Texas Basketball May have a Run next year

[Phil C]

I just read that Carmen Anthony from Syracuse is going to be in the NBA draft. This was the team that beat Texas in the final four and won the national championship in NCAA Men's Division 1 Basketball. It puts Texas in a good spot since Kansas has lost it's coach and some of the Kansas Players have graduated and Texas is returning nearly its' whole team. If Ford goes for the draft then Texas will be out. If he stays Texas should have a great chance next year.

[District303aPastPlayer]

The biggest single mistake that Carmello Anthony is making is entering the draft. He has all the potential in the world, why not let his stock go up? I believe that The Mellow Man could be a #1 overall pick in two years.. now, he will go late 1st round...

[kepdawg]

Anthony will easily be a top 5 pick, probably in the top 3. Houston TV is reporting that TJ Ford will declare for the draft.

[big daddy russ]

I think it's a good idea for Anthony... his stock can only go down right now. As much as I'm against a player going pro early, this is probably the best thing for him. Honestly, his stock can't get any higher. He's shown everybody enough to where they know he's talented but left just enough intrigue to make NBA personnel directors to still be talking about his "upside." He was almost college basketball's Player of the Year, he pretty much willed his team to an NCAA Title, and people are already comparing him to LeBron... talking about who SHOULD be the number one pick (although LeBron has it locked up). The absolute lowest that Carmelo will be selected will be number three, behind LeBron and, possibly, European Darco Milicic. That's a guaranteed three-year contract worth a guaranteed tens of millions of dollars. Get it while the getting's good.
I know everyone always talks about staying in school so you can develop your skills and all, but when you're an absolute lock for the lottery (like a LeBron, Carmelo or Darco... not like a Qyntel Woods or Rashard Lewis) you have to take it. Four great examples of this are Chris Porter, Terrence Morris, Loren Woods and Dan Gadzuric. Woods (who played college ball at Arizona just a couple of years ago) was actually considered, at one time, a possible number one overall pick. But he stayed too long and gave scouts the chance to see what his game lacked. He was a seven-footer with tons of athleticism and he had people comparing him to David Robinson and Kevin Garnett. Same with Gadzuric. A center out of UCLA, he was touted as a top-10 pick, as was Porter of Auburn and Morris of Maryland. Porter and Morris were both well-suited for the small forward spot in the NBA, and had scouts drooling after each had one good season in school. Their breakout season was 1999, and some scouts were saying that Morris had a chance to be taken before Maryland teammate Steve Francis. Porter was rated far ahead of any of the 6-10 picks that year, which included Wally Szczerbiak, Rip Hamilton, Andre Miller, Shawn Marion and Jason Terry. Morris decided to stay until his senior year and wasn't selected until Houston took him in the second round of the 2001 draft. Without Francis there to draw the double teams of the defense, Morris was left as Maryland's big threat and was double-teamed everytime, exposing a lot of holes in his game. In the same draft, about ten picks later, Loren Woods heard his name called. That was after he helped Arizona win a National Title. Porter stayed at Auburn for one more year after his big season, but disappointed during his senior campaign and was taken the fourth-to-last pick of the 2000 draft. Gadzuric made the early second round of last year's draft.
Also, I believe that the higher level of competition will help Carmelo's game more than another year of school. He's already proven that he's dominant at this level. It's time to step it up a notch and start learning how to play a new game. (He plays mostly on the inside now... in the NBA he'll be out on the wing) The younger he learns how to handle the ball on the perimeter, make his outside jumpers, and learns how to create his own shot, the better he'll be. Just look at all the Euro imports who come in at 19 or 20 years old ready to play. Most of them turned pro when they were about 15 years old.
Just my $.02... although it's probably closer to a dime novel. I'm a little long-winded.

[Phil C]

I just read that TJ Ford is supposed to go for the NBA draft and not play at Texas next year. You can't blame him for going for the money. But if Texas won't even get to sweet 16 if they even get passed one round. Too bad. Texas would have been a strong title contender next year with Ford but without him - nada.