2010 NBA Draft Early Entrants: The biggest mistakes

The NBA Draft's Early Entry deadline came and went on Sunday. Today, we will provide you with a bit of fodder over how some of this year's decisions could sway the 2010-11 college basketball season. For a complete list of this year's crop of early entrants, click here.

The way I see it, there are four legitimate reasons for a player to leave school early:

1. He is ready. He is a lock to be a first round pick (its even better if he is projected to go higher than that) and get a guaranteed contract. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to develop at the NBA level. If you are able to develop while making a couple of million dollars instead of studying for exams, I say go for it.
2. Financial issues. If you are good enough to think that you have a shot of getting drafted, odds are in your favor that you are good enough to make money playing basketball somewhere. If a kid comes from a family in dire financial straits, every one should support his decision to become a professional.
3. He graduated. Like Derrick Brown last season and Eniel Polynice this year, if a player has earned his undergraduate degree, whether that is a result of redshirting a season or graduating in three years, I have no problem if he decides to go pro instead of using up his eligiblity as a grad student. Along those same lines, if a player is older than his class -- a 23 year old junior, for example -- I also think it makes sense to go pro. The older you get, the lower your ceiling for potential becomes.
4. He's a "hot" prospect. If a player's stock is high -- whether that is a result of outstanding potential (think Hassan Whiteside) or he simply had a great NCAA Tournament (think Joakim Noah after the first Florida title) -- but that player is a fraud, so to speak, then it makes sense to capitalize on that higher stock. As they say, you strike when the iron is hot.
   

For those of us that love the game of college basketball, there is nothing that we hate more than to see a kid that had a chance at becoming a star at this level waste his eligibility by declaring for the NBA Draft (and signing with an agent) before he is truly ready to leave. It happens far too often. What players made the biggest mistakes in this year's draft?


Tommy Mason-Griffin and Keith "Tiny" Gallon, Oklahoma, freshmen: Oklahoma had an incredibly disappointing season in '09-'10. Granted, no one was expecting the Sooners to win a national title, but with Willie Warren deciding to return for his sophomore season and the addition of two McDonald's all-american freshmen coming in, OU seemed like they were capable of, at the very least, competing amongst the best in the Big XII. For a variety of reasons, that didn't happen. And for a completely different set of reasons, both TMG and Gallon have entered the draft and hired agents.

Tiny and TMG both should have stayed at Oklahoma.
(photo credit: Red Dirt Sports)

Gallon's hand may have been forced. Thanks to a report by TMZ Sports that a financial advisor in Florida had funneled money to Gallon, he may not have had much of a say in the matter. Gallon is 6'9", an underwhelming athlete, heavier than the ideal is for NBA fours, and far too perimeter oriented for someone of his size. When he actually decided to play this year, he was far too willing to hoist jumpers and far too unwilling to throw his ample weight around on the block. The trend in the NBA these days is fours in the mold of a Lamar Odom or a Shawn Marion, not the second coming of Oliver Miller.

TMG is not much of an NBA prospect either. He is small, looks for his shot first, and didn't really start to show his talent until Warren and Gallon were firmly entrenched in the dog house. He does have some talent -- he can put up points in a hurry, he has deep range on his jumper, and he may have had the nastiest cross over in the country this past season -- but he seems better suited for the And-1 mixtape tour than he does for an NBA roster.


Courtney Fortson, Arkansas, sophomore: Like TMG, Fortson has enough talent to be a star at the collegiate level, but his game doesn't exactly translate to the NBA. He's quick, he has a nice handle, and he is capable of creating off the bounce. But he is also smaller than an ideal NBA point guard, he doesn't have a jump shot, and he is a poor decision maker both on the court and off of it. Between his off-the-court issues at Arkansas and his 5.1 t/o's per game (he averaged more turnovers than most point guards average assists), odds are good that Fortson doesn't get drafted and you never hear his name again.


Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati, freshman: I think we all knew this was coming, but that doesn't mean that "Born Ready" is ready for the league after one year. There is no questioning his talent or his ability to score, but there are quite a few aspects of Stephenson's game that could have made him a much more ideal prospect if he had the chance to work on them. In terms of being a one-on-one player, Stephenson's ability to create is impressive. But he doesn't quite understand when is the correct time to attack, shot selection, or the workings of help side defensively. And while that ability can be developed as a professional, it is unlikely that he lands a guaranteed contract. Wouldn't it make more sense to work on his game playing in the Big East, where he will be on national television and sportscenter regularly, than in the D-League or overseas?

