Aldridge going pro

[T-Pain]

from ESPN.com

The Texas Longhorns will reportedly be without one of their leading scorers next season.


LaMarcus Aldridge, whose sophomore season ended with a disappointing performance in Texas' overtime loss to LSU in the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight, has told teammates and the Longhorns coaching staff he will enter the NBA draft, three sources told The Dallas Morning News.


Aldridge is projected as a possible high first-round pick in the NBA draft -- and ranks at No. 3 on ESPN Insider Chad Ford's Top 100 -- but declined to discuss his future after Texas' loss.


Aldridge's 26-point, 13-rebound performance against West Virginia in the Sweet Sixteen had scouts buzzing that he had solidified his place as a potential No. 1 pick in the draft, according to Ford. But his 2-for-14 performance against LSU had scouts backing off a little bit.


The 6-10 forward averaged 15.0 points and 9.2 rebounds a game during the regular season.


In related news, Longhorns coach Rick Barnes will remain at Texas, despite reports the North Carolina State had targeted Barnes in its coaching search, the Morning News also reported.


Barnes' annual base salary will increase from $1.3 million to $1.8 million, and he will receive a $125,000 bonus if Texas reaches the NCAA Tournament, according to the newspaper.


In 2006, the Longhorns won a school-record 30 games, and earned a share of the Big 12 regular season title.

[degenerate_gambler]

He's gonna get eaten alive in the NBA but how can you turn down the guaranteed money someone's about to throw at him?

But if this helps Texas snag Darrell Arthur away from Kansas, see ya LA.

[mookie2001]

well he's no robert swift

[JMarkJohns]

He's gonna get eaten alive in the NBA but how can you turn down the guaranteed money someone's about to throw at him?

But if this helps Texas snag Darrell Arthur away from Kansas, see ya LA.

It will help with Arthur, if the only thing that interests Arthur is playings time, but according to his AAU coach Jazzy Hartwell, it's not the only area of concern, but rather, just one.

Style of play and the teams ability to win a Title in his time there weigh in just as heavily as playing time and offensive role.

DallasPrep.com's Rodney Johsnon echoed these sentiments as well.

In fact, right now, it's more likely that UA or LSU will land him than Kansas or Texas, for the simple reason that if he wanted either of the last two schools, he'd have committed there already. Both LSU and UA have a PF opening and both have equal talent, if not better, than Kansas or Texas.

Arthur likes both so much that he intends to pay his own way to visit both UA and LSU before he makes a decision. Likely after the Roundball Classic.

According to both Hartwell and Johnson, it's a four horse race and as of now, every team is neck and neck. No favorites have been listed, it's just down to those four schools.

[Horry For 3!]

Hmmmm, Arizona used to have better talent than Texas but I don't think they do now.

[JMarkJohns]

Hmmmm, Arizona used to have better talent than Texas but I don't think they do now.

Then why is Texas and Rick Barnes got such a hard on for two current UA players (McClellan and Wise) and a third future player (Bayless)?


NOTE: *McDonald's All-Americans
Five Star players
Mustafa Shakur*
JP Prince
Juwann McClellan*
Chase Budinger*

Four Star
Marcus Williams
Ivan Radenovic
Fendi Onobun
Kirk Walters

Three Star
Nick Wise
Jordan Hill
Daniel Dillon

2007 studs
5-Star Jerryd Bayless
5-Star Jamelle Horne
4-Star Alex Jacobson

Possibles for 2007
5-Star Gary Johnson
5-Star Derrick Rose

Are you really going to argue this?

If Arthur comes to UA and stays two years, he could play with upwards of eight 5-Star and five 4-star players in his tenure there. That's a lot of talent.

With Aldridge and Tucker gone, Texas is missing their two best players from this past season. You'll have Gibson, Durant and Augustine, then a handful of raw/seldom used fillers. Yeah, I know Mike Williams was a MCDAA, but he's shown nothing as of yet to validate that.

True, UA is losing Adams, but they are gaining McClellan and Budinger.

I'd say they come away better.

Texas NEEDS Arthur for next year, or else they'll have a significant drop off.

If Arizona loses Shakur and/or Marcus Williams, then the field is back to level.

If not, then I really don't see how you can claim Texas is better. They might have more McD AA's (4 for UT, 3 for UA), but the 4-Star players at UA are significantly better than anything Texas has, outside of Durant. Add to that the potential of the 5-Stars of UA's and I see this as not even close.

