentioned as a scenario. Bazely not wanting to go too far from his family or his camp not allowing him to go too far.

On the court. So, Syracuse can’t make it work with lots of talent on the floor? What about Duke/Arizona/UK/Kansas/UNC? Teams with traditionally more talent on the floor than us. They all make it work. Why would Battle leave because Bazely is coming in? Is/was Tyus expecting to hoist up 20+ shots a game and be the man? What DID Boeheim tell or promise Bazely his role would be? It’s possible that Bazely viewed himself as a savior of this offense (after watching our games all year) and it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the coaches did too. Perhaps they told him he would have the green light to be a point forward and/or be the featured man? Who knows. I just have a hard time believing that all these guys on the floor together couldn’t make it work. Other teams routinely put more collective talent on the floor and it’s fine. They buy in, individual scoring numbers go down, and if they don’t they won’t play.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I just have a hard time believing Bazely would’ve been some disruptive force on/off the court at SU. What DID Boeheim tell or promise Bazely his role would be? It’s possible that Bazely viewed himself as a savior of this offense (after watching our games all year) and it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the coaches did too.

I agree that they probably saw him as a point forward, starting alongside Brissett. That would have been some starting line up with Bazely, Brissett, Howard, Battle and the two-headed center.

 

[maxxyz]

My beef (and that of many others) regarding Donte Greene - wouldn't rebound in traffic because he didn't want to get hurt. Content to stay on the outside hoisting threes, or running the floor for an alley oop on the break.

How in the world did that team wind up in the NIT, even with injuries to Devo and Andy? They still had Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris, Greene, Rick Jackson, Arinze, and Scoop.

They had essentially 6.5 players, all very inexperienced.

• Eric Devendorf - 10 games, INJURED
• Jonny Flynn - Freshman
• Donte Greene - Freshman
• Paul Harris - Averaged 21 min/game. If Andy or Devo were healthy he would have played half that
• Rick Jackson - Freshman averages 12 min a game
• Scoop Jardine - Freshman 19 mins & 5ppg
• Kristof Ongenaet - 19 mins & 4ppg. Would have played 5 min/game on any other SU team
• Arinze Onuaku - As a RS Sophmore, he was really the rock of the team.
• Andy Rautins - 0 games, INJURED
• Sean Williams - Busy rescuing cats

A team that with another year of experience and healthy would have been formidable.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

My beef (and that of many others) regarding Donte Greene - wouldn't rebound in traffic because he didn't want to get hurt. Content to stay on the outside hoisting threes, or running the floor for an alley oop on the break.

How in the world did that team wind up in the NIT, even with injuries to Devo and Andy? They still had Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris, Greene, Rick Jackson, Arinze, and Scoop.

Eric was the star noone else was ready for that role at that point. Even before he went down that team was only going to win by scoring 80-90 points on people. Would have been a fun run though once they gelled in February/March. That was our loaded roster with all the stud recruits we got from winning it all in 2003 all on the team at the same time. Following year they made the Sweet 16 with ease without Greene and Eric on 1 leg.

Credit Boeheim for making a 180 degree turn prior to the 09/10 season with Wes and dedicating himself and the team to the zone.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

SoBeCuse is correct he had a role remember most of last year Marek was scared to shoot and Oshae missed tons of bunnies.

But a team that struggled in the ACC ended up playing 4 tournament games. Marek and Oshae's played excellent and raised their stock big time. Bazely's role likely changed as a result of that and meant he'd have to compete with them and be better than them to see 30+ mins a night. If we make the NITs its different and he has to play his way out of a 30 min a night role.

 

[SoBeCuse]

SoBeCuse is correct he had a role remember most of last year Marek was scared to shoot and Oshae missed tons of bunnies.

But a team that struggled in the ACC ended up playing 4 tournament games. Marek and Oshae's played excellent and raised their stock big time. Bazely's role likely changed as a result of that and meant he'd have to compete with them and be better than them to see 30+ mins a night. If we make the NITs its different and he has to play his way out of a 30 min a night role.

That’s possible. Marek and Oshae were going to be back anyways. I just don’t think we were really any better in the Tourney offensively. Marek made a few plays and Oshae too but our offense was literally stand and wait until 10 on the shot clock to do something. Either Frank and Tyus pass back and forth and somebody goes. Or somebody holds the ball and somebody then goes. Fortunately some of those ISO plays were good enough. 55 points when the other team like MSU shoots 26% for the game and we barely win...not good offense. We shot 37% and 21% from 3 against TCU. Not good. I was at the ASU game. Not good. I doubt Bazely is watching us in the Tourney and thinking, “Wow, look at those guys ball on offense.” Boeheim I’m sure would want ALL of these kids to play together this season. What coach wouldn’t?

 

[MSOrange]

This is somewhat related to the topic ...kinda

Ex-JBA player Brandon Phillips regrets not taking college route

 

[reedny]

I just have a hard time believing Bazely would’ve been some disruptive force on/off the court at SU. Unless his camp would come to Syracuse to live as well and create drama behind the scenes. I can see ultimately what OhioOranges mentioned as a scenario. Bazely not wanting to go too far from his family or his camp not allowing him to go too far.

On the court. So, Syracuse can’t make it work with lots of talent on the floor? What about Duke/Arizona/UK/Kansas/UNC? Teams with traditionally more talent on the floor than us. They all make it work. Why would Battle leave because Bazely is coming in? What DID Boeheim tell or promise Bazely his role would be? It’s possible that Bazely viewed himself as a savior of this offense (after watching our games all year) and it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the coaches did too. Perhaps they told him he would have the green light to be a point forward and/or be the featured man? Who knows. I just have a hard time believing that all these guys on the floor together couldn’t make it work. Other teams routinely put more collective talent on the floor and it’s fine. They buy in, individual scoring numbers go down, and if they don’t they won’t play.

He is (was) a terrific prospect with a versatile game, superior court vision and a sweet shooting stroke. The fact that he chose another (IMO highly irresponsible) path shouldn't take away from his talent. He would have made every one on the court better, and probably carried us deep into the NCAA's and vaulted himself into the first round of the 2019 draft. As it turns out, we've recovered but he's still on the outside looking in. Unfortunate ... but there's no doubt he was a great prospect. BOL to the young man and hopefully he'll get better advice going forward.

 

[RandygoCuse]

This is somewhat related to the topic ...kinda

Ex-JBA player Brandon Phillips regrets not taking college route

I was waiting for the stories on how the players were not getting paid what they were promised. Surprised Lavar hasn't approached Bazely.

 

[orangecuse]

So much for googling "trail blazer" in a few years and seeing a pic of Baze.

 

[AustinCuse]

Boeheim would take him back in an instant if the NCAA allowed it.

I may have missed the answer posted elsewhere - what did Bazely do that the NCAA will not allow him to play? Is that he may have accepted money from agents? Aren't there cases where he could repay such payments, and be allowed back in the college ranks?