Mali...back or not poll

[two3zone]

Despite what people are hearing (and Mali is allegedly saying) if he does not come out of the Combine and individual workouts with absolute assurance that he will be a first round pick, I will be very surprised if he enters the draft.

It seems a lot of people are eager to be proven right on this matter, but everyone, including Mali, would do well to let the process play out.

As much as I'd love to agree with you I can't. There has been many many players who have left after one year across college basketball who left knowing there was a chance they'd be drafted in the second round. As unfortunate as it is I remember how impatient I was at that age.

 

[two3zone]

The silver lining side of that is our players success is good selling point.

And almost every one of them is pedestrian at the next level. That says something as well.

 

[two3zone]

Most people didn't see Ennis getting drafted 17th, most projections had him as a borderline first round pick. I thought Mal was at least our 3rd best player, if not 2nd best.

That's not true at all. He was consistently the 4th or 5th point guard taken in the draft and never saw him under that. He was a first rounder the entire time.

 

[Briancuse]

That's not true at all. He was consistently the 4th or 5th point guard taken in the draft and never saw him under that. He was a first rounder the entire time.

No one thought he was going to be taken as high as he was, most people had him going in the 20's.

 

[two3zone]

No one thought he was going to be taken as high as he was, most people had him going in the 20's.

He was picked 18th and the worst I ever heard was him going #20 to his hometown Raptors. I think your misremembering.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

He was picked 18th and the worst I ever heard was him going #20 to his hometown Raptors. I think your misremembering.

that was a word people forgot was a word until Roger the cheater Clemmons brought it back

 

[Dave85]

I guess I'm the exact opposite. Ennis was a borderline All American. He was in the first round all year. He should have left.

If Malachi leaves, we got one inconsistent season from him. Ennis was our best player. Mal might have been the fourth best player last year.

I see your point. Okay, I may slightly give in on my Ennis issue because Kaleb was such a bust so it seemed much worse than it actually was.

It took a lot of effort to admit I was wrong. Damn it, I hate being wrong.

 

[orangefog]

It took a lot of effort to admit I was wrong. Damn it, I hate being wrong.

Your not married, are you?

 

[Dave85]

Your not married, are you?

Thanks for bringing that up! The strangest thing about my first wife is she left me for another guy. 20 years later I finally saw a picture of the guy on her web page. The guy looks like my brother. And she had a red-brindle greyhound just like we did in the picture. Really weird.

My second wife is 12 years younger than me and we have two very fine young men 12 and 14. No regrets!

 

[orangefog]

Thanks for bringing that up! The strangest thing about my first wife is she left me for another guy. 20 years later I finally saw a picture of the guy on her web page. The guy looks like my brother. And she had a red-brindle greyhound just like we did in the picture. Really weird.

My second wife is 12 years younger than me and we have two very fine young men 12 and 14. No regrets!

Congratulations and it sounds like you had to endure some pain, but found your true partner in life. Especially as she apparently allows you to be right sometimes.

 

[Dave85]

Congratulations and it sounds like you had to endure some pain, but found your true partner in life. Especially as she apparently allows you to be right sometimes.

Yeah, after she programs me what to think. Women are crafty that way!

 

[pearl31]

From the sounds of it (from the whispers, wind, secondhand revelations offered on here) Mal became hellbent on the NBA for next year regardless of anything "smart," "sensible," or otherwise. It sounds like that mindset has essentially taken things past the point of turning back. It's very hard, especially for a person at that age, to abruptly drop that "hellbent" mindset and switch back to college student.
I won't say it's a "shame" because the kid will still make some good money regardless of when/where he's drafted, and maybe he'll kill it at the combine and end up going top 20—but man I just can't help thinking he's giving up some pretty serious $$ with his impatience.
Ah well - I'm now going with the attitude that this actually helps T.Battle be the ultimate alpha dog he was meant to be at SU.

