Dom, if Drummond is leaving, would he be the first UConn player to leave early to not make any of the All Big East 1st, 2nd, 3rd or Honorable Mention teams? Wouldn’t that be an indication that he could use one more season of college basketball?
Tom
San Francisco
A: Well, Tom, probably yes on the first part. Hasheem Thabeet was an second-teamer during his career. … But, as I have written here numerous times, these points are utterly irrelevant. Of course, Drummond is not ready for the NBA. Based on what we saw last year, he wasn’t ready for The Big East. Anyone can see he “could use one more season of college basketball.” He could use three more. But if an NBA team is going to draft him in the top five or six, he has to go. Why come back to college, with or without NCAA Tournament eligibility, and risk getting hurt, or having a disappointing sophomore season and perhaps slipping next year? It may make basketball sense for him to stay and improve his game, but it would make no business sense whatever.
The NBA doesn’t look for great college players, they look for pro prospects. Andre Drummond, at this point, is one of the latter, so this was the call for him to make.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
16 Responses to Mailbag 4/12: On Andre Drummond’s Readiness for the NBA
- -- ADVERTISEMENT --
UConn Men Photos
Text Alerts
Complimentary Huskies, breaking news, and/or weather alerts sent to your mobile phone.*
*Or text UCONNFB, UCONNMB, UCONNWBNEWS, WEATHER, NEWS to 37798
*These programs are available on the following carriers: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, Sprint, Nextel, Boost, Alltel, US Cellular. By clicking Submit you are confirming agreement with the terms and conditions governing this station and these mobile alerts. All submissions must be authorized by the account holder. Contact your carrier for more details.
You will receive up to 8 messages per day. Text STOP to 37798 to end subscription. You may receive subsequent messages clarifying or confirming your opt-out request. Text HELP to 37798 for info. Message and data rates may apply. Terms & Conditions andPrivacy Policy: mobile.tribune.com
UConn Newsletters
Score big with our Husky Hoopla email.
See a sample
Sign in to add or remove newsletters.
-- ADVERTISEMENT --
Note to any NBA GM considering drafting Drummond; you had better be the brother-in-law of the team Owner because otherwise you will be fired within one year of this brainstorm decision!
Drummond is soft. He will have a fine career in the D league
Does anyone remember Andrew Bynum? Committed to UConn, great athlete, raw and undeveloped…first season with the Lakers—7 minutes a night, Season 2—20 minutes a nigh, Season 3–28 minutes a night. Now he is an All-Star center. Drummond athletically is a lot more Bynum than Thabeet (no footwork, basically a bust). He is 19 years old, very few 19 year olds are tough, polished prospects. He is a risk-reward, he will get better with pro coaches and the fact that he does not have to play for 1-2 seasons and can get better in practice. WE expected him to play Day 1 at UConn…
Get off of Dre’s back, kid will eventually be a beast in the NBA, but its going to take a lot of time. I don’t blame the kid, no tournament, BIG MONEY, no classes, basketball 24/7.I do wish he stayed but only because I am a true fan.
Does anyone else think next year’s team has the chance to be infinitely less frustrating to watch? No more Shabazz (whom I love) dribbling endlessly while everyone watches Lamb run off an endless series of screens! I think they will be the most entertaining Huskies regular season team in a long time. What do you think, Dom?
you could be very right. seeing enosch getting minutes will be interesting
Of the two young men to leave Uconn for the NBA, I believe that Andre Drummond is much less ready for the pro league than Jeremy Lamb. I’m not his parent, nor am I remotely related to him, so I can’t and will not advise him. But seeing him play during his freshman year tells me that another year of school would help him tremendously. I’m very much aware of Uconn’s status with the NCAA’s, but I’m also old fashioned in believing that a young man who completes his college education is much more ready for the world than one who doesn’t. Yes, the NBA offers millions of dollars to these young men at Uconn and all other colleges, but what happens to them if basketball ends tomorrow? Again, isn’t this the main reason why Uconn and many other colleges are in hot water with the NCAA’s?
“I’m very much aware of Uconn’s status with the NCAA’s, but I’m also old fashioned in believing that a young man who completes his college education is much more ready for the world than one who doesn’t.”
Yeah, those classes in eroticism in French literature and the role of the transgendered in modern Iraq really get you more ready for the world than does earning a living!
“Yes, the NBA offers millions of dollars to these young men at Uconn and all other colleges, but what happens to them if basketball ends tomorrow?”
They will be millionaires?
So what’s the deal with Bradley? Why did he leave? Could he have helped this team next year?
Top 10 UConn players:
http://thenineroute.blogspot.com/2012/04/what-could-be-more-fun.html
Take the polls, leave feedback on who should be #1
(Spoiler: Drummond didn’t quite make the cut…)
I was real proud of Andre at the beginning of the season, since he is from my home town, Middletown, but then I saw his shooting from away from the basket go downhill. And his foul shooting is not even worth mentioning. I hate to see him leave for the NBA as he needs to improve and meture at the college level. I fear he will end up like Thabeet, very little playing time and poor stats.
he is at least 2 years from being able to evaluate him as he will play no minutes – his fowl shooting alone should send warning flags – he ain’t going to suddenly be 70% fowl shooter.
“his fowl shooting alone should send warning flags”
He is not able to hit the pigeons?
Gene when you are making fun of someone for being stupid you should get your facts straight. Pigeons are not considered to be fowls. Stay on the fox website where you are among your own ignorant people.
While claiming the moral high ground on others, you probably shouldn’t sign in under the name of a white supremacist. Stay on Comedy Central with the other ignorant, hypocritical, media-parrots.