Darius Bazley

[Bayside44]

Good for you. Go buy his jersey and have a beer. I don’t wish ill on him but excuse us for being indifferent to him. His path taken could hurt what we passionately love in this town which is College Basketball and our Orange. So excuse us for not raising his jersey to the rafters.

The guy walked out after signing day and the commitment period. It's a lot different than declaring for the draft when the coaches should at least see that coming.

That being said I hope no one is truly bitter, I mean who cares at the end of the day, everyone's gotta eat.

 

[Bayside44]

Eh...no. He was wrong.

"I mean, he made a mistake. It doesn't do any good to talk about it," Boeheim said. "Everybody thinks I'm criticizing him. I'm not. I'm just telling it like it is. He made a mistake. He should own it. He's just not ready. He's just not physical. They're not letting him play in the G League because he'd get killed."

“Last week, Boeheim predicted that Bazley's decision to not play at Syracuse "will cost him," and that he wasn't sure Bazley will be selected in the 2019 NBA Draft's first round.”

Boeheim was dead wrong. About all of it. Bazely was drafted in the first round, was ready enough and it “didn’t cost him”. Bazely did not make a mistake like JB said.

I mean, it’s ok. Boeheim is not always right.

Obviously, he was wrong about Grant too.

Grant basically went to the G League after two years of college. What the Sixers did pretty much got legislated out of the league.

 

[Briancuse]

The guy walked out after signing day and the commitment period. It's a lot different than declaring for the draft when the coaches should at least see that coming.

That being said I hope no one is truly bitter, I mean who cares at the end of the day.

Exactly anyone who has ever suited up for the orange I will always root for. This kid walked out on us. I won't sit there rooting against him. I will never root for him.

 

[Todoubled23]

I believe he will play a major role in changing college basketball forever. I saw him play in high school and I have seen him play in the NBA and he got a LOT better over that year off, while making two million dollars. The bottom line is, even if you accept the premise that college has the better coaches (which was true for Bazely because Boeheim is so good, but I'm not at all sure its true of most college coaches) being able to work on basketball all day every day with a good coach beats having your practice time limited to 15 hours per week with the best coach, and having a bunch of other obligations thrown at you.

when we were seeing his HS highlights you could tell he needed to put on some muscle (not a ton just like 10-15lbs IMO) and it looked to me at a glance when we started seeing his clips after going Gleague he had physically matured quite a bit in a relatively short time. I'm not sure he gets that same kind of time in college to workout and just play. Yet to be clear I really would've loved to see him suit up on campus for sure, could've changed the season. Best of luck to him he took a chance and its paid off.

 

[rrlbees]

when we were seeing his HS highlights you could tell he needed to put on some muscle (not a ton just like 10-15lbs IMO) and it looked to me at a glance when we started seeing his clips after going Gleague he had physically matured quite a bit in a relatively short time. I'm not sure he gets that same kind of time in college to workout and just play. Yet to be clear I really would've loved to see him suit up on campus for sure, could've changed the season. Best of luck to him he took a chance and its paid off.

that’s where I’ve been.

 

[althea]

that’s where I’ve been.

yeah, same here. It's hard to get mad at a kid (18,19 yo) that's trying to do what is best for him and/or his family, when virtually every other person in D1 college basketball is doing the same.

 

[Todoubled23]

In an alternate universe Darius and Jalen both make it to campus, pressure on Jalen is significantly reduced with a do it all F Baz sliding into the rotation. Tyus wouldn't have to shoulder as large offensive load night in night out, etc. Fun to think about what could've been for sure.

 

[721Comstock]

In an alternate universe Darius and Jalen both make it to campus, pressure on Jalen is significantly reduced with a do it all F Baz sliding into the rotation. Tyus wouldn't have to shoulder as large offensive load night in night out, etc. Fun to think about what could've been for sure.

In that universe, it’s unlikely we get Marek then.

I’ll stick with the current timeline.

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[Cuse12]

I actually commend and respect him doing his own thing and it clearly worked out great. But, what I don’t understand is why is it always us? Lol like of course WE are the school to lose the top 10 recruit to something abnormal.

 

[Jeremy L.]

I actually commend and respect him doing his own thing and it clearly worked out great. But, what I don’t understand is why is it always us? Lol like of course WE are the school to lose the top 10 recruit to something abnormal.

