Well, for those who haven't seen this yet, you may want to look away.JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore will both declare for the NBA Draft but, according to reports thus far, won't hire agents.
This changes little. We still need to hope they're truly undecided and just want to see where they'd be projected to go if they were drafted this year. They also may be told very pointedly what they need to work on to become even better pro prospects.
And so now we wait until May 8. By not hiring agents, they're still amateurs and can come back, but only if they withdraw their names from the draft by May 8.
14 comments:
Agreed.
It is likely Rob would have done the same if he had been able to stay healthy.
If they come back we have a legit chance at a deep run next season.
If they go, we will have a young team led by a hopefully healthy Hummel.
Either way, we know we the program is in good hands with Painter. Worrying about players going to the NBA is certainly a sign he knows what he is doing.
Aw shucks...
E'Twaun's comments almost guarantee it's just to test the waters. He is talking about it making him a better player and taking the first step towards getting his game ready for the next level. He wants to see what the pros think he needs to work on. Otherwise he would be talking about actually taking his game to the next level.
Please come back guys. Let me save you the time and stress of going to these NBA workouts (I know its good for networking purposes and getting your name out there):
Smooge: long range shooting, ball handling, strength, free throws
JJ: rebounding, strength, low post moves and being strong with the ball, free throws
Careful not to jinx anything, Purx. You never know who is going to get in their ear and tell them stretches of the truth just to get business or serve their own agendas.... This is very scary...
As b-dowd once pointed out to me, sometimes guys do this and then after a few weeks of being pulled in tons of directions, having people nagging them, etc., etc., they just say "screw it, I'm hiring an agent" to make life easier.
Let's hope that doesn't happen here.
Maybe I'm sick, but I was actually encouraged by this. They sound like this is more of a fact-finding mission. Like E'twuan said, it's to find out what they need to do to get ready for the NBA. It's no different than the thousands of juniors that will go home for the summer and land internships.
Right?
By the way, it helped me a TON to think back when I was at Purdue studying graphic design/advertising.
If any big league ad firm had come to me at the end of my junior year and said, "We think you're good enough to work for us right now, and we'll pay you $500,000 to start in June," what would I have said.
I can promise you that there would've been a new vacancy in Cary NW.
dozer8589: What if that ad agency had said, "We think you are good enough to apply for this $500,000position. By the way, we only have 30 guaranteed paying positions, and over 100 applicants. You are welcome to apply, but if you do, and aren't selected, you can't go back to school and prep any more, you get to go teach art to kindergartners in Kazakhstan for $6 an hour." Would it have been a slam dunk then as well? Because as much as this could end up as a $1 million+ paycheck for these guys, they also could end up playing in Israel for $30k a year with almost no prospects of making back to the league. Where after the exposure of the top ranking and deep tourney run, they might go as lottery picks next year. I just see a lot of risk. I had no problem when Big Dog declared, I feel more nervous for these guys.
Haha, well said Chris.
As a long-time Purdue fan who is used to bad things happening .... I wouldn't be suprised if they both take the money and run.
Ugh.
Brad, what money? Chris, lottery picks next year? RELAX, these guys are doing what we all would do in their position... they are enjoying some attention and making a name for themselves for next year. They aren't going anywhere. No way. Even next year... nobody on Purdue's team will be a lottery pick and JJ will still be a very late first round pick at best. Smooge... Europe. The big three will be rocking Mackey next year... I guarantee it guys.
http://www.nbadraft.net/2010mock_draft
Neither JJ or Smooge projected in Round 1 or Round 2.
ChiBoiler -- that link was from 4/13 and our boys didn't declare until 4/14, so it wouldn't include them anyway.
As for your previous comment, I'm glad you're putting the guarantee out there... what do we get if you're wrong? Come on, you gotta put some skin in the game....
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