Gardner signs in France after one of greatest Value Add runs at MUDavante Gardner, who was the 55th best Value Add (http://valueaddbasketball.com/ballall.html)player in the country his junior season and still in the top 4% of all players his senior season, has signed a pro contract in France.
Gardner's sophomore year was the 32nd best of any Marquette player. Only four Marquette players matched three years at that level - Travis Diener, Lazar Hayward, Dominic James (now Dominic Wright) and Wesley Matthews.
Dwyane Wade's 2003 was the best of any player, when he had the 7th best season in the 12-year history of the Value Add database. Travis Diener had three of Marquette's top 10 seasons, and Jimmy Butler had two of Marquette's top 10 seasons.
I first saw Davante Gardner when I flew to Marquette for the Notre Dame game which he took as his visit from my native Virginia, and loved his play for all four years - believing he became easily Marquette's best player. We wish him and Jamil Wilson, who is fighting to become Marquette's 37th NBA player, the best of luck.
Below are the players with the top 50 Value Add seasons for Marquette, with notes on their pro careers after Marquette. Dwight Buycks' best season was actually the 56th best, but we include him as an honorable mention since he played in the NBA last year.
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<table class="tableizer-table"><tbody><tr class="tableizer-firstrow"><th>Top 50 MU Seasons</th><th>Player</th><th>Value Add</th><th>Year</th><th>Pro career after Marquette?</th></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Acker, Maurice</td><td>5.08</td><td>2010</td><td>France is 6th pro country</td></tr><tr><td>38</td><td>Barro, Ousmane</td><td>3.34</td><td>2007</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>39</td><td>Barro, Ousmane</td><td>2.95</td><td>2008</td><td>Romania is 6th pro country</td></tr><tr><td>26</td><td>Blue, Vander</td><td>4.02</td><td>2013</td><td>3 NBA Games with Celtics</td></tr><tr><td>45</td><td>Blue, Vander</td><td>2.64</td><td>2012</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Butler, Jimmy</td><td>7.79</td><td>2010</td><td>87 NBA Starts with Bulls</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Butler, Jimmy</td><td>6.37</td><td>2011</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>42</td><td>Butler, Jimmy</td><td>2.81</td><td>2009</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>HM (56)</td><td>Buycks, Dwight</td><td>1.73</td><td>2011</td><td>14 NBA games with raptors</td></tr><tr><td>37</td><td>Cadougan, Junior</td><td>3.36</td><td>2013</td><td>Canadian National Team</td></tr><tr><td>49</td><td>Cadougan, Junior</td><td>2.46</td><td>2012</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>31</td><td>Chapman, Joe</td><td>3.7</td><td>2006</td><td>Japan</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Crowder, Jae</td><td>11.12</td><td>2012</td><td>24 NBA starts, 156 games for Mavs</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>Crowder, Jae</td><td>5.83</td><td>2011</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>36</td><td>Cubillan, David</td><td>3.44</td><td>2007</td><td>Brief Israel contracts</td></tr><tr><td>40</td><td>Cubillan, David</td><td>2.94</td><td>2010</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>47</td><td>Cubillan, David</td><td>2.5</td><td>2008</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Diener, Travis</td><td>9.31</td><td>2004</td><td>21 NBA Starts with Pacers, 179 games</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Diener, Travis</td><td>8.92</td><td>2005</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>Diener, Travis</td><td>6.53</td><td>2003</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>43</td><td>Fitzgerald, Dan</td><td>2.76</td><td>2007</td><td>Spanish