NCAA denies Jameel McKay's waiver;stays ineligible until Dec. 20

[Tugg Speedman]

Instead of leaving a week after midnight madness in late October, he could have stayed through the end of the semester and played in the first 10 or so games and would have been in exactly the same position he is in now.



NCAA denies Jameel McKay's waiver; redshirt junior stays ineligible until Dec. 20

http://www.iowastatedaily.com/sports/article_45c15906-1125-11e4-82d0-0019bb2963f4.html



ISU basketball player Jameel McKay's waiver request for immediate eligibility has been denied by the NCAA, an ISU athletic department spokesperson confirmed.

McKay, a two-time NJCAA Division I All-American while at Indian Hills Community College, transferred to Iowa State from Marquette before the 2013-14 season began.

If his request was granted, McKay would have been eligible for the entire 2014-15 season. Instead, McKay will be forced to sit out until Iowa State takes on Drake at Wells Fargo Arena on Dec. 20.

The last time McKay saw action was in his sophomore season at Indian Hills, where he averaged 18.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, two blocks and 1.6 assists per game.

[Litehouse]

If he played in just 1 game, wouldn't he have lost a year of eligibility?  and then only able to play for the second semester this year?

[77ncaachamps]

Do you think the determination of his ineligibility was more of a deadline and/or paperwork issue?

[tower912]

No, he entered Iowa State at the start of term in January.    He has to wait two semesters.   Pretty simple. 

[Freeport Warrior]

We really could have used him this year, especially his height. Looked to me to be taller than Rob Jackson and he is 6' 10". I saw McKay playing pick-up with Deontae, Dawson, Duane and JJJ a few months back. He can literally jump out of the gym. He is still lean, but he seemed to have put on some muscle and is absolutely ripped. He would have given us some nice depth and an early season stop-gap before Fischer joins the squad.

[tower912]

I forget.  Was it ever determined exactly why he left?    Was it that he was asked to red-shirt?   Was it that he was being place at a position other than what he thought was his best?    Was it lack of immediate playing time?

[StillWarriors]

I can't recall the talk about why he left, but did read recently that he has been Iowa State's best player by far in summer ball. Ouch. We certainly could have used him.

[Tugg Speedman]

I forget.  Was it ever determined exactly why he left?    Was it that he was asked to red-shirt?   Was it that he was being place at a position other than what he thought was his best?    Was it lack of immediate playing time?

I recall that he left within a week after midnight madness.  Nothing specifically was said but rumor was he did not want to play the 5.

Additionally, when Brent left he tweeted things to the effect that he was vindicated in leaving as Brent showed his true face.  Point is he was suggesting he did not like Brent and wanted out ASAP.

Other agree?

[77ncaachamps]

I recall that he left within a week after midnight madness.  Nothing specifically was said but rumor was he did not want to play the 5.

Additionally, when Brent left he tweeted things to the effect that he was vindicated in leaving as Brent showed his true face.  Point is he was suggesting he did not like Brent and wanted out ASAP.

Other agree?

I remember the same as well.

Unhappy with playing the 5 spot.

From his recruiting videos, he looked like he was comfortable playing a shooting 4.

[Tugg Speedman]

I remember the same as well.

Unhappy with playing the 5 spot.

From his recruiting videos, he looked like he was comfortable playing a shooting 4.

What made that so confusing was we had Otule and DG last year so why was he going to play the 5?

[wadesworld]

What made that so confusing was we had Otule and DG last year so why was he going to play the 5?

It was the minutes (or lack thereof) more so than it was the position.

[willie warrior]

I forget.  Was it ever determined exactly why he left?    Was it that he was asked to red-shirt?   Was it that he was being place at a position other than what he thought was his best?    Was it lack of immediate playing time?

It was the phony cowboy.

[Lennys Tap]

It was the minutes (or lack thereof) more so than it was the position.

This. He looked to be behind both Jamil and Steve Taylor Jr at the 4.

