[PaintTouches]Sources: Blue considering NBA draft

[onepost]

Stumbled upon this old Gary Parrish article about Vander in high school with the UW message board fiasco that led to his decommitment.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/11776517

So I'm glad that no posters here are going off and writing BS about Vander on here with all the indecision this week. I'd say the majority agree that he has all the talent in the world to make it as a pro, but he'd be better served to stay one more year (improve his shooting, possibly run some point, etc.).
Selfishly, I hope like hell he stays, and think that he will. But if we can reign praise on him during his S16, S16, E8 runs, it's only right that guys show support if he declares. Here's hoping that the Otule return helps solidify Vander staying for one more.  

[tower912]

Oladipo declared for the draft today.

[brewcity77]

Russ Smith declared today, yes, but that doesn't mean anything good for Russ Smith. Word is his father forced him to declare in hopes of getting rich. I would be very surprised if he ever plays for an NBA team. He'll be in Europe in six months.

Vander is 20,000 times the NBA prospect Russ Smith is. Better handle, bigger, better defender, Russ can shoot but it'll be a lot harder when every guy has 6 inches on him and is just as quick. If he stays in the draft he is making a colossal mistake. Peyton Siva is a better NBA prospect. At least he has a position.

[Otule's Glass Eye]

Blue said on twitter less than a minute ago, "Sky is the limit."

Might mean something, might not.

[WarriorHal]

Blue said on twitter less than a minute ago, "Sky is the limit."

Might mean something, might not.

I just noticed that, too. Also, DJO tweeted "call me" to Vander about 8 hours ago. Hope he has wise advice.

[MU82]

Blue said on twitter less than a minute ago, "Sky is the limit."

Might mean something, might not.

If only Al were still alive. He'd know how to interpret tweets better than anybody.

[flash]

I don't really see any way Vander is a first round pick this year.  He should come back, do some more damage in the tourney, get his degree, then come out.  He still has a lot of room improvement in his game, especially his jump shot.  If he can improve his shot and perhaps show some teams that he can play point guard, he will be a much better NBA prospect. 

[Pakuni]

All this talk of how Vander compares to other shooting guards in the draft is meaningless.
It's not a shooting guard draft and, outside the lottery, teams don't draft for position because they don't count on non-lottery players to have an immediate impact. Russ Smith is no more/less of a concern for Blue than Kelly Olnyyk or Tony Mitchell or Doug McDermott.

[Groin_pull]

This is silly. He's not a first rounder. I seriously doubt he's a second rounder.

[Aughnanure]

Russ Smith declared today, yes, but that doesn't mean anything good for Russ Smith. Word is his father forced him to declare in hopes of getting rich. I would be very surprised if he ever plays for an NBA team. He'll be in Europe in six months.

Vander is 20,000 times the NBA prospect Russ Smith is. Better handle, bigger, better defender, Russ can shoot but it'll be a lot harder when every guy has 6 inches on him and is just as quick. If he stays in the draft he is making a colossal mistake. Peyton Siva is a better NBA prospect. At least he has a position.

No he is not. That is a ridiculous statement.

[Markusquette]

This is silly. He's not a first rounder. I seriously doubt he's a second rounder.

I dunno.  Marquette's built a rep these past 4-5 years and also teams are starting to pick some experience higher in the draft instead of raw foreign players.  I think Vander could be drafted at highest early second round this year if he has good workouts.  Selfishly I also would like to see him return but if he feels it's his time then no one can fault him for his own decision.

[Ron Paul]

I don't see the point in worrying about it.  I'm sure Buzz will make sure he makes the right decision one way or the other.  Its an incredibly weak draft and his stock is higher than it has been in three years.  He's only 20 years old and has a ton of talent.

That being said, one more year at Marquette refining his skills and I honestly believe he will be a lottery pick.

[77ncaachamps]

Vander is a second rounder.