[mookie2001]

you mean texas recruits players that have offers from UA?


crazy

I wouldnt bet on tucker leaving either
aj abrams wasnt a filler, he was our best guard for long stretches deep in the year
mike williams had a excellent tournament

and dj augustine is the top pg in texas

[Horry For 3!]

Yeah, I don't think PJ will be leaving. Also, isn't Shakur suppose to be leaving?

[JMarkJohns]

you mean texas recruits players that have offers from UA?

Yeah, it's crazy that a player who's been verbaled for three years keeps getting offers all the way until LOI day as a Senior. Or nudge, nidge wink, wink offers to a already signed player on the UA roster.


Can you tell me how Tucker is going to improve his stock? If he comes back to Texas, with Durant at SF, he'll never get the chance to improve his perimeter game. He'll be asked to do the down low dirty work, which won't help his NBA stock at all.

He's coming of a great year, won't be growing another three inches any time soon and would be returning to a team that's going to be worse than last year's team.

To me, that spells NBA DRAFT.

Take it for what it's worth...

EDIT: Shakur is not supposed to be leaving. He'll more than likely test, get a read on where he stands and what's needed for improvement, but right now, he's not even a second rounder on mock drafts.

Tucker is a bubble first.

That's why I'd count ont he one coming back and the other leaving.

[mookie2001]

Can you tell me how Tucker is going to improve his stock? If he comes back to Texas, with Durant at SF, he'll never get the chance to improve his perimeter game. are you kidding me, durants gonna take all of tuckers mins?

1. tucker plays in the post
he's undersized
he cant catch and shoot from the perimeter
thats tucker
he cannot dribble unless he is going DIRECTLY to the basket


if youre gonna draft him
youre gonna realize hes a barkley, malik rose, tractor traylor post

even with 5 years of ball handing skills he cant play wing in the nba
he cant go through one big12 game without getting traveling, doubledribble and palming called on him

2. durants gonna play offguard too
texas lost its only wing with any size in dowell last year
gibson is their biggest guard and he's 6-2




He'll be asked to do the down low dirty work, which won't help his NBA stock at all.

He's coming of a great year, won't be growing another three inches any time soon and would be returning to a team that's going to be worse than last year's team.you mean rebound and play d
nba teams dont look for that?

and I wouldnt say losing your sophmore center, a sr underachieving gutless post, and a player that never averged 10 ppg, would make a team bad enough for a 6-5 post who missed most of his so. year, jump to the nba

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I told y'all a couple of weeks ago... Arthur will end up in Arizona. He hasn't even gone there yet. When he does, he'll get promised all the PT he wants and the scenery isn't exactly lacking if you know what I mean...

[cecil collins]

No favorites have been listed, it's just down to those four schools.
Actually I've seen Texas and Kansas as listed favorites. Your point of view is obviously of Arizona fan and that's why you argue that he will less likely go to Texas or Kansas because if he wanted to, he would have committed already. For one thing, Texas didn't even have a scholarship available to him, and now I guess they do.

[mookie2001]

I heard a month ago it was down to ku and texas

[JMarkJohns]

Actually I've seen Texas and Kansas as listed favorites. Your point of view is obviously of Arizona fan and that's why you argue that he will less likely go to Texas or Kansas because if he wanted to, he would have committed already. For one thing, Texas didn't even have a scholarship available to him, and now I guess they do.

According to his AAU coach and DallasPrep.com, two people who have had recent (as in the last couple of days), he has no favorites.

Everything you've read is from months ago.

It's now started over with Texas, Kansas, Arizona and LSU and all have equal shots according to both sources. His AAU coach is quite the autority as he's gone on several of his visits. He knows from wence he speaks.

Mookie, I understand that Tucker is a low post player. At this level, anyways. However, being that he's 6-5 and, my guess, around 220 pounds, he'll likely be a Corliss Williamson type of SF at the NBA level.

If he comes back to Texas next season, he'll not be given the chance to play SF, 1. because of Durant being a stud SF prospect and 2. because without Aldridge, they'll need his low post play even more than this past year.

Playing down low doesn't help his NBA chances. They don't. I don't care how good a low post player he becomes, he's not going to play the PF spot at 6-5, 220 in the NBA.

I understand that right now, he's not yet a capable wing-forward, but in my opinion, because of this year's play, the depth issues of this year's draft and the position issues of next year's Longhorns, he's gone.

He's a bubble first right now. Next year's draft is deeper and with not being able to work on the NBA skills at the college level next season, I don't see how coming back helps him at all.