team is 8th pro team</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>Gardner, Davante</td><td>6.13</td><td>2013</td><td>France - just signed</td></tr><tr><td>22</td><td>Gardner, Davante</td><td>4.75</td><td>2014</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>32</td><td>Gardner, Davante</td><td>3.54</td><td>2012</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Hayward, Lazar</td><td>6.49</td><td>2010</td><td>72 NBA games with Wolves and Thunder</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Hayward, Lazar</td><td>5.52</td><td>2009</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>Hayward, Lazar</td><td>4.9</td><td>2008</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>21</td><td>Jackson, Robert</td><td>4.77</td><td>2003</td><td>None known</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>James, Dominic</td><td>5.69</td><td>2006</td><td>French career ended in 2013, name now Dominic Wright</td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>James, Dominic</td><td>5.33</td><td>2008</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>24</td><td>James, Dominic</td><td>4.28</td><td>2007</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>30</td><td>James, Dominic</td><td>3.72</td><td>2009</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>Johnson-Odom, Darius</td><td>5.26</td><td>2012</td><td>7 NBA games for Lakers, 76ers</td></tr><tr><td>35</td><td>Johnson-Odom, Darius</td><td>3.46</td><td>2011</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>46</td><td>Johnson-Odom, Darius</td><td>2.56</td><td>2010</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>50</td><td>Lockett, Trent</td><td>2.36</td><td>2013</td><td>Top German League, D-League Select</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Matthews, Wesley</td><td>6.19</td><td>2009</td><td>321 NBA starts Jazz and Blazers, 14.0 ppg</td></tr><tr><td>27</td><td>Matthews, Wesley</td><td>3.92</td><td>2007</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>28</td><td>Matthews, Wesley</td><td>3.84</td><td>2008</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>McNeal, Jerel</td><td>5.66</td><td>2009</td><td>Spanish team is 7th pro team</td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>McNeal, Jerel</td><td>5.41</td><td>2008</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>33</td><td>McNeal, Jerel</td><td>3.5</td><td>2007</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>48</td><td>McNeal, Jerel</td><td>2.47</td><td>2006</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>29</td><td>Merritt, Scott</td><td>3.73</td><td>2003</td><td>Japan</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>Novak, Steve</td><td>7.46</td><td>2006</td><td>414 NBA games, 2085 points</td></tr><tr><td>23</td><td>Novak, Steve</td><td>4.65</td><td>2005</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>34</td><td>Novak, Steve</td><td>3.49</td><td>2004</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>41</td><td>Novak, Steve</td><td>2.85</td><td>2003</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Wade, Dwyane</td><td>11.4</td><td>2003</td><td>710 NBA Starts, 24.3 ppg, 6.0 ast, 5.0 reb, 1.8 stl, 1.0 blk</td></tr><tr><td>25</td><td>Wilson, Jamil</td><td>4.2</td><td>2013</td><td>signs with Suns, trying to make team</td></tr><tr><td>44</td><td>Wilson, Jamil</td><td>2.73</td><td>2012</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
Source: Gardner signs in France after one of greatest Value Add runs at MU (http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2014/09/gardner-signs-in-france-after-one-of.html)
my endless battles with tables from Cracked Sidewalks translating to MU Scoop!
Top 50 MU Seasons Player Value Add Year Pro career after Marquette?