 

[chakka3421]

From the sounds of it (from the whispers, wind, secondhand revelations offered on here) Mal became hellbent on the NBA for next year regardless of anything "smart," "sensible," or otherwise. It sounds like that mindset has essentially taken things past the point of turning back. It's very hard, especially for a person at that age, to abruptly drop that "hellbent" mindset and switch back to college student.
I won't say it's a "shame" because the kid will still make some good money regardless of when/where he's drafted, and maybe he'll kill it at the combine and end up going top 20—but man I just can't help thinking he's giving up some pretty serious $$ with his impatience.
Ah well - I'm now going with the attitude that this actually helps T.Battle be the ultimate alpha dog he was meant to be at SU.

Its not like this at all. The coaching staff will help him make the decision that's why he didn't go the agent route as they needed to better determine at the time who is in the draft and the pecking order. Now that they know SU coaches expect him to be a high first round pick (but not quite a lottery pick) they will advise him to go because the draft is fairly weak for his position this year.

If however the NBA scouts/coaches don't like his combine performance and advise him to stay because he slips in the perceived pecking order and they project him to be a second round (and tell him here are the players who will be drafted above you and here is what you have to work on) then he will be welcomed back. It's just that the SU coaching staff think right now he is a first rounder based upon who has declared so they expect him to go. That was what I was trying to state in my earlier post.

 

[jgeorge322]

Its not like this at all. The coaching staff will help him make the decision that's why he didn't go the agent route as they needed to better determine at the time who is in the draft and the pecking order. Now that they know SU coaches expect him to be a high first round pick (but not quite a lottery pick) they will advise him to go because the draft is fairly weak for his position this year.

If however the NBA scouts/coaches don't like his combine performance and advise him to stay because he slips in the perceived pecking order and they project him to be a second round (and tell him here are the players who will be drafted above you and here is what you have to work on) then he will be welcomed back. It's just that the SU coaching staff think right now he is a first rounder based upon who has declared so they expect him to go. That was what I was trying to state in my earlier post.

Didnt see your earlier post. Su coaches think hes high first rounder now? Whats the new info?

 

[cusetown1]

I'm 95% certain JB only advises players to go if they will be in the lottery or close (I believe he even said it before the basketball gala if I remember correctly). Malichi is neither right now weak draft or not, and that's even if he had a good combine IMO. Next year yes, I think he would be lottery. I'm all for players going out and making money in the NBA but this is one of those situations where I think he should stay one more year.

 

[jgeorge322]

I'm 95% certain JB only advises players to go if they will be in the lottery or close (I believe he even said it before the basketball gala if I remember correctly). Malichi is neither right now weak draft or not, and that's even if he had a good combine IMO. Next year yes, I think he would be lottery. I'm all for players going out and making money in the NBA but this is one of those situations where I think he should stay one more year.

hilarious avatar

 

[pearl31]

Its not like this at all. The coaching staff will help him make the decision that's why he didn't go the agent route as they needed to better determine at the time who is in the draft and the pecking order. Now that they know SU coaches expect him to be a high first round pick (but not quite a lottery pick) they will advise him to go because the draft is fairly weak for his position this year.

If however the NBA scouts/coaches don't like his combine performance and advise him to stay because he slips in the perceived pecking order and they project him to be a second round (and tell him here are the players who will be drafted above you and here is what you have to work on) then he will be welcomed back. It's just that the SU coaching staff think right now he is a first rounder based upon who has declared so they expect him to go. That was what I was trying to state in my earlier post.

yeah, certainly not trying to discredit your source(s) here, but no way he is projected as a high (or even mid) first round pick right now. no way. The fact that a few of the trusted/accurate draft analysts don't even have him anywhere in the 2nd round pretty much tells it all. At best he is a borderline 1st rounder right now, with the combine/workouts either improving that or dropping him down farther.
Sorry, but this is a case of the kid being extremely confident in his prospects and "I'm going to show you all!!!" mindset

 

[Briancuse]