And he'll be lucky to be selected because of weak draft years like this, NBA teams - that are already shedding contracts - like to "invest" in young Euros in the 2nd round and stash them away to avoid paying them (but hold their rights).

[onepost]

I wouldn't look too deep into Vander's tweets. He's tweeted stuff like that for as long as I've followed him.

[Steve Buscemi]

Blue said on twitter less than a minute ago, "Sky is the limit."

Might mean something, might not.

Superb analysis.

[keefe]

Russ Smith declared today, yes, but that doesn't mean anything good for Russ Smith. Word is his father forced him to declare in hopes of getting rich. I would be very surprised if he ever plays for an NBA team. He'll be in Europe in six months.

Vander is 20,000 times the NBA prospect Russ Smith is. Better handle, bigger, better defender, Russ can shoot but it'll be a lot harder when every guy has 6 inches on him and is just as quick. If he stays in the draft he is making a colossal mistake. Peyton Siva is a better NBA prospect. At least he has a position.

what rubbish

[MU82]

Russ Smith declared today, yes, but that doesn't mean anything good for Russ Smith. Word is his father forced him to declare in hopes of getting rich. I would be very surprised if he ever plays for an NBA team. He'll be in Europe in six months.

Vander is 20,000 times the NBA prospect Russ Smith is. Better handle, bigger, better defender, Russ can shoot but it'll be a lot harder when every guy has 6 inches on him and is just as quick. If he stays in the draft he is making a colossal mistake. Peyton Siva is a better NBA prospect. At least he has a position.

brew, you know I agree with you often, but this is silly hyperbole. 20,000 times? So if Vander goes in the second round, Smith won't go until the 40,000th round?

Russ Smith averaged 25 points in Louisville's first five tournament games. He obviously can score.

He is too small to play 2 in the NBA and he would have been best served returning to Louisville and playing some point. But these guys often don't do what's best for them, and Vander might not, either. Smith is an intriguing prospect -- maybe an Iverson Ultra Lite or a Mo Williams type. Quick, great penetrator, good finisher.

Vander definitely has a better NBA body. I guess if Vander comes out, we'll see soon enough where NBA teams rank the two of them.

[Stronghold]

Russ Smith has a Kemba Walker type of body and Kemba is making his way just fine in the league right now.

[Lennys Tap]

Russ Smith reminds me of Nate Robinson.

[brewcity77]

I simply see Russ Smith as another Scottie Reynolds or Jordan Taylor. Great college player, but not a pro. If he proves me wrong, so be it, but let's not pretend he's the second coming of Allen Iverson.

[nyg]

Loks like Cody Zeller is leaving.  Add another to first round. 

[MerrittsMustache]

Loks like Cody Zeller is leaving.  Add another to first round. 

Good decision. Strike while the iron is, well, still warm enough that not all scouts have realized how soft you are.

[reinko]

brew, you know I agree with you often, but this is silly hyperbole. 20,000 times? So if Vander goes in the second round, Smith won't go until the 40,000th round?

Russ Smith averaged 25 points in Louisville's first five tournament games. He obviously can score.

He is too small to play 2 in the NBA and he would have been best served returning to Louisville and playing some point. But these guys often don't do what's best for them, and Vander might not, either. Smith is an intriguing prospect -- maybe an Iverson Ultra Lite or a Mo Williams type. Quick, great penetrator, good finisher.

Vander definitely has a better NBA body. I guess if Vander comes out, we'll see soon enough where NBA teams rank the two of them.

Yes, he meant he wouldn't go till the 40,000th round.

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

Loks like Cody Zeller is leaving.  Add another to first round. 

i guess I wasn't paying enough attention to Indiana this year... Boy did they underachieve.

[21rooster]

brew, you know I agree with you often, but this is silly hyperbole. 20,000 times? So if Vander goes in the second round, Smith won't go until the 40,000th round?

20,000 times 0 is still 0.  I think Vander may be more than 20,000 as good a prospect as Smith.  Vander can improve his shot, but I'm not sure how much better Smith will get with his decision-making.