Hoosierfan2017

Anyone watch?

I am. He knows what playing at IU entails and he's still young enough to relate to the players. He's a good guy for players to go to when they're struggling with the grind of college basketball.

I had to buy tickets for game 3. Can't pass up watching Lebron in the playoffs for a decent price.

I don't doubt that they have talent, but c'mon... Dudes who can't make NBA rosters are putting up 30+ ppg over there. Jimmer Fredette is averaging almost 38 a game. Rojo would be able to find a role, but I doubt he's thinking about playing in China right now. http://basketball.realgm.com/international/league/40/chinese-cba/stats

Man he's not thattttt bad. Heck, 40 year old Stephon Marbury is averaging 22 a game in China right now. Rojo will have the chance to play pro ball somewhere when his college career is over, it just probably won't be in the NBA.

"Despite coach Tom Izzo, family and even Spartans NBA alumni and professional agents encouraging him to leave, Bridges is telling everyone that it’s his intention to bypass the draft, sources told The Vertical." It's gotta be hard being a 19 year old kid and passing up lottery money. I could see him feeling like he has unfinished business at Michigan State and wanting to come back for a deep tournament run. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources-michigan-state-freshman-miles-bridges-plans-return-school-191838792.html

Ugh Bridges is staying at MSU. Good for the league as a whole, bad for the other 13 teams.

This! Calipari is basically running Kentucky's program as a minor league basketball team. He brings in a new set of mercenaries every June and they're gone the following April. That would get exhausting year after year. Winning is nice, but he only has 1 banner in 9 years. Other programs can republicate his results without having to use his means.

My Podunk high school was like 99% white so I didn't have any experiences like that playing while I was growing up, but it definitely makes sense when it's explained like that. Some of the things runnin_on_empty described seem pretty extreme, like a player bringing a gun to practice to threaten him, but I wasn't there so idk.

Their dream job is with the NBA and the NBA can decide what qualifications a player has to have to be hired, just like any other employer. Right now they've decided that players have to be out of high school for a year to be eligible to play in their league. I don't necessarily agree with it, but the NBA definitely has the right to make that rule.

Has Miles Bridges declared yet?

Justin Smith averaged just under 3 dunks a game last year. Very nice.

Archie's already showing what he can do recruiting-wise. This obviously isn't the same as going out and actually recruiting, but him being able to convince Hartman, Durham and Smith to stay is a good sign imo. Especially Hartman since it seemed like he was gone before Archie came.

I was getting a little worried since it seems likely that jbj and TB both leave, but I'm feeling better now that Smith has confirmed his commitment. We're really going to need his athleticism next year. If Moore decides to go elsewhere I hope Archie pockets the extra scholarship or finds a grad transfer. McKinley Wright wouldn't be a terrible move, but I'd rather pass and go after guards in the 2018 class.

I get that NBA people like big guys that can shoot, but at this point I don't even know what position TB would be able to play. His feet are too slow to play on the perimeter and he's too weak to play down low. He would get eaten alive on D. I think Crean trying to make him a wing screwed with his game and he never really got comfortable on the court. If he stays he could get back to doing what made him so successful his freshman year.

Losing all three would hurt next year but it would help balance our classes. I'm surprised to see Bryant so high on the draft board. He'd be a huge risk as a 1st rounder.

I heard they were freaked out by how much Archie likes pizza and didn't want anything to do with him.

Sounds like he needed MSB on his team to watch his back.

I think a lot of people (like the ones spazzing out on Facebook) don't understand the new rules so when they see kids 'declaring for the draft' they automatically assume that they're leaving college. They don't know that players can declare to get feedback so they freak and make loud noises on social media.

They deserve some blame but they were definitely not put in the best positions to succeed. I want all three to come back to see what they can do under a new coach.

May 24th is the last day to withdraw.

I doubt even Rojo thinks that he's ready for the NBA, but there's no harm in declaring, getting feedback on what to improve on, and getting his name out there among NBA scouts.

Any idea how that compares to his attendance before the NIT? For a guy whose NBA career is far from guaranteed you would think he would be putting more effort into his schooling.

I think he can. He had an awful season and looked like a guy without a position for most of it. If he gains 20-25 pounds and commits himself to being a post player I think he can get back into the mid 1st round. Next year's draft is supposed to be weaker too so that would help.