Will Lance Stephenson go the way of Lenny Cooke?
(photo credit: BearcatsSportsPage)

AJ Ogilvy, Vanderbilt, junior: Ogilvy's biggest mistake may have been going back to school after his freshman season. There was a chance he would have been a first round pick in 2008, but since then he has done nothing to improve his profile as a potential pro. Yes, he is crafty in the post, he can rebound the ball, and he has a nice touch from the perimeter, but his flaws are still his flaws. He can't pass out of the post, he can't defend anyone, and he lacks a degree of toughness that he will need banging against NBA centers. In other words, Ogivly is still the same player he was two years ago, which is disconcerting for NBA teams. I'd be pretty shocked if he went in the first round.

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It's All About the Flow: Volume 2

Since my inital entry on the subject of college basketball hairdos, I realized it was necessary for me to follow up on this intriguing subject as hairdos come and go like viral videos. After all, there are over 300 basketball teams in Division I hoops, and with at least 10 players on each team, that makes for a lot of different hairdos. And a ton of more research for yours truly.

Let me be honest. I don't consider myself knowledgeable when it comes to fashion or style. I don't know what colors match what, the best hairstyle for each season, or the difference between a "bob" and a "tease". I thinks capes and cloaks should become socially acceptable again. I am the last person you should ask if you want to know whether you look good.

But maybe it is because of my deep wealth of knowledge for the inane and the completely unnecessary that makes me the perfect person to research and report on the most marvelous of hairstyles in the college basketball. No other person would go to such lengths to research and find the best pregame videos, or most unheralded big men in the country. Not very many people would go through every official online roster of every college D-1 basketball team in the country in order to create the most complete "All-Name Team" the sport of college hoops had ever seen.

In short, life would still go on and the Earth would still spin if I had not done this peice. Kentucky still would have lost to South Carolina and North Carolina would still make the CBI. But, instead of researching the X's and O's and studying why Bo Ryan's swing offense is so effective, I decided to waste my time wondering how much time Stanley Robinson and Courtney Fortson spend doing their hair.

If you haven't checked out part one, here's your chance: It's All About The Flow, Vol. 1


Luciano De Souza - Idaho

I know I said Alex Richman had the best hair in coolege hoops, but that was before I had finished my research. Consider it done, as this is, hands-down, the best hairdo in hoops. Seeing De Souza makes me feel like I accomplished something, and I did, I found the most rediculous head of hair out there.


What is there to say about this fabulous head of hair. It seriously blows every other hairdo out of the water. Just take a second and marvel at De Souza's lucious hairdo. This really is the only true afro in the college hoops game. Yes, it's less dense than afros ussually are, but look at the volume, look at the height, it's just beautiful.

I have so many questions I want to ask him. How long did it take to grow that out? What type of conditioner do you use? Did it come from your mom or dad's side? Does it ever get dificult to control it on the court? Do personal items ever get lost in it?

Being from South America, you have to imagine that the great footballer Carlos Valderrama was part of the inspiration for this brilliant hairdo. In conclusion, I know I can sleep well at night because I found what I was looking for: the most ridiculous hair in college basketball.


Dwight Buycks - Marquette

I could not find a perfect picture of Mr. Buycks (pronounced Bikes) awesome cornrows. Regardless, I am dubbing Dwight's current hairstyle "The Buyck Tread". You have to look closely, but Buycks cornrows look like the treadmarks made from bike wheels. It's both funky and awesome. Buycks has also been known to wear an arm sleeve or rock high socks and a headband. Style like this needs to be recognized by the press and public more often.


Thanks to Buycks fantastic hairdo, he is quickly becomming my favorite player on the Marquette Warriors Golden Eagles. I know we're all eagerly waiting to see a Dwight Buycks giant cut-out head at the Bradley Center.


Courtney Fortson - Arkansas

What an unexpected look to have for a basketball player. I totally forgot about Fortson during the research portion of the first edition, and I wanted to apoligize for this. Except then I remembered he was suspended for the first 14 games of the season, so then I didn't feel so bad. Whatever, lets move on.

My first reaction to this photo was: I had no idea Fortson played the part of Rick James on the Chappelle Show.


Not only is Fortson one of the best point guards in the SEC, he also owns some of the largest flow in the entire country. Look at how much flow Fortson can rock. You don't see many ballers rocking that much hair.

I'M COURTNEY FORTSON BI**H!


Jonathon Anderson - Rider

I'm not sure what's more surprising about Anderson: the amount of "party" going on in the back of his hairdo, or the fact that he hails from Great Britain.


