Poll: Will Vander Get Drafted?

[Tugg Speedman]

Stated this poll four days before the draft.

I say no, and hope I'm wrong.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/212512231.html

Vander Blue remains confident entering draft

St. Francis - Vander Blue is almost finished with a grueling workout schedule that has taken him from NBA city to NBA city.

The former Marquette guard made his stop in Milwaukee on Friday to work out with the Bucks, his home state team. And he will move on to Memphis on Monday for his final workout before settling back in Madison on Thursday night to watch the draft at home with his mom.

Blue is confident he will be chosen among the 60 players in the two-round draft after showing his skills for the last month.

"Nobody knows, especially this year's draft," Blue said. "It's pretty wide open. I've gotten a lot of interesting feedback from a lot of teams. Right now I'm not sure about where I would land, but at this point it's just about me getting my foot in the door.

"I'm not really concerned about where I get in, about what pick, it's about what team."

Blue took part in a six-player workout that also featured Serbian guard Nemanja Nedovic, Washington State senior forward Brock Motum, Arizona freshman forward Grant Jerrett, Butler senior center Andrew Smith and Serbian center Dejan Musli.

Blue worked out in Dallas on Thursday where he was able to spend some time with former MU teammate Jae Crowder, now playing for the Mavericks. He also said he had good workouts in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Houston, San Antonio and Detroit.

"This is No. 10 or No. 11, I'm not sure," Blue said of the Bucks workout. "I think I've been able to show my versatility, being able to play the 1 (point guard) and 2 (shooting guard). Showing people I can shoot the ball.

"Teams put me in different situations and see what I can do. More here they had me with the ball. Other teams had me off the ball. Some teams had me particularly (at) the 1."

The 6-foot-5 Blue was not used in a point guard role in his three years at Marquette.

"I didn't have the chance at Marquette to bring the ball up as much because we had a great point guard in Junior (Cadougan)," Blue said. "Just being able to show teams I can play the point has really helped me. It's more now being a combo guard."

Bucks coach Larry Drew did not attend Friday's session while he worked on making the move from his Atlanta home, and assistants Bob Bender and Nick Van Exel directed Friday's session.

Bucks director of scouting Billy McKinney said he thinks Blue could go early in the second round or in the middle of the round.

"I think there are going to be some surprises," McKinney said. "Some guys could go up. Lucas Nogueira (a Brazilian center), who had a really good camp in Treviso, could move up. Steven Adams (a 19-year-old Pittsburgh center), a lot of people are moving up based on their draft workouts."

Blue said he would not be devastated if his name is not called on draft night.

"I've seen guys not get drafted, Wesley (Matthews) for instance," Blue said. "I'm pretty sure I can get on a summer league team, play summer league and work my way on a roster. Work from there.

"But I'm feeling good going into the draft. Nobody knows where but I think I'll hear my name called. And if not, I'll still be ready.

"Hope for the best but expect the worst, that's how I live," Blue said. "It wouldn't be devastating at all. It just means I have a little more work to do. I want to have a long career in the NBA. I just don't want to get there and say I'm in the NBA.

"I want to get there and establish myself."

[Eldon]

Anyone going to the draft?

[Dawson Rental]

Vander is going to get to pick from among several offers to play for summer teams because he's not going to get drafted.

[Niv Berkowitz]

You know what really could have shown teams he can handle the 1? Staying his senior season and doing it over a full season versus 11 three-hour workouts.

[PJDunn]

Vander will be the beneficiary of a Buzz Williams lineage.  My predicition is a late 2nd round pick.

[GGGG]

You know what really could have shown teams he can handle the 1? Staying his senior season and doing it over a full season versus 11 three-hour workouts.

Why do you think Buzz would have had him play point?

[willie warrior]

Blue is not NBA PG material. Hope he makes it, but it will not be at the point.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

Honestly, its probably in his best interest to not be drafted and go the Wes route. From MU's perspective, I'll still be rooting for him to find a way in.

[MUSF]

Why do you think Buzz would have had him play point?

Exactly. Buzz is interested in winning games, not experiment with positions to showcase players for the next level.

I still think Vander gets drafted though.

[GGGG]

Honestly, its probably in his best interest to not be drafted and go the Wes route.

Wes is by far the exception to the rule.  A second round pick shows some sort of investment. 

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I voted yes, as I think he'll be one of the last couple picks of the draft. Still a dumb decision, but hope it all works out for Vander.

[MU82]

Exactly. Buzz is interested in winning games, not experiment with positions to showcase players for the next level.

I still think Vander gets drafted though.

If memory serves, Buzz played him some at PG when Vander was a freshman. Maybe even a little as a soph. No?

When Dee Brown was at Illinois, he was Deron Williams' 2-guard. But he had absolutely no chance to be a 2 in the NBA. Meanwhile, after Williams left, Illinois didn't have a proven PG for the following season. So Bruce Webber moved Brown to PG, Illinois had a good season and Brown did get drafted as a PG. It was a win-win.

We'll never know if Buzz would have played Vander some or a lot at PG, but I don't think it's way out there to think he might have.

Oh, and I voted no on Vander getting drafted.

[Sunbelt15]

Sorry to say no. Haven't seen one recent article mentioning a team interested in Blue. Phoenix at 57th is his best chance cause of their strong need for shooting guards. 

[brewcity77]

I think he'll get picked. The relative success of Matthews, Butler, and to a lesser extent Crowder and Novak's resurgence has MU guys a bit more popular than they were when the Amigos came out. I agree that he won't end up a PG, but I do think he can be a decent 6th-7th man in the league. He may have been better served by coming back, but based on Blue's own comments it seems like this was always going to be inevitable.

