So Is McKay Gone For Real?....

[Dawson Rental]

Hmmmmm.......Roseboro, Mbao, Durley, Williams, McKay. etc.

Finally, you're starting to get it.  It doesn't make sense to recruit bigs!

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

This may have already been covered... but what are McKay's options and eligibility status?

He didn't play in a game, so can he go anywhere he wants, and immediately player this year, or next year? Doesn't he have to wait until 2nd semester next year?

Anybody know?

[GGGG]

He has to wait until second semester next year. 

[chapman]

He has to wait until second semester next year. 

So he would have to take the redshirt year for the 2013-14 year and is basically sitting out a year and a half to be eligible for a year and half?  Who advised him, a potato?

[jsglow]

He has to wait until second semester next year. 

Really can't understand his decision.  So he might have ridden the bench this year or possibly have redshirted to give him two as Steve's running mate?  Just seems shortsighted to me given the reports we've heard about his reasons for leaving.  Anyway, I sincerely hope it works out for him.

[Dawson Rental]

Really can't understand his decision.  So he might have ridden the bench this year or possibly have redshirted to give him two as Steve's running mate?  Just seems shortsighted to me given the reports we've heard about his reasons for leaving.  Anyway, I sincerely hope it works out for him.

This might make sense if MU was unwilling to redshirt him in which case he needed to transfer to get a shot at meaningful minutes in two seasons.  Otherwise its a complete head scratcher.

[ceh]

Really can't understand his decision.  So he might have ridden the bench this year or possibly have redshirted to give him two as Steve's running mate?  Just seems shortsighted to me given the reports we've heard about his reasons for leaving.  Anyway, I sincerely hope it works out for him.

This!  

I just don't understand why anyone with only 2 years of eligibility would want to burn 1/2 a semester by making a move, especially after practice has started.  This guy has gotten some really poor advice in my opinion.

[GGGG]

The decision makes no sense.  From everything I have heard it seems to have occurred in the last week and with very little forethought.  He committed to Marquette in June 2012, and then completely worked his ass off in the classroom to be eligible here...and then throws it all away because he didn't feel he was going to get enough playing time *this* year.  

So why doesn't he redshirt at MU this year?  Spend the time in practice and in the weight room and then have plenty of minutes available when Jamil, Chris and Davante all graduate.  And then have two years to play AND complete his degree.

Instead he will have to sit until January 2015 and only have a year and a half.

It is a mind-boggling dumb decision made on spur of the moment emotion.  No logic behind it whatsoever.

[Dr. Blackheart]

This may have already been covered... but what are McKay's options and eligibility status?

He didn't play in a game, so can he go anywhere he wants, and immediately player this year, or next year? Doesn't he have to wait until 2nd semester next year?

Anybody know?

Look at TJ Taylor.  He had to sit out a year after attending MU summer school.  Same here, must sit out an academic year when transferring.

With McKay, MU holds his release.  And they will hold it for APR reasons so he completes first semester academics.  The clock was already ticking.  Then, he must sit a year since he transferred, technically at mid-year.  So, he loses half a season of playing time.  Mid year is when other transfers happen to free up spots as well for a landing space for him.  Not a lot free now...and if he drops without a release now, where is he going today? A school on quarters, where he will have to pay his own way?  DePaul?...but he cannot transfer within the Big East.  

An emotional decision, not well thought out.  Should have waited till Xmas.  JayBee or some of the experts can add to this or correct me.

[NavinRJohnson]

The decision makes no sense.  From everything I have heard it seems to have occurred in the last week and with very little forethought.  He committed to Marquette in June 2012, and then completely worked his ass off in the classroom to be eligible here...and then throws it all away because he didn't feel he was going to get enough playing time *this* year.  

So why doesn't he redshirt at MU this year?  Spend the time in practice and in the weight room and then have plenty of minutes available when Jamil, Chris and Davante all graduate.  And then have two years to play AND complete his degree.

Instead he will have to sit until January 2015 and only have a year and a half.

It is a mind-boggling dumb decision made on spur of the moment emotion.  No logic behind it whatsoever.

I'm having flashbacks to Vander Blue declaring for he draft. Not just picking on you, but everyone declaring his to be a dumb, illogical, emotional, poorly thought out decision. None of you know a damn thing that went into his decision. Maybe he did think he could handle school. Maybe he didn't like being close to home. Maybe after individuals, boot camp and a week or two of practice, he and the coaching staff came to realize he couldn't hack it. Maybe they came to realize that he was never going to play.

