Donte Greene regrets leaving early

[NFGenROC]

I'm sure this was already posted but I didn't see it lost in the Bernie Fine mess. From an ESPN article about one and dones.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...other-players-nba-one-year-rule-espn-magazine

Donte Green, Syracuse (, Kings) "I would stay in school one more year. I love Syracuse, bleed orange, still go back, love the city, love the fans. I would've stayed one more year and been with Jonny [Flynn], Scoop [Jardine] and Rick [Jackson], and all the guys. I think we would've won a national championship for sure. Those guys went far, but I would've gotten them over the hump. Just being able to be young and not have responsibilities ... once you leave college, it's real life out there. You have bills. You have responsibilities. Not saying I wasn't ready, but it would've been nice to have another year to be a kid. That said, I'm still in the league, still getting paid. There are guys from my class, at my position, that are out of the league right now and fighting to get back in. Guys that were drafted ahead of me."

 

[orange03]

Never understood the angst people had for Donte. From all accounts he was a good kid who obviously loves Syracuse.

 

[EastCoast2]

Would've been nice for him and Jonny to stay as a junior also and play for that team. Imagine that lineup in 2009-2010.

1 - Flynn
2 - Rautins
3 - Wes
4 - Donte
5 - AO

With a bench of Scoop, Triche, Jackson, and Joseph. WOW.

 

[iommi]

Never understood the angst people had for Donte. From all accounts he was a good kid who obviously loves Syracuse.

I think the angst came from his nonchalant attitude on the court and his lack of hustle/ defense...The stupid Dynasty symbol he kept flashing didn't help either.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Can we now add that team to the '09 group as SU teams that certainly would have won a NC "if"... thats THREE titles for JB

 

[orange03]

I think the angst came from his nonchalant attitude on the court and his lack of hustle/ defense...The stupid Dynasty symbol he kept flashing didn't help either.

He was definitely immature and would've benefited greatly from another year here, but he made a choice that made sense to him at the time. No reason to hate the kid.

 

[OttoMets]

I think the angst came from his nonchalant attitude on the court and his lack of hustle/ defense...The stupid Dynasty symbol he kept flashing didn't help either.

Ya. No doubt he was a very nice kid and someone who still talks about Syracuse at every opportunity.

But he was an underachiever on a team that wasn't very fun to watch, and his style of play and seemingly flippant attitude didn't help.

I don't dislike the guy at all. Didn't care much for him as a player, though.

 

[Rocco]

Ya. No doubt he was a very nice kid and someone who still talks about Syracuse at every opportunity.

But he was an underachiever on a team that wasn't very fun to watch, and his style of play and seemingly flippant attitude didn't help.

I don't dislike the guy at all. Didn't care much for him as a player, though.

I agree with all of this.

I always thought of him as a me-first player. Wasn't really bummed to seem him go.

Can't hate on a kid for wanting to get paid though. Plus, didn't he already have a kid when he went? Expedites things a little bit.

 

[Cuse117]

Did he really underachieve though? He averaged 18-7 as a freshman in the big east. The list of syracuse freshmen who have done that isn't exactly long lol. Sure he was lazy on defense, but how many times to we here that about players we have as freshman. I think most of the "hate" isn't really hate for him, but rather hate for what could have been for the following year had he returned.

 

[OttoMets]

I always thought of him as a me-first player. Wasn't really bummed to seem him go.

I bet I'm in the minority on this take, but I feel that way against everyone who leaves early.

If a player doesn't wants to be someplace other than SU, more power to him. Our teams play best when they have 12 guys rowing in the same direction, not when kids are doing someone a favor by sticking around.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

The dynasty symbol just killed that year for me as a fan. These kids acted like they were just going to step on the floor and dominate. They really didn't have many good wins. Georgetown was about it, right?

 

[EastCoast2]

I know people that knew him very well from HS in Baltimore. They knew before he stepped foot on SU campus that he was going pro after 1 season.

 

[OttoMets]

Did he really underachieve though? He averaged 18-7 as a freshman in the big east. The list of syracuse freshmen who have done that isn't exactly long lol. Sure he was lazy on defense, but how many times to we here that about players we have as freshman. I think most of the "hate" isn't really hate for him, but rather hate for what could have been for the following year had he returned.