[tower912]

There was also a rumor that Buzz asked him to redshirt?

[wadesworld]

There was also a rumor that Buzz asked him to redshirt?

Never heard that one.  This is one that I feel *pretty* confident in the information I was given.  He was told he would see well under 10 mpg last year and didn't like that.  Now, does that mean that he was told something else during his recruitment and that's why he didn't like it?  That part I do not know.

[We R Final Four]

From his recruiting videos, he looked like he was comfortable playing a shooting 4.

More like a tip-in 4, or maybe a hustle 4, or an energy 4,.......but certainly not a shooting 4. 

Would have loved to have him, but certainly not for his shot.

[AZWarrior]

We really could have used him this year, especially his height. Looked to me to be taller than Rob Jackson and he is 6' 10". I saw McKay playing pick-up with Deontae, Dawson, Duane and JJJ a few months back. He can literally jump out of the gym. He is still lean, but he seemed to have put on some muscle and is absolutely ripped. He would have given us some nice depth and an early season stop-gap before Fischer joins the squad.

Mr. Freeport - Can McKay figuratively jump out of the gym, or literally jump out of the gym?   

[bilsu]

What made that so confusing was we had Otule and DG last year so why was he going to play the 5?

He was playing the five in practice because Buzz was giving Gardner the chance to play the four, which pushed Wilson to the three where McKay wanted to play. You can say trying to please Gardner lead to McKay being unhappy. When McKay told Buzz he was going to transfer, Buzz said he could redshirt here instead of sitting out a year elsewhere, but McKay was not interested. It is possible Gardner wanting to play the four screwed up the whole year. When he did not start at the four Gardner kind of stop playing hard in practice, which he indicated in January/February when he said he had not been working as hard in practice as he should have. McKay simply jumped ship to early, because in the end Wilson moved to the four and Gardner to the five. Had McKay been willing to work he would of been starting at the three by mid-season. I think Buzz was used to players being willing to play out of position and had no patience for a newcomer who would not. To Buzz it showed a lack of toughness, which is the quality Buzz perhaps valued the most.

[GB Warrior]

He was playing the five in practice because Buzz was giving Gardner the chance to play the four, which pushed Wilson to the three where McKay wanted to play. You can say trying to please Gardner lead to McKay being unhappy. When McKay told Buzz he was going to transfer, Buzz said he could redshirt here instead of sitting out a year elsewhere, but McKay was not interested. It is possible Gardner wanting to play the four screwed up the whole year. When he did not start at the four Gardner kind of stop playing hard in practice, which he indicated in January/February when he said he had not been working as hard in practice as he should have. McKay simply jumped ship to early, because in the end Wilson moved to the four and Gardner to the five. Had McKay been willing to work he would of been starting at the three by mid-season. I think Buzz was used to players being willing to play out of position and had no patience for a newcomer who would not. To Buzz it showed a lack of toughness, which is the quality Buzz perhaps valued the most.

It couldn't have been defense if he thought Gardner was even a remote possibility a the 4.

[Freeport Warrior]

Mr. Freeport - Can McKay figuratively jump out of the gym, or literally jump out of the gym?   

About halfway out -- Hand above the square

[Texas Western]

I heard he chafed at Buzz's insistence on timeliness and other aspects of his personality. People around him encouraged him to quit.

[GGGG]

He was playing the five in practice because Buzz was giving Gardner the chance to play the four, which pushed Wilson to the three where McKay wanted to play. You can say trying to please Gardner lead to McKay being unhappy. When McKay told Buzz he was going to transfer, Buzz said he could redshirt here instead of sitting out a year elsewhere, but McKay was not interested. It is possible Gardner wanting to play the four screwed up the whole year. When he did not start at the four Gardner kind of stop playing hard in practice, which he indicated in January/February when he said he had not been working as hard in practice as he should have. McKay simply jumped ship to early, because in the end Wilson moved to the four and Gardner to the five. Had McKay been willing to work he would of been starting at the three by mid-season. I think Buzz was used to players being willing to play out of position and had no patience for a newcomer who would not. To Buzz it showed a lack of toughness, which is the quality Buzz perhaps valued the most.