Texas is a fine school with some great talent, but they aren't UA, a program which has had more players drafted by the NBA since 1990 than any other program, with one National Title and a National Runner up in the last 10 years and 20+ years of 20+ wins and NCAA Tournament appearances.

He'd going to play with equal, if not better talent at Arizona, than at Texas. I'm not going on opinion, I'm going on rankings. He'll have a better coach and he'll have a starring role that he can just step into and start pumping out 16-8 in the best system for creating NBA talent since Dean Smith's Carolina teams.

If he turns that down, then he'll still be going to a good university whether it be Kansas, Texas or LSU.

But just because Arizona is a new name in the race, doesn't mean it doesn't stand a chance. Everything said from he, his mom, his coach and those who have interviewed HIM have said just as much. If you read between the lines, it even says more.

For example, his visits to Texas and Kansas have come and went. Positions have been opened, talent accumulated and promises made, yet no decision. Not for two years now.

Arizona is said to be getting an unofficial visit, paid for by Arthur. When the first date couldn't be made (this past weekend) due to travel conflicts, he didn't eliminate Arizona because things couldn't be worked out. He simply pushed back the deadline and started working on the next visit date.

He says he wants to visit Arizona. Not his parents, not his camp. He says it. Why pay your own way if there's no real interest? Why spend money you don't have for a trip you don't need if your minds already made up?

Like it or lump it, them's the facts.

We'll have to see. DallasPrep.com says it should be announced by May. Maybe sooner. Good luck either way, but let it be known that midnight Lute has a full tank and is hard at work.

[mookie2001]

he's not going to play the PF spot at 6-5, 220 in the NBA

than he'll never play in the nba

because if you've seen more than 2 pj tucker games you know his handle is pathetic(this year is the first year he has handled the ball this much)
hes not quick enough to beat NBA wings off the dribble, which he cant do anyway, he cant catch and shoot, he doesnt have range on his jumper
he does have the quickness to face up and shoot/drive on bigman, he can post up, he has strength, and he is an excellent rebounder
if you want to get into semantics and he had a player like dirk, KG, lamar odom, kirelenko, artest on his team he very well could play the "sf" spot, but he would be playing downlow, in the post, while the pf roams around like a pussy

[JMarkJohns]

I truly believe he'll wow the scouts with his immediate skills, get a first round promise and be drafted for his wing potential. Yes, he'll have to work on his handle. Yes, he'll have to work on his jumper, but he's just not an NBA PF.

I agree that a low post game will have an impact on his NBA career, just like Williamson, but undersized PF's (in Tucker's case, extremely undersized) just don't get drafted anymore, let alone paid.

[Horry For 3!]

PJ reminds me kinda of Bonzi Wells. He likes to post up a lot and is not that great at outside shots but can make them. PJ may be a better rebounder than Bonzi though and he can't control the ball as well. But he will get better once he is in the NBA.

[JMarkJohns]

But he will get better once he is in the NBA.

Exactly, so why should he come back again?

[IcemanCometh]

arizona got how far in the tourney? oh yeah just as far as they always get.

i trust aau coaches about as much as i believe Aggie Hoopsfan

[mookie2001]

Exactly, so why should he come back again?he'll get more mins at texas than sitting on a bench
this is a guy whos had less than 2.5 seasons to even make a name for himself, and see what kind of player he is

plus he'll earn a four year college, or be at least close to graduating
I just don't see what yall have against a guy returning for his senior year?
big 12 poy doesnt mean shit, except that if he comes back, he'll be the meanest player in the league

but IF he gets a first round promise from some team, and then he believes it, he should go

I couldnt hold it against him
but I have heard in the past that players get let down on draftday

plus he can show Arthur how to play with little ruth
except he's FROM texas so he should be alright

[JMarkJohns]

arizona got how far in the tourney? oh yeah just as far as they always get.

Mighty big talk from a basketball program with as many Titles as Pac-10 doormat Washington State. How many National Titles in basketball does Texas have? What's that? Zero?

One could say that Texas was more of an underacheiver this year than Arizona was. After all, Arizona went as far their seeding said they should. Texas lost to a #4 seed, one round earlier than their seeding said they should.

As for your lame attempt at historical account, LMAO... Arizona has been one of the most impressive NCAA Tournament teams in the past 20 years. They've had their downs, but a National Title (beating three #1 seeds en route to, first team ever to do that) and three other Final Fours during that stretch help offset the three first-round exits.

When you win a Title, you can talk about success and failure. Until then, you're just part of the field. It's like the Mavericks talking smack against the Spurs. It's just insane.

