After the NCAAT, State fans were giddy over the prospects for next year. Except for one graduating senior - The whole solid team was coming back with at least a year's experience. Possible ACC titles and Final Four's being whispered about. Definite Top 25 ranking after so many long years.
And then this week happens.
Tuesday, Trevor Lacy decided to skip his senior year and enter the NBA draft. There are 30 NBA teams and two rounds - a total of 60 kids will be drafted. Trevor will not be one of them. He's ranked somewhere in the high 90's as a draft pick. If there were a third round - maybe. But there isn't. So he isn't.
What it will do is allow him to try out for NBA teams. Who knows - maybe he'll get picked up at minimum salary (half million) and play his way in. Or - possibly play in Europe for a couple hundred thousand a year.
Playing his final year at State probably would not have improved his draft prospects - so - why not go ahead and turn pro? From his perspective, he's likely to have the same chances this year as next - so go ahead and go for it. I wish him all the luck in the world. I do wish he would have stayed and played, and gotten his degree - but - he's got to make the right choice for him.
Then yesterday, Kyle Washington announced he was transferring.
This is the one I don't 'get'.
Kyle was a starter and then Lennard* Freeman took his starting job. Kyle was first off the bench and still got a lot of playing time. A very important part of the NC State team.
Kyle is not starting material for any ACC or major conference team. Well, maybe at a bottom end team. And obviously, Kyle is not a future NBA player.
Kyle is the kind of kid who is very talented - but as an amateur. His mindset should be playing ball as a way to get a good college education and a way to open doors for his adult career.
Instead, he seems caught up in the one-and-done all-about-me mindset. The kids who are very talented; starting to play ball at a very early age; and convinced by age 10 that they are the greatest thing since sliced bread and think they're destined to be the next Michael Jordan.
Kyle seems to think college ball should be all about playing time. It isn't - not for him anyway. It should be about his getting a good education and a degree. Instead, he wants to bounce around to increase his playing minutes.
So many of these kids have parents, relatives, friends and whoever whispering in their ears that they should be 'the star player'. And if not, it is the school's or coach's fault and they should transfer to someplace where they'd be more appreciated and where more playing time will get them noticed by the NBA.
These relatives, friends and 'advisers' are idiots. Most of them didn't have the brains or personal fortitude to make it through college themselves. Their idea of planning for the future is to be magically scooped up by the NBA. Or by buying $20 worth of lottery tickets each week.
I wish Kyle were staying. I really hope that wherever he goes - he gets a good education and graduates. He's going to need that degree.
So - in one week State loses one starting guard and the first player off the bench (forward).
We probably just went from a top 3 ACC team to back to the middle of the ACC pack again. Sigh . . .
* Yes - that is how it's spelled. And it's pronounced Le Nard. That's why (on StateFansNation) his nickname is "The Nard" or "Frenchie". LOL
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