Losing Key Seniors Thread

[ColumbiaHeightsHoya]

Following on that last one, I wanted to do the same and figure out who is losing key seniors:

Pitt: Troutman
St. Johns: N/A
Seton Hall: N/A
WVU: Sally, Fischer
Georgetown: Owens (maybe)
Cuse: Warrick, Pace, Forth
Cincinnati: Maxiell, Williams
Louisville: Myles, O'Bannon
Marquette: Diener, Jackson
Depaul: Greer, Diener, Seals
South Florida: Swift, Bryant, Leather
Pitt: N/A
Villanova: N/A
Notre Dame: Thomas, Cornette, Latimore
Providence: Gomes (forgot them on the last post)
Uconn: N/A
Rutgers: Shields

[TBird41]

Ville, Cincy, ND,WVU, and Cuse are getting hit pretty hard by graduation--they're all losing at least 2 starters, and Pitt is likely to lose 3 starters. This conference will be wide open next year, especially if UConn loses anybody else to the draft (Rudy...man, you're definately good enough to be a lottery pick...you should take the money and run. Trust me.)

[YB]

I mean, honestly, what's a degree from UConn worth? I mean, UConn!!!!!

Take the $$ and run, Rudy!

[Joe Hoya]

Is anybody really "graduating" from Cincinnati or Syracuse? Honestly?

[YB]

This thread is the reason we should keep DJ.

[Eurostar]

Next year is the beginning of the end of pittsburgh basketball

[the_way]

MinionHoya said:

Next year is the beginning of the end of pittsburgh basketball

Pittsburgh was going down before these early entrees by Taft and Krauser. Ben Howland is gone and is building UCLA into a contender, like he did with Pittsburgh. Jamie Dixon, like a lot of assistants who become the head coach when the head coach steps down, was a solid recruiter for Howland, the head coach. But now, he is now having a hard time landing his own recruits, and it may be his downfall.

[SFHoya99]

I dunno. Pittsburgh has a nice class coming in with Sam Young, Levance Fields and maybe an outside shot at Top 20 G Jamont Gordon. They also signed a Top 30 2007 big man in Herb Pope.

They came together well down the stretch. I wonder if Taft is just an anomaly -- a selfish player unwilling to work in the system.

[the_way]

SFHoya99 said:

I dunno. Pittsburgh has a nice class coming in with Sam Young, Levance Fields and maybe an outside shot at Top 20 G Jamont Gordon. They also signed a Top 30 2007 big man in Herb Pope.

They came together well down the stretch. I wonder if Taft is just an anomaly -- a selfish player unwilling to work in the system.

None of those guys are anything to sneeze at. I give it 2 years, and Pitt will be at the bottom of the Big East. Taft is just smart. The NBA draft is thin. He will be a top 5 pick.

[bowmansbruzers]

The NBA draft is not thin at all. Actually, it could be one of the deepest drafts in the last 10 years. But, everyone sees his athleticism, and a strong need for big men in this draft, and Pitt is going downhill, so its a perfect time for him leaving.

[the_way]

bowmansbruzers said:

The NBA draft is not thin at all. Actually, it could be one of the deepest drafts in the last 10 years. But, everyone sees his athleticism, and a strong need for big men in this draft, and Pitt is going downhill, so its a perfect time for him leaving.

How is it deep? What players are there. Bogut is overrated. May will be a average to an above-average player in the NBA. Who else is there? Nobody in high school is read for the NBA? This will be the weakest draft in years.

[bowmansbruzers]

You have a guy like Hakim Warrick going 20 or farther in the first round, McCants and Felton going 10 or farther, it's just like one of the deepest drafts so far with all of this college talent coming out.

[the_way]

bowmansbruzers said:

You have a guy like Hakim Warrick going 20 or farther in the first round, McCants and Felton going 10 or farther, it's just like one of the deepest drafts so far with all of this college talent coming out.

Like I said, where is the talent. McCants and Felton won't be impact players in the NBA. McCants will have to run the point, which he can't do, because he is too short to play 2 (listed at 6'4", but more like 6'2"). Felton wil be an 8 pts and 5 assists a game guy in the NBA at best (see Ed Cota, Matteen Cleaves, EL-Amin). Warrick has to develop an outside game if he his going to play small forward. There are no impact players in this draft. Again, how is this draft deep!? A deep draft is having a lot of players who can contribute significantly to a ball club now or in the future. I'm not talking about Franchise players, because there are none in the upcoming draft. I'm just talking about guys who can help an NBA ball club. There are very few players in the upcoming draft like that.

[ColumbiaHeightsHoya]

Based on the way May has played I could see him being an Elton Brand type. I know that was not NBA muscle last night, but is quick and will get around the D inside NBA players. He is going to be a solid power forward. I would take Deron Williams over Felton. NBA body and a bit better of a shooter. I think it is a pretty solid draft but the difference is outside of Bogut (who is not overrated you just never see Utah play), there is no sure thing.