19 Acker, Maurice 5.08 2010 France is 6th pro country
38 Barro, Ousmane 3.34 2007
39 Barro, Ousmane 2.95 2008 Romania is 6th pro country
26 Blue, Vander 4.02 2013 3 NBA Games with Celtics
45 Blue, Vander 2.64 2012
5 Butler, Jimmy 7.79 2010 87 NBA Starts with Bulls
9 Butler, Jimmy 6.37 2011
42 Butler, Jimmy 2.81 2009
HM (56) Buycks, Dwight 1.73 2011 14 NBA games with raptors
37 Cadougan, Junior 3.36 2013 Canadian National Team
49 Cadougan, Junior 2.46 2012
31 Chapman, Joe 3.7 2006 Japan
2 Crowder, Jae 11.12 2012 24 NBA starts, 156 games for Mavs
12 Crowder, Jae 5.83 2011
36 Cubillan, David 3.44 2007 Brief Israel contracts
40 Cubillan, David 2.94 2010
47 Cubillan, David 2.5 2008
3 Diener, Travis 9.31 2004 21 NBA Starts with Pacers, 179 games
4 Diener, Travis 8.92 2005
7 Diener, Travis 6.53 2003
43 Fitzgerald, Dan 2.76 2007 Spanish team is 8th pro team
11 Gardner, Davante 6.13 2013 France - just signed
22 Gardner, Davante 4.75 2014
32 Gardner, Davante 3.54 2012
8 Hayward, Lazar 6.49 2010 72 NBA games with Wolves and Thunder
15 Hayward, Lazar 5.52 2009
20 Hayward, Lazar 4.9 2008
21 Jackson, Robert 4.77 2003 None known
13 James, Dominic 5.69 2006 French career ended in 2013, name now Dominic Wright
17 James, Dominic 5.33 2008
24 James, Dominic 4.28 2007
30 James, Dominic 3.72 2009
18 Johnson-Odom, Darius 5.26 2012 7 NBA games for Lakers, 76ers
35 Johnson-Odom, Darius 3.46 2011
46 Johnson-Odom, Darius 2.56 2010
50 Lockett, Trent 2.36 2013 Top German League, D-League Select
10 Matthews, Wesley 6.19 2009 321 NBA starts Jazz and Blazers, 14.0 ppg
27 Matthews, Wesley 3.92 2007
28 Matthews, Wesley 3.84 2008
14 McNeal, Jerel 5.66 2009 Spanish team is 7th pro team
16 McNeal, Jerel 5.41 2008
33 McNeal, Jerel 3.5 2007
48 McNeal, Jerel 2.47 2006
29 Merritt, Scott 3.73 2003 Japan
6 Novak, Steve 7.46 2006 414 NBA games, 2085 points
23 Novak, Steve 4.65 2005
34 Novak, Steve 3.49 2004
41 Novak, Steve 2.85 2003
1 Wade, Dwyane 11.4 2003 710 NBA Starts, 24.3 ppg, 6.0 ast, 5.0 reb, 1.8 stl, 1.0 blk
25 Wilson, Jamil 4.2 2013 signs with Suns, trying to make team
44 Wilson, Jamil 2.73 2012
What--Sultan--where is Otule on this list?
Wow, you must have read my mind. Believe it or not, here are the next five best seasons:
51 Otule, Chris 2.06 2013
52 Jackson, Marcus 1.88 2005
53 Acker, Maurice 1.82 2009
54 Mayo, Todd 1.82 2014
55 Fulce, Joseph 1.75 2010
Watching him dunk against Miami to make it a 22-point lead or whatever it was, remains a high point, along with many many wonderful swats including the one that should have beaten Louisville YUM.
So let me get this straight. Marcus Jackson had a higher Value Add in 2005 than Jamil Wilson did in his Senior Year?
Bama, as always, well done. Thank you.
In what seems to be the longest off season ever, it is great to see one of your fact based posts. Yours is such a refreshing break from the innuendo, half-baked stories, made-up stuff, baseless opinions, life tales, and claimed basketball credentials/insight, that I believe you should have your own board.
You might want to call it "Truth, or Consequences" and you decide the consequences. For instance, shooting 2,000 free throws in the old gym late in the late afternoon might be one of the "consequences" for a dumb post lacking any factual basis. javascript:void(0);
nm
This should pretty much end that "Gardner vs Blue" Thread:
26 Blue, Vander 4.02 2013 3 NBA Games with Celtics
45 Blue, Vander 2.64 2012
11 Gardner, Davante 6.13 2013 France - just signed
22 Gardner, Davante 4.75 2014
32 Gardner, Davante 3.54 2012
Quote from: 77ncaachamps AKA Henry Ellenson's 2016ncaachamps on September 27, 2014, 11:13:17 PM
This should pretty much end that "Gardner vs Blue" Thread:
26 Blue, Vander 4.02 2013 3 NBA Games with Celtics
45 Blue, Vander 2.64 2012
11 Gardner, Davante 6.13 2013 France - just signed
22 Gardner, Davante 4.75 2014
32 Gardner, Davante 3.54 2012
I get Vander for 3 years and he plays guard, I can get a really good guard to replace him.