If any of the above turned out to be true, would that make his decision a dumb or emotional one? For 40 year old white dudes in the suburbs with well paying jobs, I suppose it is. This is just another example of this whole farce of student athletes, amateurism, etc.  Many of you guys really need to wrap your heads around the fact that most of these guys are attending college to play basketball, not playing basketball so they can attend college (BTW, this is a two way street. The colleges they are attending have them there for the same reason.). Guys like Vander Blue and Jameel McKay get ripped for making "dumb decisions" by people who have  absolutely no insight into their reasoning, when they are seemingly the only ones willing to call it what it is.

[StillAWarrior]

None of you know a damn thing that went into his decision.

Thank you.  Each of us has to make decisions that are right for us and/or for our families.  It's not always apparent to the rest of the world why we do what we do.  I'm sure McKay's decision was probably not easy, but I'm not going to pretend to know enough about him or his decision to either criticize it or praise it.  I will just wish him well.

[GGGG]

I'm having flashbacks to Vander Blue declaring for he draft. Not just picking on you, but everyone declaring his to be a dumb, illogical, emotional, poorly thought out decision. None of you know a damn thing that went into his decision. Maybe he did think he could handle school. Maybe he didn't like being close to home. Maybe after individuals, boot camp and a week or two of practice, he and the coaching staff came to realize he couldn't hack it. Maybe they came to realize that he was never going to play.

If any of the above turned out to be true, would that make his decision a dumb or emotional one? For 40 year old white dudes in the suburbs with well paying jobs, I suppose it is. This is just another example of this whole farce of student athletes, amateurism, etc.  Many of you guys really need to wrap your heads around the fact that most of these guys are attending college to play basketball, not playing basketball so they can attend college (BTW, this is a two way street. The colleges they are attending have them there for the same reason.). Guys like Vander Blue and Jameel McKay get ripped for making "dumb decisions" by people who have  absolutely no insight into their reasoning, when they are seemingly the only ones willing to call it what it is.

I know you are not picking on me, but I never said that Blue made a dumb decision in entering the draft.

But even from a basketball decision, this makes little sense.  He is now only going to play for a season and a half versus two seasons.  He had oodles of playing time available to him next year, and now he is looking at an unknown in that regard.  He had a coach with a history of getting the most out of his players and preparing them for the NBA...and that is now up in the air.  His options are going to be severely limited as a midyear transfer as Dr. Blackheart points out.  Etc. Etc. Etc.

His coaches at Indian Hills apparently implored him not to do this because they knew it made little sense.

[MerrittsMustache]

I have no insider info and I don't know Jameel, but part of me wonders if he just doesn't love basketball. He may like it a lot and he may really enjoy playing basketball, but to play at a major program, a player needs to LOVE to play basketball because it becomes your life. If Jameel only really liked playing basketball and/or was no longer having fun playing basketball, then spending 2 years being unhappy would not have been worth it for him.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I'm having flashbacks to Vander Blue declaring for he draft. Not just picking on you, but everyone declaring his to be a dumb, illogical, emotional, poorly thought out decision. None of you know a damn thing that went into his decision. Maybe he did think he could handle school. Maybe he didn't like being close to home. Maybe after individuals, boot camp and a week or two of practice, he and the coaching staff came to realize he couldn't hack it. Maybe they came to realize that he was never going to play.

If any of the above turned out to be true, would that make his decision a dumb or emotional one? For 40 year old white dudes in the suburbs with well paying jobs, I suppose it is. This is just another example of this whole farce of student athletes, amateurism, etc.  Many of you guys really need to wrap your heads around the fact that most of these guys are attending college to play basketball, not playing basketball so they can attend college (BTW, this is a two way street. The colleges they are attending have them there for the same reason.). Guys like Vander Blue and Jameel McKay get ripped for making "dumb decisions" by people who have  absolutely no insight into their reasoning, when they are seemingly the only ones willing to call it what it is.

I agree with you (for the most part).

A bunch of dudes on the internet shouldn't act like we know what it takes to play D1 hoops, or what goes into making these decisions.

However, I will say that from a basketball perspective, I don't get it. From a family perspective (close to home), I don't get it. From a education perspective (assuming he was doing ok), I don't get it.

I know MU isn't for everybody, and that's perfectly fine. But, I'm still having trouble making sense of this one.

Best of luck, Jameel. I hope you find what you are looking for!

[frozena pizza]

Disappointing to say the least, but there has to be more to it then having to play out of position or lack of playing time this season.  He would have had a good idea of what he was getting into in that regard and I can't imagine a lightbulb just went on over the past week.  I don't know what was going on in his personal life, in the classroom, or with his teammates, but I'm guessing there were other factors that he can't or won't discuss publicly because from a purely basketball standpoint it doesn't make sense.

