Darius Bazley - Players Tribune

[orangebabe]

He’s currently ranked 13 by espn, 16 by rivals and 15 by scout. I don’t see a kid outside of the top 10 who isn’t getting any exposure getting drafted and That assumes he doesn’t drop a little lower for final rankings. He was suspended for leaving the bench during a brawl, decimmited from 2 schools and maybe a 3rd if he decides on opting out of the g league. Kid seems like a head case to me or very indecisive which doesn’t bode well for his chances...nba gms do not like immature pre-madonnas. Again, he made a huge mistake, and this isn’t because he didn’t come to syracuse. I was a little concerned about having a one and done Again like Mc collough who you know is leaving and has proven nothing. All they do is disrupt things on a current team that has guys putting in the work and trying to prove themselves ala battle, oshai, ans the other 3-4 year players. Again,and this is my opinion, I believe in the long run, this is addition by subtraction. This kid is no Carmelo Anthony, but he was coming in with that mindset. Melo was the #1 player coming in from high school to play college ball. This kid is #15. He had his heart set on 1 and done since day 1 without having to prove anything. Melo didn’t even think like that, and he was 100 times more skilled and mature than this kid.

 

[longtimefan]

I don't know about next year but I believe west Virginia and a&m played on one last year.

No. Game played on a US military base in Germany.

 

[orangebabe]

Is his decision irreversible?

If he hasn’t signed with an agent, yes. Even if he took $, he could pay it back and be eligible. I’m not sure syracuse would still want him, however, if we get golden who is a 4 year guy and willing to prove himself. You snooze you lose. He not only committed, but he signed and lead a school into believing they were set at his position until the very end. What he did shows immaturity and the inability to make decisions that stick. Would you draft a player you felt could bail at any moment and didn’t feel as though he had to put in the work yet expected everything to be handed to him, because in a sense that’s how he’s thinking. He thinks he deserves to get paid now and then get drafted 1st round next year without proving himself. If he really needed the $, playing overseas would have been the best choice, because he would be playing and treated like a professional making a hell of a lot more $$$...hundreds of thousands more. The g league is like a beer league that pays you $35k. They don’t make you work, and the guards run the show.

 

[orangebabe]

Minus the free education, because all athletes are not there for the edu, Benefits of being a college athlete include a $3-$5k stipend annually, free food, housing, free pr, student life, free travel, free state of the arts workout facilities, medical treatment, and last but not least amongst many other benefits, Athletes, who are often oversize teenagers who struggle to find clothes and shoes that fit, get the free gear — including coveted sneaker styles that can cost $200 or more a pair, shorts, socks, Sweatshirts that wind up going to moms and dads, etc. the benefits are enormous. Going to the gleague means barely has to purchase most of these benefits which I can assure you are more than $35k

 

[Zepharus]

He’s currently ranked 13 by espn, 16 by rivals and 15 by scout. I don’t see a kid outside of the top 10 who isn’t getting any exposure getting drafted and That assumes he doesn’t drop a little lower for final rankings. He was suspended for leaving the bench during a brawl, decimmited from 2 schools and maybe a 3rd if he decides on opting out of the g league. Kid seems like a head case to me or very indecisive which doesn’t bode well for his chances...nba gms do not like immature pre-madonnas. Again, he made a huge mistake, and this isn’t because he didn’t come to syracuse. I was a little concerned about having a one and done Again like Mc collough who you know is leaving and has proven nothing. All they do is disrupt things on a current team that has guys putting in the work and trying to prove themselves ala battle, oshai, ans the other 3-4 year players. Again,and this is my opinion, I believe in the long run, this is addition by subtraction. This kid is no Carmelo Anthony, but he was coming in with that mindset. Melo was the #1 player coming in from high school to play college ball. This kid is #15. He had his heart set on 1 and done since day 1 without having to prove anything. Melo didn’t even think like that, and he was 100 times more skilled and mature than this kid.

Melo didnt even garner POY consideration, even know he was just that...because he was a freshman...yeah only at Syracuse

 

[HOFCeluck]

Housing and medical care are free in the g league...

 

[Briancuse]

Housing and medical care are free in the g league...

I'm sure they have top notch doctors and trainers.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I'm sure they have top notch doctors and trainers.

Probably all offshore and Hollywood downstairs med school grads imo.

 

[Briancuse]

Probably all offshore and Hollywood downstairs med school grads imo.

Dr nick from the Simpson's.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Probably all offshore and Hollywood downstairs med school grads imo.

Only if there's room on the bus.

 

[CuseMan4]

Melo didnt even garner POY consideration, even know he was just that...because he was a freshman...yeah only at Syracuse

He didn’t get POY for the same reason Ben Simmons didn’t a couple years ago...he didn’t meet the minimum grade requirement needed to win the award

 

[br801]

He didn’t get POY for the same reason Ben Simmons didn’t a couple years ago...he didn’t meet the minimum grade requirement needed to win the award

What did Ben Simmons do in his one year at LSU that even warranted consideration for any player of the year award?

 

[CuseMan4]

What did Ben Simmons do in his one year at LSU that even warranted consideration for any player of the year award?

