Vander Released

[Dr. Blackheart]

Impossible to answer the question if he would have stayed it would have worked out.  I'm in the camp that his options would be better, but i'm going off what Draft Express and other draft experts were saying, that he would be a late first rounder next year.

He could have got hurt.  Could have regressed.  Etc.  All possible.

We'll never know.  Hope he finds his way to a team. 

Vander had a great year last year, and good for him for making his decision.  He has NBA talent, but when he jumped, it was on the defensive end.  He is still young, and staying another year would have given him PG minutes and given him a year to develop his shot, with a very good chance at guaranteed first round money. That said, he can do that (develop his offensive game like DB) in the NBDL if the degree and school was not as important to him.   His leaving opened up playing time for Todd, JJJ and Juan.  

[TSmith34, Inc.]

For some people, yes.  Largely it will depend on who says it, not what was said.  That's the standard here.

Victimhood.  It's not just for breakfast anymore.

[Lennys Tap]

For some people, yes.  Largely it will depend on who says it, not what was said.  That's the standard here.

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep

Looks like someone's gone off their meds.

[WarriorFan]

31 teams are now better because Vander is not on them.
30 NBA teams... and MU.

Somebody had to say it.

[humanlung]

Totally disagree.  He took a shot, and it didn't work out.  To assume he would have been drafted this coming year is not realistic.  The NBA drafts on three major aspects:

1. Talent (undeniable)
2. Potential (see above)
3. Age (he was young for his class, if I recall correctly - he could have stuck around and I don't think this would have been a factor)

If you check out who gets drafted in the NBA, it is not predominantly Seniors.  Vander's talent is obvious, and his problem areas were obvious as well.  He wasn't a good shooter (though he did improve), he wasn't big enough to play the 2, and didn't have the ability to distribute and handle the 1 (Kind of like Brandon Knight).  It is entirely possible these days to be a great college player, but not have your game translate to the NBA.  Might he have improved his shooting his senior year?  Yes.  But he would also be another year older.  He most certainly would not have changed his body size/shape from his Junior to Senior year.

Overall, I don't see how people can judge his decision as good or bad.  Wait until you see what this coming year's draft class is like and ask yourself where Van would have been drafted.  I think you might be surprised to find out that he probably wouldn't have been drafted in the upcoming year either.

You are totally right - he took a shot and it didn't work out.  If you are a college kid who is a consensus, can't miss, guaranteed first round pick, then you take your shot. If you miss, tough luck but you have a pile of money that can hopefully carry you for life.  See: Oden, Greg.

If, however, you have coaches and draft experts telling you that you are borderline 1st round (and I think that was the best-case), then the risk/reward dynamics are totally different.  No fat contract.  No guaranteed $$.  In Vander's case, no college degree (he would have graduated in 4, I think) that you will have in your pocket when it's time for a regular job. 

We can debate the benefit/lack thereof if he had stayed for his Senior year but the facts before he was drafted were the facts.  He was marginal first round material.  He took a shot and failed - but going in, the risk/reward analysis from people in the know was not favorable for him. 

Shocking as it may be, all the people whispering in your ear about how you can't miss (and who stand to benefit if you do get picked) drop away when you don't.  Then what?  The lesson I think a lot of kids need to learn is the "what if?" that surrounds the draft if they don't get drafted.

[Golden Avalanche]

31 teams are now better because Vander is not on them.
30 NBA teams... and MU.

Somebody had to say it.

That's just a punk thing to write from a human with a pointless existence.

Van made the right choice in April. And Marquette will not be a better team for it.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep

Looks like someone's gone off their meds.

I love mental illness jokes when it is still before lunch time.  You know it's going to be a good day.

[Hards Alumni]

You are totally right - he took a shot and it didn't work out.  If you are a college kid who is a consensus, can't miss, guaranteed first round pick, then you take your shot. If you miss, tough luck but you have a pile of money that can hopefully carry you for life.  See: Oden, Greg.

If, however, you have coaches and draft experts telling you that you are borderline 1st round (and I think that was the best-case), then the risk/reward dynamics are totally different.  No fat contract.  No guaranteed $$.  In Vander's case, no college degree (he would have graduated in 4, I think) that you will have in your pocket when it's time for a regular job. 

We can debate the benefit/lack thereof if he had stayed for his Senior year but the facts before he was drafted were the facts.  He was marginal first round material.  He took a shot and failed - but going in, the risk/reward analysis from people in the know was not favorable for him. 

Shocking as it may be, all the people whispering in your ear about how you can't miss (and who stand to benefit if you do get picked) drop away when you don't.  Then what?  The lesson I think a lot of kids need to learn is the "what if?" that surrounds the draft if they don't get drafted.

I get what you are saying, and I don't necessarily disagree, but I'm not sure there were a ton of people in Van's ear telling him to leave early.  If I remember correctly, his family was telling him just the opposite.  The other thing I can't agree with is that Van will need a college degree.  He will most likely be playing basketball somewhere in the world for a lot of money for a long time.  It may not be the NBA, but he will absolutely not be flipping burgers or pumping gas.

[jesmu84]

I didn't see this anywhere else. 

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thwaMFb05Q8#t=82" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thwaMFb05Q8#t=82</a>

RIP WHOP

[warriorchick]

shoot.... now how are the 76ers going to do the WHOP handshake?

http://fansided.com/2013/10/23/philadelphia-76ers-players-unique-whop-handshake-video/

Now we know why he did not participate in the slap of five...any chump can do that......

[CTWarrior]

1.  Talent (undeniable)

Vander has undeniable athleticism.  That is not the same thing as undeniable talent.  Is he an undeniably talented ball-handler?  Passer?  Shooter?  He is not NBA level at any of that yet.  I think his best hope for the NBA is to shoot a million 3s a day and become a "3 and D" specialist.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

31 teams are now better because Vander is not on them.
30 NBA teams... and MU.