Again, since 1990, no other college program has had more players drafted by the NBA than Arizona. Of the 26 players drafted, 10 NBA Titles have been won, with three other Finals appearances during that stretch. Arizona isn't just a perrenial top-10 NCAA team, they also turn their players into NBA players, that don't just play, but have good individual and team success.

Explain to me how you can question that?


The men's basketball team has been one of the nation's most successful programs since Lute Olson was hired as head coach in 1983. As of 2005, the team has amassed 19 consecutive 20-win seasons, and reached the NCAA Tournament 22 consecutive years, which is the longest streak in NCAA history. Lute Olson has taken the Wildcats to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament in 1988, 1994, 1997, and 2001. In 1997, Arizona defeated the University of Kentucky, the defending national champions, to win the NCAA National Championship. Prior to winning the championship in 1997, UA won a thriller game in the Elite Eight in double overtime to take them to the Final Four (NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship).

At the very least, wake me when Texas gets to four Final fours in under 15 years. You're at one.

Your Longhorns have such an extensive basketball history that when you google "NCAA Tournament University of Texas history", you get links to UTEP, Texas Western, Univ. Houston, and a link to a story on how they'll host the Final Four in 2008.

Wow, you're blowing me away. So good, for so long...

[mookie2001]

texas is a football school?

[samikeyp]

LaMarcus LaFucked up.

[IcemanCometh]

Again, since 1990, no other college program has had more players drafted by the NBA than Arizona. Of the 26 players drafted, 10 NBA Titles have been won, with three other Finals appearances during that stretch. Arizona isn't just a perrenial top-10 NCAA team, they also turn their players into NBA players, that don't just play, but have good individual and team success

Its pretty easy for Arizona to has so many NBA players when they have 0 academic requirements.
Arizonas 4 final 4s are nice but they have a long glorious history of 1 and done in the tournament. Its easy to win 20 games when you play patsies each and every single year to pad your schedule.

Arizona is the Cincinnati of the West.

[JMarkJohns]

Long glorious history? They've done it at random, three times.

When you make that many Tournaments in a row, you're going to lose some.

Even Duke and North Carolina have had some early round failures.

As for the schedule, Arizona won 20 games this year, playing the #5 overall strength of schedule, including the #1 overall non-conference schedule.

This, their crappiest team in years, still won 20 games, despite playing one of the hardest schedules in the Nation. Lest you forget, they are always involved in some non-conference mega-tournament like the NIT or Maui Invite. They do always have to face good Pac-10 compeition, whether it's Washington, Stanford, UCLA, California or Oregon, a combination of three has always been good when Arizona's been good.

Again, when Texas has four Final Fours, you can take shots. Until then, you only look the fool for attacking a top-10 basketball program.

It would be like me, as a UA fan, attacking Texas's football tradition. UA's had some football success, but cannot hold a candle to Texas, despite the times when Texas has been the favotite and lost a big game.

Same thing, dumbass...

[T-Pain]

do yall think theres a possible chance that houston might end up with LaMarcus?

[JMarkJohns]

I think the Bulls take him to replace Curry down low.

They have their own, plus the Knicks pick to make it happen.

[leemajors]

lemarcus really should have stayed, but i can't blame him. he needs to gain at least 30 pounds to play post in the NBA. gibson was wise to stay though, i can't believe he was thinking of leaving last year. he would have been a total bust.

[IceColdBrewski]

Its pretty easy for Arizona to has so many NBA players when they have 0 academic requirements.
Arizonas 4 final 4s are nice but they have a long glorious history of 1 and done in the tournament. Its easy to win 20 games when you play patsies each and every single year to pad your schedule.

If memory serves me correctly, the Wildcats have beaten the Longhorns the last 4 or 5 times they've met over the last 10-15 years. I guess that makes the Longhorns patsies?

Take a look around. You're the only one ignorant enough to argue that Arizona isn't legit. Give it up. Arizona has been an elite basketball program for more than 20 years now, going back to the Sean Elliot and Steve Kerr days. And with the exception of a handfull of seasons, their RPI is always one of the highest. So stop talking out of your ass and spare us "patsies" BS.

[JMarkJohns]

C'mon Iceman... I saw you reading the responses!

Got nothing more to say? Has the ass run dry?

Maybe you're just cleaning you face off... Lord only knows how long your head's been crammed up that sphincter of yours.

If Arthur chooses Texas, it won't be because of Arizona. He'll just prefer to stay close to home. Honestly, that's the one thing Texas has, that Arizona can't offer.

That might be just enough.