Or I get DG for four years and he plays the 4, where I've always had trouble getting solid 4's.
I'm taking DG. More overall production for a longer period time at a position that is much harder to replace.
Quote from: 77ncaachamps AKA Henry Ellenson's 2016ncaachamps on September 27, 2014, 11:13:17 PM
This should pretty much end that "Gardner vs Blue" Thread:
26 Blue, Vander 4.02 2013 3 NBA Games with Celtics
45 Blue, Vander 2.64 2012
11 Gardner, Davante 6.13 2013 France - just signed
22 Gardner, Davante 4.75 2014
32 Gardner, Davante 3.54 2012
You mean the thread that actually *did* end over two weeks ago?
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on September 28, 2014, 12:16:49 AM
I get Vander for 3 years and he plays guard, I can get a really good guard to replace him.
Or I get DG for four years and he plays the 4, where I've always had trouble getting solid 4's.
I'm taking DG. More overall production for a longer period time at a position that is much harder to replace.
I thought it was a guard's game? MU will really miss the big fella. MU hoops also missed Blue as seen in DG's digression his senior year (but still excellent).
Quote from: Dr. Blackheart on September 28, 2014, 10:52:52 AM
I thought it was a guard's game? MU will really miss the big fella. MU hoops also missed Blue as seen in DG's digression his senior year (but still excellent).
That's exactly right and supports my point. I can replace a very good guard with another very good guard much more easily. I can't replace a very good power forward very easily.
DG's digression had as much to do with Jamil Wilson's poor production as well as Burt being a useful idiot.
Did I miss something about DJ changing his last name to Wright?
Quote from: 314warrior on September 28, 2014, 05:15:32 PM
Did I miss something about DJ changing his last name to Wright?
Yes.
http://www.foxsports.com/south/story/ex-marquette-star-james-looking-to-make-new-name-for-himself-031914
Quote from: The Sultan of Sunshine on September 28, 2014, 05:20:43 PM
Yes.
http://www.foxsports.com/south/story/ex-marquette-star-james-looking-to-make-new-name-for-himself-031914
Thanks
Quote from: The Sultan of Sunshine on September 28, 2014, 06:43:24 AM
You mean the thread that actually *did* end over two weeks ago?
Are you sure?!
;)
Quote from: The Sultan of Sunshine on September 28, 2014, 05:20:43 PM
Yes.
http://www.foxsports.com/south/story/ex-marquette-star-james-looking-to-make-new-name-for-himself-031914
Was just asking myself the same question. Thanks Sultan.
Quote from: The Sultan of Sunshine on September 28, 2014, 05:20:43 PM
Yes.
http://www.foxsports.com/south/story/ex-marquette-star-james-looking-to-make-new-name-for-himself-031914
That's what jumped out at me as I read this thread, too. Glad I was able to get something of value out of it.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on September 28, 2014, 03:14:53 PM
That's exactly right and supports my point. I can replace a very good guard with another very good guard much more easily. I can't replace a very good power forward very easily.
This. This. This.
Quote from: 314warrior on September 28, 2014, 05:15:32 PM
Did I miss something about DJ changing his last name to Wright?
Pretty sure he also changed the pronunciation of his first name so it sounded like Dominique Wilkins. Strange dude.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on September 28, 2014, 03:14:53 PM
That's exactly right and supports my point. I can replace a very good guard with another very good guard much more easily. I can't replace a very good power forward very easily.
DG's digression had as much to do with Jamil Wilson's poor production as well as Burt being a useful idiot.
And how did that theory work out this past year?