Somebody had to say it.

-100

[MerrittsMustache]

You are totally right - he took a shot and it didn't work out.  If you are a college kid who is a consensus, can't miss, guaranteed first round pick, then you take your shot. If you miss, tough luck but you have a pile of money that can hopefully carry you for life.  See: Oden, Greg.

If, however, you have coaches and draft experts telling you that you are borderline 1st round (and I think that was the best-case), then the risk/reward dynamics are totally different.  No fat contract.  No guaranteed $$.  In Vander's case, no college degree (he would have graduated in 4, I think) that you will have in your pocket when it's time for a regular job. 

We can debate the benefit/lack thereof if he had stayed for his Senior year but the facts before he was drafted were the facts.  He was marginal first round material.  He took a shot and failed - but going in, the risk/reward analysis from people in the know was not favorable for him. 

Shocking as it may be, all the people whispering in your ear about how you can't miss (and who stand to benefit if you do get picked) drop away when you don't.  Then what?  The lesson I think a lot of kids need to learn is the "what if?" that surrounds the draft if they don't get drafted.

Don't be so overdramatic. You make it sound like he got one shot at it and since he didn't get drafted, he'll never be an NBA player and he'll always regret not getting his degree. In his partially guaranteed contract, I'm guessing he made more than almost all of us made in our first year out of college and that was for a couple month's work. If only he had that Comm degree so he could go get an entry level job at a PR firm now! Come on! He can always go back and finish up his degree if he needs to.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the Sixers sign him to their D-League team. If they don't, someone else will. Or he has the option to go overseas. The NBA is obviously his dream, but how many of us would have dropped out of school for a six-figure contract to play basketball in Spain?

[ChicosBailBonds]

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the Sixers sign him to their D-League team. If they don't, someone else will. Or he has the option to go overseas. The NBA is obviously his dream, but how many of us would have dropped out of school for a six-figure contract to play basketball in Spain?

What if I thought one more year would lead to a 6 figure contract in the States.....

[Hards Alumni]

What if I thought one more year would lead to a 6 figure contract in the States.....

No guarantee and you hate school.  Decision seems easy.

[brewcity77]

31 teams are now better because Vander is not on them.
30 NBA teams... and MU.

Somebody had to say it.

Ok, but you're at the very least 96.77% wrong.

[ChicosBailBonds]

No guarantee and you hate school.  Decision seems easy.

Lots of people hate school, but you plow through it because it pays a bigger dividend in the end.


We'll never know, I'm just going with the experts that said he was a 1st rounder next year.  Oh well, he listened to other experts.  Hope he latches on somewhere.

[Lennys Tap]

We'll never know, I'm just going with the experts that said he was a 1st rounder next year. 

You're going with a more than a year in advance preseason poll? I smell irony...I smell hypocrisy...I smell...something rotten in Denmark.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Dang, really hope Vander at the very least gets some call-ups. Two 10-day contracts = ~$100k. Either that or take the Buycks route and work on PG skills in Europe then make your way back stateside in a couple years whilst cashing checks on an exciting foreign adventure.

[MerrittsMustache]

Lots of people hate school, but you plow through it because it pays a bigger dividend in the end.


We'll never know, I'm just going with the experts that said he was a 1st rounder next year.  Oh well, he listened to other experts.  Hope he latches on somewhere.

Who were these "experts" who said that? Where did they say that? And what exactly makes them experts?

[swoopem]

Lots of people hate school, but you plow through it because it pays a bigger dividend in the end.

Man, if you hate college then you're doing it wrong. I loved my 4 years.

note: I'm not saying you Chicos, but rather the general you

[Coleman]

That's just a punk thing to write from a human with a pointless existence.

Van made the right choice in April. And Marquette will not be a better team for it.

I disagree with what he said.

But don't you think calling his existence pointless is going a little far?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Who were these "experts" who said that? Where did they say that? And what exactly makes them experts?

Jonathon Givony, founder of Draft Express was one....the same expert that said Vander wouldn't get drafted.  He has a business dedicated to the draft and prognostications, works with the GMs, etc.  I've had some nice discussions with him over the last 5 years or so.  Have several friends that work for DE.

[humanlung]

Don't be so overdramatic. You make it sound like he got one shot at it and since he didn't get drafted, he'll never be an NBA player and he'll always regret not getting his degree. In his partially guaranteed contract, I'm guessing he made more than almost all of us made in our first year out of college and that was for a couple month's work. If only he had that Comm degree so he could go get an entry level job at a PR firm now! Come on! He can always go back and finish up his degree if he needs to.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see the Sixers sign him to their D-League team. If they don't, someone else will. Or he has the option to go overseas. The NBA is obviously his dream, but how many of us would have dropped out of school for a six-figure contract to play basketball in Spain?

I wasn't being over dramatic.  I felt I was stating the facts as I saw them.  And you are right, Vander likely made a nice chunk of change but I doubt it's "set for life" money.  Playing somewhere other than the NBA - does that get you "set for life money"?  I don't know but I doubt it.

My statement was true.  His shot at that one-time mega check for getting drafted in the first round is gone.  And, again, in my opinion, the risk/reward trade-off for him was not a good one.  Other kids should heed that lesson.  That's all I'm saying.

 

[MerrittsMustache]

Jonathon Givony, founder of Draft Express was one....the same expert that said Vander wouldn't get drafted.  He has a business dedicated to the draft and prognostications, works with the GMs, etc.  I've had some nice discussions with him over the last 5 years or so.  Have several friends that work for DE.

Show us where he said that. Also, that's only one guy. You said "experts" projected him as a 1st Rounder in 2014. That would mean multiple experts