[mookie2001]

word is mustafa is leaving
I guess he thought the freshman would take all his minutes

[JMarkJohns]

Mustafa isn't leaving. Not a single scout he's talked to (he admitted) thinks he'll get drafted this year. He's mostly just going to talk to them, see what the League will need him to improve upon.

It only takes one GM to promise him first or early second. So it's a possibity, but from his mouth and scouts mouths, he's not ready and he's not stupid enough to risk it.

85% he'll be back.

Prince is said to be working real hard to earn the spot if he does go. What that means is anyone's guess, but being that he's a 5-star, I'm not too concerned.

Wise is only a 3-star because he's 5-8 and been committed since a freshman. There was no drama in him, so he became forgotten.

[JMarkJohns]

...Not a single scout he's talked to (he admitted) thinks he'll get drafted this year...

Inside info has Mustafa staying in the draft, despite the above still being true. No word on the agent, so technically if he goes undrafted, he can still come back and play with Arizona next year.

Not sure why, but it appears he's committed to moving on.


Bring on Nic...

Any of you seen Wise? From the video I've seen, he looks much, mch better than his rankings. Hell, he was rated the #2 Texas player behind Arthur for his senior season.

Hopefully he and Prince can make the necessary strides...

[JMarkJohns]

You know when I said Arizona could have equal talent, if not more than some teams vying for Arthur?

I guess I was wrong.

Arizona freshman Marcus Williams has heard from a half-dozen scouts that he's a legit top-20 pick right now, with a chance at late lottory.

He's declared and in the process of narrowing down agents.

It's not a given yet, but most in the program feel he's staying in.

No senior Mustafa. No Sophomore Marcus.

Only nice thing is it opens up two scholly's and Arizona is still in for Arthur and finished very high on Damien James' initial recruitment, which is now reopened.

With two 20+ minute spots open to the two Texas studs and three current Texas players on the Arizona team, hopefully UA can pull a rabbit out of the hat and land both.

[atxrocker]

im excited about Aldridge entering the draft, his game is very solid.

[JMarkJohns]

Arthur to LSU, according to SportingNews...

Oh well...

[mookie2001]

dam lsu stole that one
I wonder if he knows tuckers leaving

[JMarkJohns]

He wanted a starting role (or the very least a prime-time 20+ minute role) and a chance to win a Title.

He's more skilled than Thomas, so his impact should be equal at the very least. LSU has a solid frontcourt of Davis, Arthur and Rolle. Damn, rich get richer...

UA's on to Damian Jones. Once the release is official (if not already, I've heard conflicting reports), UA will be all over him, as they finished in his top-3 the first time around and he cited a lack of PT as a factor, but with Williams likely gone, a 20-minute role is now open.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Must be nice to be L$U. Cajun mafia strikes again.

By the way, Damion took a trip on his own dime to A&M last week, but it's doubtful OU will agree to a release that lets him end up at A&M. But then again, with all the NCAA problems they're having, it might be wise for them to shut their trap on that one.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

It's like that scene from the movie BASEketball, where Coop and Reemer are like:

"That's like saying Shaq got rich playing in the nba"
"What do you mean"
"well he got rich playing in college, everyone knows that"
"oh yeah"


Tyrus Thomas prolly got bout 80 G's for his time in LSU. No matter what the timvp's of this board say, he's still no number 1 pick to me. I think he's average. So he's athletic and he ruined a zone. Big whoop.

[JMarkJohns]

I think Thomas is overrated as well...

It's tough to say, the teams that need him most, he'll struggle on the most and the teams that can afford him the easist are likely the teams he'll get very little PT from.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I almost feel for the guys like Can't Be Faded on here.

Tyrus Thomas is going to benefit from the same 'catch lightning in a bottle' effect from his NCAA play that Vince will come Saturday from his Rose Bowl play.

[JMarkJohns]

Can't argue, it always happens, but Thomas really isn't skilled and IMO, has only an average shot, at best, to ever really develop any for the SF position he'll be asked to play.

Kind of a poor-mans Darius Miles.

[JMarkJohns]

Arizona freshman Marcus Williams has heard from a half-dozen scouts that he's a legit top-20 pick right now, with a chance at late lottory.

He's declared and in the process of narrowing down agents.

It's not a given yet, but most in the program feel he's staying in.

Thank heavens... Marcus... is.... back!!!

Now if only Shakur can wise up!

[~~Ice Man 2000~~]

i wish lemarcus would stayed.. hes to skinny he will get banged up for sure!

[LaMarcus Bryant]

Timvp says he'll be a bust so its pretty much clear what his future will be.