http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=572362Weighing pros and college
James has big decision to make
By TODD ROSIAK
trosiak@journalsentinel.com
Posted: March 1, 2007While some of the festivities surrounding Saturday's game with Pittsburgh will focus on the departing seniors, there remains the possibility that Dominic James could be playing his last home game for the Marquette Golden Eagles as well.
Will Dominic James turn his back on MU at the end of the season and head to the NBA?
No decision has been made and with 20th-ranked MU still fighting for post-season positioning, there are clearly more pressing matters on the mind of the sophomore point guard.
But in a recent interview regarding his future plans, James made it clear he's open to exploring all options, even going so far as to say if he had to make a decision today he'd not only return to MU for his junior season but also play out his eligibility as a senior."Right now, I'm just focusing on taking it one game at a time," James said. "And of course I'm trying to get my team as far as I can in the NCAAs because that will have an impact on what my decision is.
"But right now I plan on staying all four years."That the 5-foot-11 James would consider staying beyond his sophomore year seemed a reach entering this season.
He burst onto the college basketball scene as the centerpiece of the Golden Eagles' highly touted three-guard recruiting class by averaging 15.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game, winning the Big East's rookie of the year award and helping lead MU back to the NCAA tournament.
That, combined with his athleticism, quickness and leaping ability, made James a viable candidate to make an early jump to the National Basketball Association.
He returned to MU amid considerable fanfare and has been a driving force behind a 22-8 record and a likely bid to yet another NCAA tournament.
James again has had some superlative moments along the way.
He scored a game-high 25 points against Duke in the championship game of the CBE Classic. He scored 18 straight points down the stretch - including the game-winning three in the closing seconds - to lead MU to a victory at Valparaiso.
And his two free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining to beat Pittsburgh in overtime on Jan. 21 rank right up there in the all-time clutch performances in MU history.
But James' shortcomings shooting the basketball - 39.4% overall, 28.3% from three-point range and 63.4% from the free-throw line - have been apparent, and raised questions in the eyes of some regarding his NBA readiness were he to decide to make the jump.
"I don't feel like I need anybody else to tell me what I need to work on; I've got a coach for that," said James, who's averaging a team-best 15.2 points and 4.7 assists. At the same time, James doesn't deny that the future has weighed on his mind at points throughout the season.
"Any player that's in the position to do that can be vulnerable to thinking about that," he said. "Possibly one year away your dream could come true, so it's impossible not to think about it. Right now that's not my concern. If that comes, then it comes.
"But right now, for me it's all about enjoying the moment, cherishing the moment with my teammates and getting wins."
James and Golden Eagles coach Tom Crean both acknowledged there's a plan in place to address the issue once the season is finished, and that many factors will be considered.
"We talk about things during the season, no question about it. But it'll be far more tangible when the season is over down the road and you start to see who's coming out, where he fits, what he needs to improve upon - all those things," Crean said. "But gathering information, listening to what's being said, quizzing people . . . I feel that's a huge part of my responsibility to them."