That's how I feel. Bazley bet on himself and it paid off (literally). Can't knock a kid at that age to try and go make millions

 

[djcon57]

I actually commend and respect him doing his own thing and it clearly worked out great. But, what I don’t understand is why is it always us? Lol like of course WE are the school to lose the top 10 recruit to something abnormal.

it just seems that way to this board.

Anfernee Simons was going to go college. Picked Louisville and changed mind after scandal. Didn’t go anywhere despite being recruited.

Mitchell Robinson to A&M
Billy Preston At Kansas

the reality is it happens all around the country

 

[OrangeDW]

it just seems that way to this board.

Anfernee Simons was going to go college. Picked Louisville and changed mind after scandal. Didn’t go anywhere despite being recruited.

Mitchell Robinson to A&M
Billy Preston At Kansas

the reality is it happens all around the country

Right. And you can go all the way back to guys like Brandon Jennings and Emmanuel Mudiay who played pro overseas instead of going to college. LaMelo Ball. Enes Kanter went to Kentucky and was ineligible the whole year. It’s nothing new and way more common than just what’s happened to us.

 

[Cuse12]

it just seems that way to this board.

Anfernee Simons was going to go college. Picked Louisville and changed mind after scandal. Didn’t go anywhere despite being recruited.

Mitchell Robinson to A&M
Billy Preston At Kansas

the reality is it happens all around the country

Maybe it just hurt more because we didn’t bring in a group of recruits that were all high caliber like Louisville probably did. We have dipped in recruiting recently so his loss was huge. That’s why it felt so Syracuse.

 

[djcon57]

Maybe it just hurt more because we didn’t bring in a group of recruits that were all high caliber like Louisville probably did. We have dipped in recruiting recently so his loss was huge. That’s why it felt so Syracuse.

i think that’s fair to a degree. But the idea that other teams don’t have guys leave early or not come at all... that’s a creation of this boards imagination.

 

[pwong]

Also some lesser examples of 5 star kids:

Ricky Ledo was a top 25 kid coming out of HS, 2nd rounder in the NBA... he was academically ineligible at Providence. Same recruiting class as Kris Dunn.

Brian Bowen transferred to South Carolina and left before he finished the sit out the year.

Sacha Killeya Jones transferred to NC State and also left before finishing the sit out year.

 

[CuseRunner]

Will never root for this kid. Was hoping he would go undrafted. JB made his voice heard on that was all I needed to hear. The kid was used and was to naive and greedy to see it. JB had this kids best interest in mind not Rich Paul and Lebron.

 

[jmcclure33]

Will never root for this kid. Was hoping he would go undrafted. JB made his voice heard on that was all I needed to hear. The kid was used and was to naive and greedy to see it. JB had this kids best interest in mind not Rich Paul and Lebron.

You think he was taken advantage of, so you won’t root for him? No matter what the truth is, it doesn’t seem like your issue should be with him. And besides, he’s already kinda made it anyways so I guess it doesn’t really matter what you think.

 

[SWC75]

We've got good players so let's move on.

 

[FreakTalksAboutSU]

Should this thread be moved to Other Sports?

 

[djcon57]

Should this thread be moved to Other Sports?

do threads about BJ Johnson?

 

[Bulldog04]

Will never root for this kid. Was hoping he would go undrafted. JB made his voice heard on that was all I needed to hear. The kid was used and was to naive and greedy to see it. JB had this kids best interest in mind not Rich Paul and Lebron.

now I’m even happier he made millions just Bc of your stupid response. JB couldn’t get him millions. Grow up and get over it. It’s weird when an adult can dislike a kid for being successful. I will continue to root for him simply BC of you and I hope it keeps you up at night knowing you’re doing nothing but complaining and he’s printing money. Go Darius

 

[sufandu]

Maybe it just hurt more because we didn’t bring in a group of recruits that were all high caliber like Louisville probably did. We have dipped in recruiting recently so his loss was huge. That’s why it felt so Syracuse.

Right. When you recruit elites regularly, the loss of one from time to time doesn't hurt as much as when you lose the one that commits about every 5 years.

 

[FRANKIEFAN]

No ill will but hes closer to a uconn player than one of our own. Especially considering how remarkably well his decision to screw us worked out for him and how good hes been in the NBA somewhat unexpectedly.

 

[donniesyracuse]

Will never root for this kid. Was hoping he would go undrafted. JB made his voice heard on that was all I needed to hear. The kid was used and was to naive and greedy to see it. JB had this kids best interest in mind not Rich Paul and Lebron.

You’re the greatest!