Buckeye freshmen have NBA decision to make
As brilliantly as Thad Matta and his staff have recruited since taking over at Ohio State not even three years ago, their most important job might be facing them now.
How do they hang onto gifted freshmen Greg Oden, Mike Conley and Daequan Cook?
Those three were part of a Buckeyes team that finished the regular season ranked No. 1, won the Big Ten regular season and tournament championships and reached the NCAA title game. Not a bad start for their careers. If that is the end to all their careers, however, there will be some disappointment in Columbus.
Although they are facing the decision of whether to enter the NBA draft simultaneously, and though each is likely to be represented by the agency recently opened by Mike Conley Sr., each player's case is unique. There is no blanket answer to the question of whether it's wise to stay or go.
Oden
He can leave whenever he wants. He will be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft if the GM who lucks into that pick through the lottery is remotely competent. (The fact that his team is in the lottery might indicate competence is an iffy proposition, but let's not jump to conclusions).
Oden's game surely would be enhanced by the opportunity to play for a full year in college without the restrictions last spring's wrist surgery imposed upon him, but this is one of the rare players NBA-ready after a single season in college. Leaving for the league would not throw him off the course toward becoming an all-time great.
Sticking around merely is a lifestyle choice. Does he want to establish a stronger legacy in college basketball? Does he want to pursue a championship with this team? Does he wish to advance another year toward a college degree? Can he defer the gratification of NBA money? How much pressure is there for him get that paycheck now?
Conley
Conley wants another season of college basketball. He knows parts of his game need to be improved for him to become a great pro point guard. He could use a few more pounds, and he certainly needs to become a more accurate shooter with better range. He hit only 30 percent of his college-length 3-pointers, and most of those were launched from directly at the line.
The discussion of him entering the draft strictly is tied to draft position. He is being projected as a lottery level selection if he leaves college now. But this draft is certain to be one of the most loaded in recent years. With an improved jumper and a thinner crop in 2008, Conley likely will find himself in range of the top five. He's got the physical gifts and mental command of the game to approach what Deron Williams, Chris Paul and Raymond Felton did in going 3-4-5 in the 2005 draft.
It's easy to forget that when Kenny Anderson left Georgia Tech, he was among the most gifted point guards ever to play college basketball. But he didn't gain the strength and jumpshot range he needed to be fully effective until his fifth year in the league. By the time his career stabilized, he was on his third team.
Daequan Cook
His own slow adaptation to the college game and the emerging leadership of senior Ron Lewis relegated Daequan Cook to a small role by the time the Buckeyes reached the NCAA Tournament. NBA teams currently aren't imagining Daequan Cook as a first-round pick, and why should they? He did not have a double-figure scoring game in the season's final month and averaged only 9.8 points for the season.
Frustrated by the year, Daequan Cook is pondering whether to simply get out and work his way up from the edge of an NBA roster. By following this course, he would cost himself millions. If Daequan Cook returns to OSU as a sophomore, he'll have plenty of opportunity to show off his offensive skills and will have the opportunity to become a mid-teens scorer -- or better.
Daequan Cook is a dynamic offensive talent with pro level skills, but sometimes such ability is muted in the transition to a new level. Charlie Villanueva played about the same role as a freshman on Connecticut's 2004 champions as Daequan Cook did with OSU this year. However, as a sophomore, Villanueva increased his output to 13.6 points per game. He left after that year to become the No. 7 overall pick and quickly established himself as an important player in the league. That's the example Daequan Cook should be following. Villanueva was thought to be a sluggish, unmotivated player before sticking it out at UConn. His perseverance paid off big.
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