My point is Ben simmons couldn’t even a semi finalist or finalist because he didn’t meet grade requirements for the award...I believe you need at least a 2.0 or something like that

 

[br801]

My point is Ben simmons couldn’t even a semi finalist or finalist because he didn’t meet grade requirements for the award...I believe you need at least a 2.0 or something like that

I think that's for the Wooden award, but not necessarily a requirement for other POY awards. I guess my point was that Simmons, who put up excellent numbers and made a lot of All America teams, didn't really elevate his team to the point where I ever thought of him as a POY type that season.

 

[Arangeman]

He didn’t get POY for the same reason Ben Simmons didn’t a couple years ago...he didn’t meet the minimum grade requirement needed to win the award

Melo wasn’t even a first team AA

 

[Mstumpy50]

I can't view entire article but I would like to see what else Boeheim said

Is the NBA G League becoming a major threat to the college...

 

[orangebabe]

I can't view entire article but I would like to see what else Boeheim said

Is the NBA G League becoming a major threat to the college...

Boeheim says it was the most shocking thing he's heard in 41 years of coaching. I find that hard to believe, but I guess it was pretty shocking that someone would go that route that has never been successfully travelled before, when you have 2 proven routes right in front of you (overseas or college).

 

[two3zone]

He’s currently ranked 13 by espn, 16 by rivals and 15 by scout. I don’t see a kid outside of the top 10 who isn’t getting any exposure getting drafted and That assumes he doesn’t drop a little lower for final rankings. He was suspended for leaving the bench during a brawl, decimmited from 2 schools and maybe a 3rd if he decides on opting out of the g league. Kid seems like a head case to me or very indecisive which doesn’t bode well for his chances...nba gms do not like immature pre-madonnas. Again, he made a huge mistake, and this isn’t because he didn’t come to syracuse. I was a little concerned about having a one and done Again like Mc collough who you know is leaving and has proven nothing. All they do is disrupt things on a current team that has guys putting in the work and trying to prove themselves ala battle, oshai, ans the other 3-4 year players. Again,and this is my opinion, I believe in the long run, this is addition by subtraction. This kid is no Carmelo Anthony, but he was coming in with that mindset. Melo was the #1 player coming in from high school to play college ball. This kid is #15. He had his heart set on 1 and done since day 1 without having to prove anything. Melo didn’t even think like that, and he was 100 times more skilled and mature than this kid.

What do you think of Mitchell Robinson and his path?

Emanuel Mudiay? Brandon Jennings? Terrance Ferguson?

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[Trueblue25]

We had something called the ncaa tournament going on, Drew

 

[SoBeCuse]

Boeheim says it was the most shocking thing he's heard in 41 years of coaching. I find that hard to believe, but I guess it was pretty shocking that someone would go that route that has never been successfully travelled before, when you have 2 proven routes right in front of you (overseas or college).

Boeheim says things but I bet it was pretty shocking no doubt. To go this route of G-League as opposed to even overseas first as Brandon Jennings did. He knows Bazely is still pretty green and too light. He’s not a Jayson Tatum type talent.

But, I would think he also knows how challenged offensively the team is still, IMO, and how much Bazely could’ve helped in many facets of the game. He has to say things like “we’ll be fine” or “we have (insert whomever returning player’s name) returning,” but this was a shocking and crushing blow. If it was out there for a month or so and it still surprised/shocked the staff then that’s not a good look for them. I don’t care what was going on in March. Being caught with your pants down is never good.

 

[50YRsofCuse]

Boeheim says things but I bet it was pretty shocking no doubt. To go this route of G-League as opposed to even overseas first as Brandon Jennings did. He knows Bazely is still pretty green and too light. He’s not a Jayson Tatum type talent.

But, I would think he also knows how challenged offensively the team is still, IMO, and how much Bazely could’ve helped in many facets of the game. He has to say things like “we’ll be fine” or “we have (insert whomever returning player’s name) returning,” but this was a shocking and crushing blow. If it was out there for a month or so and it still surprised/shocked the staff then that’s not a good look for them. I don’t care what was going on in March. Being caught with your pants down is never good.

While Andrew Slater states that this has been out there for a month prior, it is easy for him to say but I seriously doubt that Bazley or anyone in his party mentioned anything to the coaching staff in any of their conversations that they had during the preceding month. I assumed that Bazley and his "team of advisors" were not looking for any reasons on not going to the G League. I am sure that if they brought this topic up to JAB, AG or any one else, they would have received an earful on why that going to the G League would not be a good idea.

 

[DeGrozz]

I don't know if he should be believed or not, but that's a really easy statement to make after the fact...

 

[SoBeCuse]

While Andrew Slater states that this has been out there for a month prior, it is easy for him to say but I seriously doubt that Bazley or anyone in his party mentioned anything to the coaching staff in any of their conversations that they had during the preceding month. I assumed that Bazley and his "team of advisors" were not looking for any reasons on not going to the G League. I am sure that if they brought this topic up to JAB, AG or any one else, they would have received an earful on why that going to the G League would not be a good idea.

Oh I mostly agree here. It just looks bad all around and not sure if anything could’ve been done. It’s not just Slater saying that. It was even brought up on a certain pod awhile ago right after the news broke citing momentum towards this maneuver around a month prior.