The situation with our kids in the NBA. Look, i know it is JB's job to get wins in college and build young men's character. I get that. But eventually with our rivals (MSU, OSU) and the perennial powers (Duke, UNC, Kentucky etc) consistently producing solid pros, while ours are almost total busts, is going to further cripple recruiting. I know this may not be a popular post, but I am frankly shocked at how the team members from 2010-2014 are performing professionally.
Trey Burke: Top 10 overall pick who, in his second season, the Utah Jazz picked Dante Exum to become their point guard of the future. Now, even with Exum out with a torn ACL, Burke comes off the bench behind an undrafted free agent named Raul Neto. Trey is one of the least efficient guards in the league (assist/TO and PER) and there is already talk of the Jazz not "seeing him as part of the future."
Tim Hardaway Jr.: 1st round pick of the Knicks traded for essentially nothing to the Atlanta Hawks, where he is arguably the 6th guard in the rotation (Teague, Schroeder, Sefalosha, Bazemore, Mack.) Has not played in a game this season, aside from in the D league.
Nik Stauskas: I was a HUGE Stauskas fan in college but couldn't believe the Kings took him at #7. As much as it pains me to say it, statistically he is one of the worst players in the NBA. Adjusted for playing time (Nik plays almost 24 minutes a night for the 76ers) he is actually the least productive player in the NBA. As a shooter, this is very biased since his shot has been off (shooting 19 percent his last 7 starts) but his lack of confidence seems to have eroded his ability to drive and distribute. Nik looks lost on offense and is one of the worst defenders in the game.
GR3: Shockingly Glenn has had a nice year in Indiana, after being cut by the T'Wolves. Currently he is the 3rd small forward behind CJ Miles and Chase Budinger. He has been decent when called upon, still lacking a perimeter shot and motor, but showcasing nice athleticism and a willingness to fight down low for the boards. For a player projected as a lottery pick at one time, though, his ceiling seems low.
Mitch McGary: Has not played a minute in 2/3 of the Thunder's total games so far. Stuck behind Kanter, Adams, Ibaka, Collison. Billy Donovan apparently still holds a grudge after Mitch dismantled his Florida team in the NCAA tournament, as he is playing less than NBA "stars" such as Kyle Singler.
Manny Harris, Darius Morris, Deshaun Sims = All out of the league entirely.
Though we have had undeniable success, the Belien era has legitimately not produced a single successful pro. Though this is debatable, I do not think it is arguable that at the very least the first round picks have all been disappointing, if not total busts to this point. Eventually a school that makes two elite 8s and comes one terrible foul call from winning a national title needs to produce competent professionals to sign elite kids out of high school. I fear a major component in our current recruiting conundrum is the ability of a school like even Ohio State to say hey look at Jared Sullinger, Kosta Koufus, Deangelo Russell (still TBD) Evan Turner, Mike Conley etc. These guys might not be stars, but they're solid starters/rotation players in the league with long careers and major $$$. Does anyone think realistically any of our draft picks make it to a second contract? I would say maybe Trey, just not from the Jazz.
The point of this is I cannot help but wonder perhaps the JB system does not prepare kids for the NBA. Reminds me of Texas Tech back in the Mike Leech era, kids putting up huge numbers and winning some games, but not making it in the NFL. This puts a ceiling on your program because major recruits want a decade career in the NBA, not a share of a big 10 title.
Do you guys think i'm off base? Or is there perhaps another explanation for the poor recruiting
Trey Burke: Top 10 overall pick who, in his second season, the Utah Jazz picked Dante Exum to become their point guard of the future. Now, even with Exum out with a torn ACL, Burke comes off the bench behind an undrafted free agent named Raul Neto. Trey is one of the least efficient guards in the league (assist/TO and PER) and there is already talk of the Jazz not "seeing him as part of the future."
Tim Hardaway Jr.: 1st round pick of the Knicks traded for essentially nothing to the Atlanta Hawks, where he is arguably the 6th guard in the rotation (Teague, Schroeder, Sefalosha, Bazemore, Mack.) Has not played in a game this season, aside from in the D league.
Nik Stauskas: I was a HUGE Stauskas fan in college but couldn't believe the Kings took him at #7. As much as it pains me to say it, statistically he is one of the worst players in the NBA. Adjusted for playing time (Nik plays almost 24 minutes a night for the 76ers) he is actually the least productive player in the NBA. As a shooter, this is very biased since his shot has been off (shooting 19 percent his last 7 starts) but his lack of confidence seems to have eroded his ability to drive and distribute. Nik looks lost on offense and is one of the worst defenders in the game.
GR3: Shockingly Glenn has had a nice year in Indiana, after being cut by the T'Wolves. Currently he is the 3rd small forward behind CJ Miles and Chase Budinger. He has been decent when called upon, still lacking a perimeter shot and motor, but showcasing nice athleticism and a willingness to fight down low for the boards. For a player projected as a lottery pick at one time, though, his ceiling seems low.
Mitch McGary: Has not played a minute in 2/3 of the Thunder's total games so far. Stuck behind Kanter, Adams, Ibaka, Collison. Billy Donovan apparently still holds a grudge after Mitch dismantled his Florida team in the NCAA tournament, as he is playing less than NBA "stars" such as Kyle Singler.
Manny Harris, Darius Morris, Deshaun Sims = All out of the league entirely.
Though we have had undeniable success, the Belien era has legitimately not produced a single successful pro. Though this is debatable, I do not think it is arguable that at the very least the first round picks have all been disappointing, if not total busts to this point. Eventually a school that makes two elite 8s and comes one terrible foul call from winning a national title needs to produce competent professionals to sign elite kids out of high school. I fear a major component in our current recruiting conundrum is the ability of a school like even Ohio State to say hey look at Jared Sullinger, Kosta Koufus, Deangelo Russell (still TBD) Evan Turner, Mike Conley etc. These guys might not be stars, but they're solid starters/rotation players in the league with long careers and major $$$. Does anyone think realistically any of our draft picks make it to a second contract? I would say maybe Trey, just not from the Jazz.
The point of this is I cannot help but wonder perhaps the JB system does not prepare kids for the NBA. Reminds me of Texas Tech back in the Mike Leech era, kids putting up huge numbers and winning some games, but not making it in the NFL. This puts a ceiling on your program because major recruits want a decade career in the NBA, not a share of a big 10 title.
Do you guys think i'm off base? Or is there perhaps another explanation for the poor recruiting