Stats are a little overrated, but if they're at all appropriate here, there are two that are better than his 18 and 7: 41.8% (field-goal shooting)and 6'9" (actual height, though they listed him at 6'11").

Low-40s at that height and with those skills is a shame.

 

[OttoMets]

The dynasty symbol just killed that year for me as a fan. These kids acted like they were just going to step on the floor and dominate. They really didn't have many good wins. Georgetown was about it, right?

At UVA was really cool at the time, but they (and we) ended up being not so good.

Marquette on Senior Day was nice, too. That's about it.

 

[Carmelohnoudidnt]

Ummm yeah Donte Greene was going to win SU a championship... What is he smoking

 

[moqui]

Would've been nice for him and Jonny to stay as a junior also and play for that team. Imagine that lineup in 2009-2010.

1 - Flynn
2 - Rautins
3 - Wes
4 - Donte
5 - AO

With a bench of Scoop, Triche, Jackson, and Joseph. WOW.

that team would have been worse than the one SU put on the floor. That team excelled at such a high level because of it's commitment to JB's team concept, especially on defense. Flynn was never committed to the zone, and even if by some miracle he had been, his size at the top would never have been as effective as Triche's was that season. There is an outside chance that Donte would have bought into the system, but I think three years under Flynn's influence < > would have probably killed it

 

[orange03]

that team would have been worse than the one SU put on the floor. That team excelled at such a high level because of it's commitment to JB's team concept, especially on defense. Flynn was never committed to the zone, and even if by some miracle he had been, his size at the top would never have been as effective as Triche's was that season. There is an outside chance that Donte would have bought into the system, but I think three years under Flynn's influence < > would have probably killed it

Agree--in a different system, this would've been a helluva team.

 

[Ghost]

I really like Donte, maybe all the hate turned me into a bigger fan than I would have been otherwise. Seemed like a very nice kid, and I didn't have high expectations for that team anyway - so I think that softened the blow a bit.

He definitely should have come back, but I can't dislike him for not returning.

 

[Cuse4]

well he should talk to Dion, maybe even Fab ... can't afford to lose either ... both will be complete monsters next year

 

[OrangeMuskyFish]

Hmmm, after seeing Dion begin to turn it around, I love how so few people want to acknowledge the fact that all Donte needed was a little maturing to become a complete stud.

 

[Niastri]

1 - Flynn
2 - Rautins
3 - Johnson
4 - Green
5 - Onuaku

With a bench of Jardine, Triche, Jackson, and Joseph. WOW. (Almost a quote...)

This lineup would have been a great scoring team. Rautins would have developed into an even better scorer with Green and Johnson also available to shoot. Flynn would have been playing one on one every possession instead of being double teamed. When they did double team him, it would have been a sure pass to a player who also knew who to score. They might not have defended as well as the team we actually put on the floor, but the offense would have been truly terrific. The problem with the team before and after the Onuaku injury was the half court offense (sounds familiar). When they weren't able to force turnovers and fast break points on defense, they simply couldn't score. The only person who could score on his own needed someone else to get him the ball. With Flynn on offense, we always had someone who could just break down his man and score. If he couldn't do it, Green could have. Flynn and Green as Juniors would have been truly dominant. Then again, in a world where everybody stays four years, they wouldn't have been as special, and we have to reconsider all our "what if" scenarios.

I wish he had given us another year. I think Green would have fixed many of the issues he had as a freshman, and made Syracuse into a very good team.

 

[Col. Bleep]

Would've been nice for him and Jonny to stay as a junior also and play for that team. Imagine that lineup in 2009-2010.

1 - Flynn
2 - Rautins
3 - Wes
4 - Donte
5 - AO

With a bench of Scoop, Triche, Jackson, and Joseph. WOW.

They would have to use multiple basketballs with that lineup.

 

[baggerbob]

Part of the problem that year you lose both Andy and Devo returning junior starters who would have taken the pressure off.

 

[NFGenROC]

Can we now add that team to the '09 group as SU teams that certainly would have won a NC "if"... thats THREE titles for JB

Comments like this are always made in a vacuum. In reality, if for some reason players stayed longer in college it wouldn't just be a Syracuse, it would be everywhere. For example, Kevin Durant would have been a junior or senior at Texas in 2009 too. So no, SU would certainly of NOT won the NC if Greene stayed.