DJ on the cover of ESPN.com bball section

[ChicosBailBonds]

Draft Dilemmas is the title


Here's Gottlieb's take

Will Marquette's Dominic James ever be a pro? He will always be small, he is not a particularly gifted passer, and frankly, his decision making does not reflect two years of starting service in the Big East. For being freakishly athletic, he never uses that athleticism to make a ball handler uncomfortable when he is on defense. James can and must improve his shooting, but that's just one of the many glaring weaknesses in his game.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Gottlieb's one of the few "experts" who appears to have seen James play.

[ozmetal71]

Gottlieb just repeated a lot of what myself and others have been saying regarding DJ and his quest for the pros.  I don't hate DJ, and I am not ignorant when it comes to basketball.

I hope DJ wakes up and returns to school where he belongs.

Hey Harrison, don't Gottlieb's criticisms of DJ mean that he is ignorant?  You always label those who criticize DJ as being without basketball acumen.

[SPL]

I was as disappointed as anyone at DJ's play during the second half of the season, but Jeez, he's not THAT terrible.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I'm don't totally disagree with Gotleib (even though I tend to think he is a douche) about DJ... but keep in mind that even with all of these weaknesses that DJ is still one of the better point guards in the country.

I'm sure you could still find weaknesses in every player's game.

I'm not sure how DJ's game will translate into the NBA, but I hope he comes back to MU and has a monster season because I think he is capable of it.

[MUCHI814]

I think Gottleib exaggerates a lot of points that are true, but he takes them to a new level.  Specifically I thought James was pretty strong on D, thats just me though.  Gottleib seems to hate on Marquette all the time too.

[herboturbo]

Gottleib seems to hate on Marquette all the time too.

Especially for a guy that almost committed to this school.

[mu_hilltopper]

Here's a tidbit from DraftExpress about James' Houston Rocket 'workout':

http://draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=2102


Apparently Dominic James could not finish his workout. Any doubt that remained regarding whether or not he will be back at Marquette next year is quickly evaporating. Everyone James’ people have spoken to have told him that it is in his best bet to return to school, since he is by no means a lock to get drafted.

A guess would be he got cramps .. although every time he got 'em during games at MU, he'd be ready to go in 5-10 minutes.

[LastWarrior]

If DJ does come back to MU let's be sure to treat him as a part of the team and not carry any ill will towards him and his attempt at the NBA.  He's a very special college player and let's hope he comes back and helps take MU back to the Final Four.  Two more years in college and I guarantee DJ get's drafted in the first round.  Good things come to those who wait. 

Let's make sure we welcome DJ back!!

[ozmetal71]

I understand that the NBA is his dream and he feels that he should pursue it this year.

I will be very happy if he comes back to Marquette because it will make the team better, and also, I think that he will improve as a basketball player and also that the team should be able to showcase his penetration abilities better since we will have more of an inside game and better shooters which will take away the zone problems.

Also, I will be happy for DJ if he comes back and works hard on the court and in his studies and continues to represent Marquette well, and hopefully he stays four years and graduates.

I've been hard on him, but that is due to his lousy play in the second half of the season, and I think that we should expect our PG to play better and lead a team, which DJ is capable of if he focuses on it, which I fully expect him to when he is in a Marquette uniform next season.

I don't want to see any more 5-35 streaks from 3 point land though. 

[bilsu]

When DJ first anounced that he was entering the draft, I thought the advice Crean gave him meant something between the lines. Crean said "make sure you work hard everyday during the tryout period". Crean would not have had to say this, if he was giving 100% this past season. I think James was got caught up in the idea of going pro. After the Duke game he thought he had it made and did not work as hard. The result was a season ending slump and a blown chance at the pros. Even with this, I think he will stay in the draft. He will not be in the NBA or at MU next year. If he comes back and puts in 100% that would be great, but I would not count on it.

[The Lens]

Gottleib seems to hate on Marquette all the time too.

Especially for a guy that almost committed to this school.

There was a lady that caused most of the problem.

[ecompt]

I fear Bilsu is right; I think DJ has closed the door on returning to MU no matter what happens in the draft. I hope he doesn't go through the embarrassment of declaring for the draft and not hearing his name called.
 I also hope I'm wrong and he comes back and has a great season. 

[mu_hilltopper]

MU isn't the most forthcoming organization when it comes to what's really going on .. lots of events are left to internet speculation.

All we really know is a few sentences here and there from a variety of writers, concerning DJ's mindset.  We know he said he wanted a 1st round guarantee or he'd pull out.  It's highly plausible that he wasn't invited to the Orlando camp because of this attitude.  It's no huge jump to imagine a conversation between DJ and his advisers that from then on, he was going to appear like he was pushing all his chips in, unequivocally full speed ahead. -- So far, that's exactly what we've seen.

Prior to this month, we've known DJ is a good kid, with high grades, dedicated to getting his degree and winning. 