[bilsu]

I voted yes, but it will be late like DJO. I believe you are better off going undrafted than being picked 57th like DJO.

[Benny B]

Blue took part in a six-player workout that also featured Serbian guard Nemanja Nedovic, Washington State senior forward Brock Motum, Arizona freshman forward Grant Jerrett, Butler senior center Andrew Smith and Serbian center Dejan Musli.

If those were the names on the Bucks draft board right now, I'd feel pretty darn confident if I were Vander.  I'd also feel pretty darn upset if I was a Bucks fan.

[GGGG]

I voted yes, but it will be late like DJO. I believe you are better off going undrafted than being picked 57th like DJO.

Seriously...why do people say this?  I can't figure it out for the life of me. 

A second round draft choice isn't a high-priced asset, but it *is* an asset.  For a team to draft you in the second round shows some sort of investment in the player.  A free agent signing shows *none.*

The reason Wes was successful is because the entire NBA simply f*cked up and didn't draft him.  He wasn't successful because he could pick and choose where to start his career.

[Groin_pull]

Anything is possible, but I vote no.

[bilsu]

Seriously...why do people say this?  I can't figure it out for the life of me. 

A second round draft choice isn't a high-priced asset, but it *is* an asset.  For a team to draft you in the second round shows some sort of investment in the player.  A free agent signing shows *none.*

The reason Wes was successful is because the entire NBA simply f*cked up and didn't draft him.  He wasn't successful because he could pick and choose where to start his career.

When you are drafted 57th, you are stuck with the team that drafted you. I rather not get drafted and look at who is on the roster and sign with the team that I have the best chance to make.

[MerrittsMustache]

When you are drafted 57th, you are stuck with the team that drafted you. I rather not get drafted and look at who is on the roster and sign with the team that I have the best chance to make.

As a 2nd rounder, you have a non-guaranteed contract with a team that thinks enough of your abilities to draft your rights. The other option is to go to a team that didn't think you were worth a draft pick and hope to latch on. NBA teams don't exactly beat down the doors of undrafted FAs either. It's not like Vander will go undrafted and then start a bidding war between Pat Riley and R.C. Buford for his services. He'll play for whatever team(s) offer him a spot on their summer league roster. IIRC, Wes played for a couple of different teams in the summer, as did Jerel.

This past season, only 4 rookie, undrafted college players saw action in NBA games.

PG Scott Machado (11 games, 2.5min/gm)
SG Kent Bazemore (61 games, 4.4 min/gm)
SF DeQuan Jones (63 games, 12.7 min/gm)
SF Kevin Jones (32 games, 10.4 min/gm)

From the 2011 Draft, there were 0.
From the 2010 Draft, there were 2 (Jeremy Lin, Courtney Fortson).

The odds aren't exactly in favor of an undrafted free agent.

[GGGG]

When you are drafted 57th, you are stuck with the team that drafted you. I rather not get drafted and look at who is on the roster and sign with the team that I have the best chance to make.

That sometimes works in the NFL...but rarely works in the NBA for the reasons that Merritts lays out.  Furthermore he is going to play in the summer league for whatever team drafts him, and if they don't have space for him in the long-run, he'll be cut.  And if he performed well enough, he will be picked up elsewhere.

The problem with DJO wasn't that he was drafted...it's just that he didn't quite have the talent.  And again, Wes succeeded because he did have the talent...not because he wasn't drafted.

[mu-rara]

That sometimes works in the NFL...but rarely works in the NBA for the reasons that Merritts lays out.  Furthermore he is going to play in the summer league for whatever team drafts him, and if they don't have space for him in the long-run, he'll be cut.  And if he performed well enough, he will be picked up elsewhere.

The problem with DJO wasn't that he was drafted...it's just that he didn't quite have the talent.  And again, Wes succeeded because he did have the talent...not because he wasn't drafted.

And great 2 guard size

[GGGG]

As a 2nd rounder, you have a non-guaranteed contract with a team that thinks enough of your abilities to draft your rights. The other option is to go to a team that didn't think you were worth a draft pick and hope to latch on. NBA teams don't exactly beat down the doors of undrafted FAs either. It's not like Vander will go undrafted and then start a bidding war between Pat Riley and R.C. Buford for his services. He'll play for whatever team(s) offer him a spot on their summer league roster. IIRC, Wes played for a couple of different teams in the summer, as did Jerel.

This past season, only 4 rookie, undrafted college players saw action in NBA games.

PG Scott Machado (11 games, 2.5min/gm)
SG Kent Bazemore (61 games, 4.4 min/gm)
SF DeQuan Jones (63 games, 12.7 min/gm)
SF Kevin Jones (32 games, 10.4 min/gm)

From the 2011 Draft, there were 0.
From the 2010 Draft, there were 2 (Jeremy Lin, Courtney Fortson).

The odds aren't exactly in favor of an undrafted free agent.

That is incredible.  Wow.  That should tell you what sort of exception Matthews was...and what a big screw up the NBA made.

[MerrittsMustache]

FWIW, a scout's brief take on Vander (via SI.com)...

Vander Blue, 6-5 guard, Marquette: "He's a really good athlete, but I'm not sure what position he is. He's a little on the small side to be a two-guard. But he's a really good defender, and he's a tough kid, which most Marquette kids are."

[AlienWarrior]

FWIW, a scout's brief take on Vander (via SI.com)...

Vander Blue, 6-5 guard, Marquette: "He's a really good athlete, but I'm not sure what position he is. He's a little on the small side to be a two-guard. But he's a really good defender, and he's a tough kid, which most Marquette kids are."


Wow! Sounds a bit like someone who left MU 10 years ago