Yeah and combined with the people around him, as Texas Western mentioned, it was a recipe for transfer.

Now he definitely would be playing the center position this year, but I don't think Wojo is going to use that position like Buzz did, so he may have been fine with that.

[Lennys Tap]

Yeah and combined with the people around him, as Texas Western mentioned, it was a recipe for transfer.

Now he definitely would be playing the center position this year, but I don't think Wojo is going to use that position like Buzz did, so he may have been fine with that.

I doubt Buzz would have used McKay as a traditional 5 (Otule, Gardner) - probably more of a hybrid of Lazar/Oxtule.

[swoopem]

I'm going to trust wadesworld here. He was the one that broke the news of the transfer so I'm guessing his source is reliable.

[wadesworld]

I'm going to trust wadesworld here. He was the one that broke the news of the transfer so I'm guessing his source is reliable.

Not saying others are wrong. Some of the additional information certainly sounds reasonable. I just believe the part that I heard to be true.

[martyconlonontherun]

Mr. Freeport - Can McKay figuratively jump out of the gym, or literally jump out of the gym?   

Both? https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=literally+definition&safe=off&spell=1

[Golden Avalanche]

Never heard that one.  This is one that I feel *pretty* confident in the information I was given.  He was told he would see well under 10 mpg last year and didn't like that.  Now, does that mean that he was told something else during his recruitment and that's why he didn't like it?  That part I do not know.

Did you ever get to see him play? Reports out of Iowa State last year and over this summer seem to be very positive for McKay. I wonder what he's shown now that he didn't show Buzz or whether he's improved dramatically from a less than 10 mpg guy at Marquette to what seems a healthy contributor at Iowa State. Caveat is I've never seen McKay dribble a ball so I don't know his  game at all.

[bilsu]

I cannot think of his name, but the reports last summer were that the UW transfer sitting out a Iowa was the best player in practice. He was good last year, but he did not even start. I also remember hearing how good Fitz was when he was sitting out. He was a good player for MU, but not as good as his hype. The only player sitting out that I ever remember exceeding his hype was Wade. I can remember leaving MU madness last year and in the hallway there was a group of people talking about a player. They said he did not even a rebound. I figured at that time they were McKay's family/friends and I can easily believe they encouraged him to transfer. The first time I watched McKay in the pro am I was really giddy about him. By the time the pro am was over I posted here that he would not be a starter and was overrated. You watch him and you easily see how he can run the floor and he can score on alley oops. It struck me at some point that he has small hands and it became obvious as the pro am went on that the bigger more experience centers were just keeping him from getting inside on offense. The more I watched him the more he reminded me of Blackledge. I of course thought Blacklegde should of played more at MU then he did, so it is not as negative as it sounds. However, I think Blackledge is a better outside shooter than McKay showed me and was quicker and more athletic. Anyways he hastily quit the team and basically lost a half season of his career. In my opinion that does not show good decision making skills. I also think the same thing about Fischer, but he at least played the first semester.

[77ncaachamps]

I cannot think of his name, but the reports last summer were that the UW transfer sitting out a Iowa was the best player in practice. He was good last year, but he did not even start.

jarrod uthoff

[Lennys Tap]

Did you ever get to see him play? Reports out of Iowa State last year and over this summer seem to be very positive for McKay. I wonder what he's shown now that he didn't show Buzz or whether he's improved dramatically from a less than 10 mpg guy at Marquette to what seems a healthy contributor at Iowa State. Caveat is I've never seen McKay dribble a ball so I don't know his  game at all.

I saw him play once - last year at Midnight Madness. He ran the court well, but had difficulty with the physical nature of the play in the paint (not just from Otule but also from Steve Taylor Jr). In his defense, maybe he already knew he was leaving and had mentally "checked out".