Just out of curiosity, I pose this question to my fellow Jayhawk fans.
What do you think of KU's OADs (in general, not only as people, but benefit to the game, KU, etc.)? What do you think of them as basketball players? As people? Do you like them? Dislike them? Like some, but not others?
I love Wiggs and JoJo, I wish they would have stuck around longer but I understand why they are going. They could both use another year to get better before going up agaisnt the men in the league. Hopefully the new commish gets his way and there will be a 2 or 3 year rule in place in 2017. That would make both products better.
@HawkInMizery I love them too, but hate the rule! Hate it! Is this a bigger feather in his cap(Self) than one for our program?
@Crimsonorblue22 I think it's a huge feather in Self's cap! I mean JoJo was ranked around 100 or so when he found him? And then he had a metoric rise. That's huge for Self and further acknowledges our nicknameof Big Man U, which is unfortunately why I think we aren't getting elite PG's. They know what our reputation is. I mean outside of Chalmers what HCBS has gone on to do big things in the league?
@MoonwalkMafia I don't know them personally. They seem like great kids. As others have said, I like them, but not the OAD idea.
It's here to stay though, we may as well embrace it.
IMHO they didn't seem to help much in the past. I am not a OAD fan, but we've been lucky to have great individuals when they do come to KU. I am happy they all came.
Then Last year Ben showed me quite a bit.
This year, they were a huge part of our success, but also being frosh didn't show up every game.
But, they all were class acts and conducted themselves well. I was very happy to have them-sorry to see them go but only have the best wishes for them.
And gents, please come back and visit when you can.
Besides Henry, all of KU's OADs have been pretty solid kids, not attitude problems, grew why they were here.
Selby didn't make it in the league, but Henry is now except he is injured, BMac is doing well too.
Wiggins and Embiid will do well in the League and that all shows KU off pretty darn good.
@JayhawkRock78 You raise an interesting point with McLemore. I think it's fair to say that Ben was the best OAD that KU has had. At worst, he's in the top 3.
Ben looked like a man among boys. His game was clearly ready for the NBA. I think few if any questioned him going to the NBA. In terms of his game, the quality of person he was, and his family situation it was obvious he needed to go.
That being said, Ben spent two years in the system. He was on teams that as Naadir said earlier this year "would not let us lose." They were staples of the KU grit. It's hard to argue that he didn't benefit greatly from that.
Ben is the only one where there was more to the argument (to go to the NBA) than the money. In that regard, I find myself somewhat bitter over the OAD situation.
@MoonwalkMafia
Thanks,
Luckily for all involved Ben was in our program two years, giving him extra time to mature and develop even though he only played here one year. I think it was a win-win-win all the way round. It's a great story and I hope it keeps playing out that way.
And as I said, I don't like the OAD program, but it is what it is and we've had some wonderful young men come through KU. I hope it goes to 2 or 3 and done, or have the NBA put money in escrow-something like that- follow the other pro sports-who knows.
@JRyman I think Henry was a pretty solid kid as well. Carl Henry was a pain in the ass, but kids don't choose their parents! I know a lot of people still don't think much of Henry's one season here, but I defended it then and I stand by it still. He wasn't a prima donna. When he hit his "freshman wall" and struggled scoring during conference play, he still worked hard on his defense & rebounding to try and be a positive force on the court. It's a shame he came with such baggage, and that his year was marred by another 2nd round (or 3rd round...whatever, round of 32) tournament loss.
I agree. Henry was indeed a pretty solid kid and he has returned many times to Lawrence to promote KU.
@icthawkfan316 You mention Henry's effort on rebounding and defense. He also led the team in steals that season.
For me, Wiggins was our only OAD. I'm glad he came and wish him the very best.
Embiid was not OAD, he was WOW and OMG! Whether on offense or defense, you had to have one hand free at all times to pick your jaw up off the floor. Humor, attitude, energy, potential, unbelievably fast improvement: he was like a video game when you know all the Easter eggs.
Want to see a Dream Shake? Show Embiid some tape of Hakeem. Then show him some video of Withey and watch him immediately block everything in bounds or off the backboard. Want some fast breaks? Have Embiid patrol the glass alone and zip some outlet passes.
When Withey sat, it was a different game. Embiid was an even bigger game changer!
I will miss him more than all the mere OADs combined, and I will cherish his brief, shining moments at KU.
By the way, I don't count Ben as an OAD either. Loved Ben, the purity of his shot, his "little brother" attitude and his occasional explosion of athleticism.
The Decorah Eagles I've been watching for the past 3 years do a OAD every year. OAD for them starts with the laying of the eggs (recruit signing), total dependency on being feed (learning the Self system) to feeding themselves (playing) and finally fledgling (first flight) where the eaglets learn enough to go out and survive in the world on their own. Mom and Dad Eagles provide for them in such a caring way.
It is fascinating watching how fast they go from total dependency to being able to feed themselves.
Danny Manning
Clyde Lovellette
Paul Pierce
Raef LaFrentz
Nick Collison
Jo Jo White
Kirk Hinrich
Bud Stallworth
Jacque Vaughn
Drew Gooden
Wilt Chamberlain
I asked myself to come up with the first few Jayhawks that came to my mind as the greatest or most favorite Jayhawks of all time. This took me about - 30 seconds. Every one of them were here for four years, except Paul, Drew and Wilt who were all Juniors when they left. These guys seem like family to me. When I talk about KU basketball with my communist (non KU) friends, my chest puffs out talking about these guys.
I'm sorry, there is no OAD that will ever be on that list in MY mind. They're not even here long enough to get to know them. I don't dislike them. I'm happy they chose Kansas ( I guess ). I just don't get to know them long enough to care.
Just this second it dawned on me that my life long goal is NOT to win a National Championship every year. I suppose that's the idea behind the OAD's. Screw that. I want guys here that make me proud of Kansas basketball. Like the guys listed above. I want to puff my chest out 20 years from now talking about the Players - not the number of banners.
Maybe I'll feel differently after more coffee.
🐦 View Tweet/photo/1
This is a great photoshop.
Just saw a pic of wiggins and bro nick(WSU) at a raptors game. No more school?
@Crimsonorblue22 No once you decide to go pro you don't have to go to class anymore. As per the APR rules, as long as he leaves in good academic standing it will not hurt the University.
Really surprised the ncaa allows this. If any of these kids want to come back and finish- there have been some- you still have to make up a whole semester when you were less than a month away from finishing it out.
@Crimsonorblue22 Yes it is, to play in the second semester of college all you have to do is pass your first semester.
If you are not coming back you don't have to go. That's why you here these kids going to Vegas for a week of training, or the Brother Wiggins back home in Totonto watching a Raptors game.
Yes it is, to play in the second semester of college all you have to do is pass your first semester.
It is not that simple. The player has to be enrolled in certain number of classes to be eligible to play. At KU, the Athletic Department has volunteer monitors that make sure athletes go to classes, otherwise they might not be allowed to play or could even be suspended. Once the season ends, the school has zero leverage over a student-athlete that is leaving for ther NBA.
If a student-athlete leaves before the end of the semester without finishing the school work, the Academic Progress Rate (APR) is affected. Syracuse lost two scholarship when 3 players left school to prepare for the NBA before finishing the Spring semester. KU has been lucky so far that even student-athletes leaving early for the NBA. stayed on campus and finished the semester, and thus left in good academic standing and allowed KU to maintain its perfect APR. It is very likely that students planning to move to the NBA take the very minimum number of classes (electives) that will allow them to stay eligible, even if they are not making a meaningful progress towards a degree, so they can finish them early and leave in good standing.