[Cambridge]

You really think he's going to be a good pro? I can see it, but we were debating that a lot last night.

He definitely rebounds very well, but will he be able to do that when he's up against players who are stronger than him and taller than him? I say yes, but its a tough call because he definitely didn't face anyone like that in any game in college...

The other big question is, will he develop any range? I guess the fact that I didn't see him even consider a shot from further than 2 feet led me to believe that he simply can't hit them and can only lay it up or slam -- which I have to say he does very well and often manages to finish even with the harm -- but like it or not, a power forward in the NBA needs a mid-range jumper...or at least a short range jumper. Even a fraud of a talent like Blount has his big games when he can drop that 8 footer from the middle of the zone. If they don't have it, they are doomed to spot minutes.

Also, can May D up a PF? We definitely didn't really see it in the tournament. Not really his fault as many of the forwards he was guarding were drifting out to the perimeter, but I seriously question whether he will be able to guard a bruiser without getting into foul trouble. Sure, he has fast enough feet and he's strong, but does he have the timing and the defensive IQ to handle it? Big question.

[the_way]

May should leave because his stock is at the highest. That doesn't mean he will be great in the NBA. May is not on Elton Brand's level when coming out. Sean May will have a tough time in the NBA because he won't be shooting layups over panzy's anymore. Sean May aws fortunate to play in a physically-soft conference like the ACC and inferior inside players this year. When he gets to the NBA he will have a hard time.

[NCHoya]

After watching the Heels all season, May reminds me a lot of Boozer from Duke. No one thought Boozer would be athletic enough or tall enough and they thought his skills were limited to three feet from the basket. Boozer has proven otherwise. I think May can do the same. He is so efficient close to the basket, I have seen him hit jumpers but he does not take many because frankly he does not have to. I know the NBA loves athletes but overlooking a fundamentally sound player that is wide and has a great attitude will go far in the current watered down, youth driven NBA. He also gets down the court very well for a 260 pound PF. I would take him rather high, he is a guy that can get you 8 boards a game next season. If Sweetney was a #9 by NYK, than May should be picked as early if not earlier.

Interestingly, of all the Heels, May has been the most adamant about staying all four years, I would like to see if this changes now that he has his ring and the MOP award, what is really left for him to accomplish?

[ColumbiaHeightsHoya]

Also, if McCants, Felton go, along with their seniors and maybe williams, ouch! I wouldn't want to come back to that. May will be legit. He has a soft touch and can put it down from 17 feet in. He will be fine. How many times did Sweets need to shoot threes? Not too often because he dominated inside. I think Sweets will still find his way once he gets off the Knicks and May will be very good. I would take him in a minute over any of these high school chumps coming out.

[the_way]

NCHoya said:

After watching the Heels all season, May reminds me a lot of Boozer from Duke. No one thought Boozer would be athletic enough or tall enough and they thought his skills were limited to three feet from the basket. Boozer has proven otherwise. I think May can do the same. He is so efficient close to the basket, I have seen him hit jumpers but he does not take many because frankly he does not have to. I know the NBA loves athletes but overlooking a fundamentally sound player that is wide and has a great attitude will go far in the current watered down, youth driven NBA. He also gets down the court very well for a 260 pound PF. I would take him rather high, he is a guy that can get you 8 boards a game next season. If Sweetney was a #9 by NYK, than May should be picked as early if not earlier.

Interestingly, of all the Heels, May has been the most adamant about staying all four years, I would like to see if this changes now that he has his ring and the MOP award, what is really left for him to accomplish?

May and Boozer are different players. The knock on Boozer was that he wasn't tough enough to play inside. Boozer was 6'9"/6'8" and built like tank. Boozer had an NBA body and some skills but they questioned his toughness. Sean May is like Lonny Baxter of Maryland to me. Chubby 6'7" type player and with limited skills but effective enough to dominate the college game.

May is not fundamentally sound and has limited moves in the paint. If you notice in the Michigan St. game, everytime he tried to put the ball on the floor they stripped it away from him. When playing against some size he struggled with his shot. He is really going to struggle in the defensive end. When he gets into the NBA he won't just have his way with inferior inside players like he did in college. He will face real competition. Look at Emeka Okafor. He is doing nice job in the NBA, but he is not dominating and blocking every shot in sight like he did in college. Sean May wasn't the inside presence Okafor was in college.

[Deleted]

the_way said:

May and Boozer are different players. The knock on Boozer was that he wasn't tough enough to play inside. Boozer was 6'9"/6'8" and built like tank. Boozer had an NBA body and some skills but they questioned his toughness. Sean May is like Lonny Baxter of Maryland to me. Chubby 6'7" type player and with limited skills but effective enough to dominate the college game.

Sounds a bit like Charles Barkley. How did that work out?