This junior from London has a pretty baller-ish hairdo. He's rocking well-managed cornrows from front-to-back, plus he's got enough hair curl it up in the back. Someone with less hair, like this, would be forced to let the tiny cornrow-ends dangle. But since Anderson is from Europe he decided to go all "Mozart" in the back, he both protects his hair from others and stays sophisticated. I like it, I really, really like it.


Luke Babbitt - Nevada

He's got some of the greasiest and nastiest hair in the country, but he's also legitimate NBA draft pick, so we won't knock him too heard.


Somebody needs to sit down with Babbitt and tell him that he need's to get rid of the mop top. Seriously, he is making Duke's Kyle Singler look good, and I never ever thought that would be possible. Or at least buy him some conditioner. Or something.


Justin Rutty - Quinnipiac

This is just crazy. Rutty has no remorse for opposing players whatsoever. Try to go up for a rebound against the 6'7, 240lb junior and come down with a facefull of dreadlocks - wild, uncontrollable dreadlocks.


Seriously man, wrap it up. You could take somebody's eye out.


Ryan Evans - Wisconsin

Can you say "John Starks"? Oh man what an awesome hairdo. I just found this one watching the Michigan State v. Wisconsin game this week. Nonetheless, a style like this catapaults you all the way up the rankings to the top-5.


I love this hairdo, absolutely love it. You don't need a ton of bravado to pull this style off. This low, clean-cut flat-top says "hand me that Bel Biv Devoe cassette tape" but not "hand me my bedazzled denim jacket and parachute pants". Ryan Evan's hairdo is classy, stylish and economical. Not overdone, but not undercooked. Keep doing what your doing playa.


Mike Wilder - UC Irvine

Our final selection comes not from research but from the Twitterati. If it was not for BigWestMD, I would have never found this sensational hairdo. I had been looking for a perfect afro all season, and hadn't even come close. Mr. De Souza (see first entry) was close, but Wilder's is spot-on. It's thick, it's robust, and it's utterly brilliant.


This is a real man's afro. Nobody should ever question Mr. Wilder's manhood from now on, because, well, would you mess with somebody rockin' that hairdo? I sure wouldn't. I also wouldn't want sit behind him in class or at the movies.

An afro like this doesn't go unnoticed. Mike and his afro, both freshman at UC-Irvine, were named class president last year, his senior year at Wilson HS in California. He also received the CIF Champion of Character Award.

The afro does have a lot of character.


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Suspensions aplenty

As it is still technically the pre-season for 339 of the 347 DI college basketball teams, coaches are still trying to figure out who exactly they are going to have available to them, and when those players will be available.

Yesterday, it was eligibility problems that were in the news, as it looks more and more likely that freshman Renardo Sidney will be showing off his street clothes come Mississippi State's Nov. 13th season opener. The news was all bad, however, as UConn's Jamal Coombs-McDaniel and Mouphtaou Yarou were both given the go-ahead to suit up.

Today, it is suspensions.

Let's start with Arkansas, where head coach John Pelphrey has handed down suspensions to five players. Freshman Glenn Bryant will miss two games. Junior Marcus Britt got six games for two separate violations of team rules. Freshman walk-on Nick Mason won't be dressing during the first semester.

But the most important suspensions were handed down to senior Stefan Walsh and sophomore Courtney Fortson, two starters from last years team. Both Walsh and Fortson have been suspended by Pelphrey before, and the latest is a result of multiple violations of team rules.

This is a big blow for an Arkansas team that actually has enough talent on their roster to compete in the SEC West. Kudos to John Pelphrey for laying down the law, although with everything his program has been through in the last two years, including allegations of rape just two months ago, is it already to late?


Also suspended is recently reinstated Illinois guard Jeff Jordan, Michael's other son. Jordan left the team after last season, and over the summer played in a non-sanctioned tournament, which Illini head coach Bruce Weber believes was a 3-on-3 tournament.

Jordan will have to sit out against SIU-Edwardsville on the 13th and Northern Illinois on the 17th, but he will be eligible to suit up against Presbyterian on the 21st.


UPDATE: Came across another one. Indiana State's Dwayne Lathan, a transfer from Louisiana Tech, is finally eligible this season after sitting out a year per transfer rules. A Louisiana native, Lathan was apparently looking forward to playing at LSU in the first round of the preseason NIT, the Sycamores second game of the season.

But back in April of 2008, Lathan played in a charity 3-on-3 tournament while still at Tech. The tournament was non-sanctioned. Thus, Lathan was suspended by the NCAA for the first two games of the season, meaning he will miss the LSU game.

For a charity, 3-on-3 basketball tournament 19 months ago.

Way to fry the big fish, NCAA.
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