I'm not buying that Scott Van Pelt pushed for Jordan Williams to leave school

After Gary Williams retired back in May, pretty much everyone with an opinion on the matter claimed that the Maryland job was one of the best in the country.

Rightfully so. It has tradition, its willing to spend its basketball program, and its located in the heart of one of, if not the most fertile recruiting grounds in the country.

Maryland also has a large, loyal, and boisterous fan base, routinely filling the Comcast Center to capacity regardless of opponent. The most well-known member of that fan base is none other that ESPN's popular Sportscenter anchor and radio host Scott Van Pelt, who is routinely spotted at the Comcast Center for big games. But after a report from the Washington Post's Steve Yanda, SVP may need security the next time he heads to College Park:

ESPN personality Scott Van Pelt was among the people who advised former Maryland forward Jordan Williams on his decision to leave the program after two years and enter the 2011 NBA draft, Williams said Tuesday.

Van Pelt "was a big factor in helping me make my decision" to go pro, Williams said following a pre-draft workout for the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center. "Just giving me feedback, what he thought about it. Just trying to make me make the right decision. He did a great job, and I give him a lot of credit for going out of his way."

"He's a really busy guy, so for him to go out of his way to do that is unbelievable."

Williams said he first met Van Pelt during his freshman year at Maryland, when Van Pelt spoke to the team at a practice prior to the Terrapins' game at Duke.

"A great guy; a wonderful person," Williams said. "Always trying to reach his hand out and help, even when he doesn't have to. He's always using his knowledge and using who he knows to help me out."

As of the time of this posting, the only comment that Van Pelt has made was via twitter:


Williams emailed a Baltimore Sun reporter to clarify the Post's report:

"Mr. Van Pelt in no way tried to pursue me to go either way," Williams said. "He was just giving me advice to help make my decision the best one."

If I had to guess, Williams spoke with Van Pelt about the decision he was making, and that Williams reacted the way any 20 year old that was speaking with an ESPN personality would react. He was probably impressed that someone he watched every night on Sportscenter and listened to every day on the radio was taking an interest in his decision.

Saying things like "Good for you" or "I'll support any decision you make" and answering questions honestly is much different that someone pushing a player one way or another.

I'll be interested to see what Van Pelt has to say to the Post.