This entry was posted on Thursday, May 29th, 2008 at 3:16 pm and is filed under NCAA Basketball. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
In an ESPN column today by Andy Katz, UNC players Danny Green, Ty Lawson, and Wayne Ellington stated that they were never “tested the waters”, but rather, fully submerged in the NBA Draft. It seems their will is to only stay in the draft and only return to UNC if they are not guaranteed to be picked in the first or second round.
I was fine with reading the entire article, until I reached Ellington’s quote regarding his time at UNC and the loss at San Antonio:
“It was a tough way to go out, but at the same time, … you go to college to fulfill one of your dreams [the NBA],” Ellington said.
This is exactly the problem with Wayne, and I have absolutely no shame in saying it. Your dream is the NBA. The dream of Tyler Hansbrough’s is to win a National Championship. Trust me, I drove 5,000 miles and spent nearly 2K to watch Wayne crumble under pressure. If you are content with being a mediocre 2nd round pick at best, then feel free to go. Tar Heel nation does not want a player whose first dream is NBA, instead of a National Championship. Then came the Danny Green quote:
“I’m not in Tyler’s situation,” Green said. “He’s breaking records, and he has money. I’m not broke-poor, but my family doesn’t have as much as Tyler. He’s more fortunate, and I’m trying to do what’s best for my family.”
Dear Danny, you drive a f*cking Cadillac Escalade around campus. If money is an issue for you and your family, perhaps you should consider trading in the sick whip for a Honda, giving your family the left over $25K, then play another year of college basketball and ensure yourself a first round pick. In the game of simple economics, this would make more sense in the long run, plus you would have that much coveted college degree in case you . . . I don’t know . . . seriously injure your ankle and fail to be picked up by a team?
Why am I so upset about the mentalities of these players? Because they consider UNC a simple “insurance policy” against their failure to gain the position in the draft that they want. You were given a free education. You had a chance to play for the most prestigious basketball school in the nation. You were coached by Roy Williams, and mentored by Dean Smith. The girls at Top O and La Res flock all over you. The kids outside the games kick and scream for your autograph. And why? So you can publicly refer to them as human collateral in an ESPN article. We, Tar Heels are not your insurance against a low paying job. You were given a chance to play here simply to make you better. If you wish to leave prior to your maturity as a player, do so quietly.
I gave my heart, soul, and the majority of my time for three years as an undergraduate to the Athletic Department. I could have left UNC after my junior year and took a job as a 2nd tier custodian, but I chose to hone my skills for a better paying job. Perhaps these three should do the same. By the way, my mother’s kindergarten class begged me to get the autographs of three basketball players. Just three . . . and it was none of you. Take lessons from Tyler, Bobby, and Marcus. Because they will be doubling each of your salaries in the draft next year.