From the sounds of it (from the whispers, wind, secondhand revelations offered on here) Mal became hellbent on the NBA for next year regardless of anything "smart," "sensible," or otherwise. It sounds like that mindset has essentially taken things past the point of turning back. It's very hard, especially for a person at that age, to abruptly drop that "hellbent" mindset and switch back to college student.
I won't say it's a "shame" because the kid will still make some good money regardless of when/where he's drafted, and maybe he'll kill it at the combine and end up going top 20—but man I just can't help thinking he's giving up some pretty serious $$ with his impatience.
Ah well - I'm now going with the attitude that this actually helps T.Battle be the ultimate alpha dog he was meant to be at SU.

I have a bad feeling this kid is going to be making a huge mistake.

 

[jncuse]

No one thought he was going to be taken as high as he was, most people had him going in the 20's.

Incorrect. He came in around #10 early in January, then regressed to about 15-20 as his play slowed down in ACC play.

 

[jgeorge322]

yeah, certainly not trying to discredit your source(s) here, but no way he is projected as a high (or even mid) first round pick right now. no way. The fact that a few of the trusted/accurate draft analysts don't even have him anywhere in the 2nd round pretty much tells it all. At best he is a borderline 1st rounder right now, with the combine/workouts either improving that or dropping him down farther.
Sorry, but this is a case of the kid being extremely confident in his prospects and "I'm going to show you all!!!" mindset

this is what I said before but kind of got shot down for this line of thinking by a few reputable posters.

 

[jncuse]

Most people didn't see Ennis getting drafted 17th, most projections had him as a borderline first round pick. I thought Mal was at least our 3rd best player, if not 2nd best.

I got some dates wrong above, but he was definetely in the mid first radar

http://web.archive.org/web/20140129031936/http://www.draftexpress.com/ (21st end of Jan as he entered the view as a prospect)

http://web.archive.org/web/20140301171324/http://www.draftexpress.com/ (9th end of Feb)

http://web.archive.org/web/20140331142113/http://www.draftexpress.com/ (14th end of March)

 

[jncuse]

Until I see him at a mock near a first, I think there are good chances he comes back. Don't blame him if he leaves and he has a first round guarantee.

 

[chakka3421]

yeah, certainly not trying to discredit your source(s) here, but no way he is projected as a high (or even mid) first round pick right now. no way. The fact that a few of the trusted/accurate draft analysts don't even have him anywhere in the 2nd round pretty much tells it all. At best he is a borderline 1st rounder right now, with the combine/workouts either improving that or dropping him down farther.
Sorry, but this is a case of the kid being extremely confident in his prospects and "I'm going to show you all!!!" mindset

It was clear in the Virginia game that Brogdon, the ACC defensive player of the year, could not guard Mali. That is the game that woke up the NBA scouts to his true potential - NBA will draft a player higher in the draft on upside potential alone. They want to see that up close at the combine before he declares and gets an agent. The SU staff knows this already, we just can't see it nor can the draft experts you mention - yet.

I also didn't say he wasn't going to return but we will know for certain after the combine and life can go on. Just give Mali some credit here as he is taking the right approach and will make the best decision he can make with as much info at his disposal after the combine. Actually a very thoughtful approach on his part. To say that he already has it in his mind no matter what would mean he already would have had an agent. That's what people are saying but they shouldn't be in my opinion. I've already said too much on my part - nuff said.

 

[Briancuse]

Didnt see your earlier post. Su coaches think hes high first rounder now? Whats the new info?

I don't think that they do.

 

[br801]

Just give Mali some credit here as he is taking the right approach and will make the best decision he can make with as much info at his disposal after the combine. Actually a very thoughtful approach on his part. To say that he already has it in his mind no matter what would mean he already would have had an agent. That's what people are saying but they shouldn't be in my opinion.

That sums it up well for me. Mali is availing himself of the process and the new deadline for declaring for the draft, as he should be. In the end, I believe he will make a reasoned decision based on the feedback he receives from his SU coaches, the NBA and his inner circle.