I'm putting my chips on him.  I think all the press about him has been a ploy to work the process.  I think he's going to listen to his guys and realize he's not ready for the NBA this year, and be back wearing #1 for MU.

We'll all find out in 9 days.

[77ncaachamps]

Here's a hypothetical:

If Acker performs better than DJ during the preseason and in drills, would you - pretend you're Crean - start MoAck over DJ?

 ???

[Murffieus]

If indeed it plays out that DJ will not be returning to MU come what may----it will have to have something with his perspective of how he fits in the scheme of things here. First of all the coaching staff apparently did nothing to help his shooting. In this day and age when you have 3-4 assistants -----one of them (if not the HC) should have the ability to develop shooters------DJ is capable of being at least an average shooter (35-36% from the arc). There were three things that needed correction in his delivery ------and it never happened.

Secondly, he has been criticized in Orlando as a PG who can't run a team-------perhaps he feels that he didn't learn that at MU as well.

Wouldn't rule out a transfer here------if he were going to settle for anything less than the NBA professionally he would have hired an agent!

[mu_hilltopper]

It would appear you're basing your idea of DJ transferring on the idea that his present coaches at MU aren't able to teach him a better shooting form and/or are unable to teach him how to run a team, both of which could get him a better NBA slot.

So the answer is transferring to a team with a better coaching staff who can teach him better?   Surely, he wouldn't learn that sitting out his transfer year, so that means he's delaying his NBA draft another two years?  Just to get different coaches?

Highly doubtful.  If DJ has the skills for the NBA, the road goes through Crean. 

If he "all" he needs is a better trainer and teacher, he can find those privately during the off-season. -- Plus, with him back, the hype machine has another year to focus on DJ, who knows, maybe we have a special year in the NCAAs and he gets drafted with the tail-wind of a top 25, March madness successful team.

[ecompt]

Murff: A transfer is totally out of the question. It's beyond ridiculous. DJ would have sit out a year, then try to start over in another program, pushing his pro hopes back at least two years.
And why do you consistently blame the coaching staff for any of the MU players' shortcomings? You can't develop shooters, just as you can't make Mike Loretta a 40-homer guy. You can suggest, you can help, you can guide, but the player has to have it in him to perform.
DJ has had free rein (or so it certainly appears) at MU to do as he pleases. Was TC a genius in DJ's freshman year? No. Was TC to blame for DJ's woes last season? No.

[Murffieus]

I'm not saying it is going to happen (transfer)----but it's not as far fetched as one might think. If he thinks the coaching staff at MU has failed him, he may be considering alternatives if he doesn't get drafted.

Transfering would in his opinion be taking a step backward to position himself to make TWO steps forward!

[4everwarriors]

for the reason that he didn't feel MU helped him become an NBA player, this would be a major embarassment to Crean and his program.

[79Warrior]

I was as disappointed as anyone at DJ's play during the second half of the season, but Jeez, he's not THAT terrible.

It is not a question of him being terrible. The issue is can he play at the next level? He is a poor shooter and he has not improved much in the off season. Poor shooting, small guards are not in high demand. Unfortunately, he has probably hurt himself more during this exercise. He may have been better off never entering the draft at all.

[ChicosBailBonds]

for the reason that he didn't feel MU helped him become an NBA player, this would be a major embarassment to Crean and his program.

And if he were, I'd bet dollars to doughnuts he would be LESS successful wherever he went like just about 99% of all of our other transfers.  That tells me that our coaches have made these players better while they were with us then where they ended up.  Latest case in point...Dameon Mason.

[Nukem2]

Much of what Gottlieb says about DJ can be said one way or another about most other NBA aspirants.  The most salient point is that DJ will always be "small' relative to the NBA game.  Right now DJ is a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none.  At his size, he needs to develop skill(s) that will set him apart from other aspirants in order to be drafted higher or even to make an NBA roster.  DJ obviously needs more seasoning in the NCAA ranks.  Of course, I am also be selfish in wanting DJ to return to MU.

[79Warrior]

I'm not saying it is going to happen (transfer)----but it's not as far fetched as one might think. If he thinks the coaching staff at MU has failed him, he may be considering alternatives if he doesn't get drafted.

Transfering would in his opinion be taking a step backward to position himself to make TWO steps forward!

There is ZERO chance of him transferring. You are a one trick dope.

[bilsu]

If DJ wanted to come back, I believe he has pay all of the expenses incurred by the NBA to be eligible. This may or may not be a problem for him. Another problem is who is going to lose their scholarship, since we are one over the limit. I would have thought Blackledge would be gone, but that annoucement should have already happened. I am not sure if our Minnesota recruit has actually qualified yet, so he is a possibilty. One post said that Culiban(sp) was leaving if DJ came back. Anyways something has to happen for James to get back on the team. I think we need the Minnesota recruit and Culiban more than we need James. Size and outside shooting are our weaknesses.