Will you stay or will you go?
Here's what I think will happen. That's right, what I think. Not what I want
to happen. What I want is obviously for all four of our
underclassment that are potential NBA draftees to return. That's
wishful thinking. Here we go:
Raymond Felton: 99% gone. Raymond's got nothing left to
prove at the college level. He won the Cousy award and led his
team to the national championship. He was the savior talked about
even back to his junior year in high school. The expectations
were unbelievably unrealistic, and yet he met, nay, exceeded them.
Raymond always planned to leave after his sophomore year, but we got one more out of him. And what a year it was. Word is, he'll announce Tuesday.
Rashad McCants: 90% gone. HeelsBlog believes Rashad would
be back for a fourth year if not for his mother's health. He
wants the best care for her, and NBA money will help that out a
lot. Rashad just thrust his name into the national spotlight by
way of a national championship, and his stock is high. Besides,
what has he got to come back to? More of the same scrutiny by the
local (and now national) media? Do you really think he wants more
of the same? Poor kid has been analyzed by every wannabe
psychologist with a press pass, just because he's quiet.
Rashanda, his sister, is the X-factor. Will he want to stick
around and be the big brother on campus while sis begins her career for
Sylvia Hatchell's Heels? Maybe if Mom was cancer-free.
Sean May: 40% gone. Sean's going to do what his dad
says. And why not? Scott's been there. There are
several things to consider. The Most Outstanding Player of the
NCAA Tournament, Sean May is the name on everyone's lips. He
simply dominated the competition in the highest tournament in college
basketball. On the other hand, he's kind of a 'tweener' for the
next level. Needs a bit more range on his jumper, and to play a
little more with his face to the basket.
Another thing that could keep him in school: his family's well
off. His father has made some money in business in Bloomington,
so no one at home really needs him to get the bucks now. Sean
loves college, and I expect to see him back. However, he will
talk things over with Dad, and they will do what's best for Sean, not
necessarily what's best for Carolina.
Marvin Williams: 45% gone. Ahhh yes, young Marvin.
Who really knows at this point? Everyone's saying top three, but
I think Marvin could use another year of seasoning. He showed
some promise off the dribble, but didn't get to do it nearly
enough. He's got the outside shot, but maybe needs to work on
that dribble-drive.
One thing's for sure: He will be a star in the NBA. The question is when.
Apparently he's talking to Shaun Livingston about life in the
NBA. Maybe Shaun is telling Marvin how hard it is being the
18-year-old boy among men. Maybe he's telling him it's
great. Who knows?
But his family is asking about the possibility of the age limit. This one's the toughest to call.
So there you have it. My take on who's staying and going.
Whatever happens, good luck and God bless to our national champion Tar
Heels. They've brought home the hardware, not they ought to do
what's in their own best interests.
Monday: The countdown begins at 10. The Top Tar Heel stories of the year according to HeelsBlog.
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So you've got to let me know...
Comments
Re: So you've got to let me know...
by
elonheel
on Mon 11 Apr 2005 01:47 PM EDT | Profile | Permanent Link
First off, major props goes to Jackie Manuel and his ability to impress scouts at the Portsmouth Invitational. Both he and Jawad are now going to Chicago for the pre-draft camp in June. Let's hope that these two Tar Heels will be picked up by an NBA team. They certainly deserve it after the hard work they put in during their four years at Carolina.
Here is my take on our undergrads declaring for the draft. Growing up as a UNC fan, I was always more critical of post players than guards. Eric Montross comes to mind as one that I gave a hard time to as a fan for his lack of emotion. Brendan Haywood was another example of a big man with a lot of critics. I like to be proven wrong as I was this year with Sean May. We all were claiming that May was too soft underneath the basket and at the beginning of this season nothing seems to prove otherwise. Then the Dook game happened and nothing has been the same since. Sean May is a beast and his performance in the NCAA tournament was outstanding. I personally don't know how he can even duplicate a performance like that and with as much publicity as he has received in recent weeks, his stock in the draft can't be any higher. With that being said, he loves Carolina and the college life. I believe it is 50/50 whether he will turn pro. Even though his intentions to the media have been to come back to Carolina, this might be his best chance to jump at this opportunity. Next up Felton... I think he is gone. We were lucky to have him for 3 years. His dad has noted that Raymond's intentions were to go to school for two years and then go to the NBA. Raymond loves the baby blue and he got his title. I believe he is going to be a fantastic NBA point guard. I honestly don't know why Chris Paul is rated as a better pro than Felton and Jarret Jack. But that's why I am a ticket manager and not a pro scout. McCants is a toss up to me. I believe he will be in the NBA next fall but something tells me he might change his mind. He has the national championship he wanted. He definitely has some work to do on his ball handling, but that can be done in the off season. You don't necessarily need to come back for your senior year for that skill. Some people compare him to Joe Forte. I don't think that is a fair comparison. Forte didn't have the offensive arsenal that McCants does. Plus McCants has a bigger body than does Forte. I think McCants is a family man. I agree with Turner. If his mom wasn't sick than he would be back in a Carolina uniform because his baby sis is coming to the Hill. I know he wants to provide for his family and if he is guaranteed the 3 million for three year contract in the NBA, that will be impossible for him to give up. Marvin Williams will be back in Chapel Hill. His personality, his attitude, and his desire to be a college student and have fun will win out over money for one more year. Don't get me wrong. Marvin has the potential to be the best NBA player from UNC. But like Felton, he wants to honor his commitment to Roy and UNC for two seasons. Plus his draft status won't hurt by coming back and playing for Carolina. It can only help. I love the stories I have heard about his attitude in high school as a teammate. This is a prototypical Carolina guy. And I think he will be back for one more year. With all that being said, two guys could leave or all four of them could leave. But the fact of the matter is that these guys did what they came to do... win the national championship. As Carolina fans, we should all give thanks and support their decision 100%. It's hard not to be selfish but remember Roy will get the guys he wants and we will be back in this situation again many many times. Isn't it better to have guys that can actually make the big leagues rather than not having anyone? 2005-2006 will be a different year for Carolina. In some ways, it will be a rebuilding year. But I think it will be a very rewarding one. Go Heels!! Re: So you've got to let me know...
by
jtw3
on Mon 11 Apr 2005 11:08 PM EDT | Profile | Permanent Link
Good take elon -
Rumor is Rashad doesn't like what he's hearing from NBA scouts. It will be interesting to see what his final decision is. Trackbacks
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