[Golden Avalanche]

I have no insider info and I don't know Jameel, but part of me wonders if he just doesn't love basketball. He may like it a lot and he may really enjoy playing basketball, but to play at a major program, a player needs to LOVE to play basketball because it becomes your life. If Jameel only really liked playing basketball and/or was no longer having fun playing basketball, then spending 2 years being unhappy would not have been worth it for him.

Don't think you need to trawl too deep into the spectrum for this one and start casting aspersions on McKay's passion for the game. He's a 21 year-old kid with little experience in this area who made a spur of the moment decision. Happens every day of the year in every town of this country.

[94Warrior]

I wouldn't be shocked to hear McKay pulls a Juan Anderson and rejoins MU.  He only has 2 yrs max to showcase his skills at a D-1 level.  To transfer and give up first semester next season is a terrible idea.  A worse idea for him with limited time at the D-1 level, than it was for a freshman like Maymon.  Joining a team in late December next year, and having an adjustment period to get incorporated into the rotation almost completely wipes out another semester.  Leaving him 1 full year of eligibility playing with his teammates from the beginning.   Redshirting this season, and playing 2 full years in a wide open frontcourt at MU makes far more sense. 

If Jameel and his family can't see this, that is really sad.  His NBA prospects dropped DRAMATICALLY yesterday.

[Marquette Fan in WI]

Actually what I meant to suggest is that Burton may now see modest rotation minutes rather than end of the bench minutes.

With Burton's athleticism, body, and attitude, he will never be an end of the bench minutes guy.
I'm glad you see the light, he is going to be A LOT of fun to watch.
As for Smiles McKay, I was surprised to hear he was leaving, he would have been a greater asset next season than this.

[Galway Eagle]

I guest being the next number 32 in line was too much pressure for him.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Navin,

Fair enough on the critique, but my comment on the emotional vs. fact based is in relation to how the system works, not how Dr. Blackheart or any white, fat surburban sweater vested man thinks.  In this case, the fact based will hold him back as that is how the system works.  So, he is stuck at MU, walking around campus, going to classes for 2+ months now.  That is a fact...a NCAA fact, one that I don't agree with, btw.

[bilsu]

I wouldn't be shocked to hear McKay pulls a Juan Anderson and rejoins MU.  He only has 2 yrs max to showcase his skills at a D-1 level.  To transfer and give up first semester next season is a terrible idea.  A worse idea for him with limited time at the D-1 level, than it was for a freshman like Maymon.  Joining a team in late December next year, and having an adjustment period to get incorporated into the rotation almost completely wipes out another semester.  Leaving him 1 full year of eligibility playing with his teammates from the beginning.   Redshirting this season, and playing 2 full years in a wide open frontcourt at MU makes far more sense. 

If Jameel and his family can't see this, that is really sad.  His NBA prospects dropped DRAMATICALLY yesterday.

It would not surprise me at all if he changed his mind, because the decision does not make any sense to me. I do think he was smart enough to know, if he was only going to play center that meant he was not going to play. There are no minutes a center for him, except if the team wants to press.

[MerrittsMustache]

Don't think you need to trawl too deep into the spectrum for this one and start casting aspersions on McKay's passion for the game. He's a 21 year-old kid with little experience in this area who made a spur of the moment decision. Happens every day of the year in every town of this country.

I was actually trying to defend the kid. On the surface, his decision makes little sense and seems very illogical. I was merely trying to point out that there may be a somewhat logical explanation that we're missing.

[ceh]

Thank you.  Each of us has to make decisions that are right for us and/or for our families.  It's not always apparent to the rest of the world why we do what we do.  I'm sure McKay's decision was probably not easy, but I'm not going to pretend to know enough about him or his decision to either criticize it or praise it.  I will just wish him well.

Well, it's been reported that his decision to leave the team was based on playing time and position.  If this information is indeed correct I think that it is fair to critique his decision.  I would go so far to say this reeks of ODB and Maymon. 

[jsglow]

With Burton's athleticism, body, and attitude, he will never be an end of the bench minutes guy.
I'm glad you see the light,

Welcome Bull.  I too like Burton's game but would not presume to have Buzz' eye for exact rotations.  I've simply heard that there are some fellas ahead of him at this very moment and there are only 200 minutes per game to go around.  No Frosh should worry about being 10th or 11th in the initial pecking order.  His job is to earn it every day in the Kasten gym.  Deonte's time will come; maybe even this year.  If so, we'll be the better for it.

Again, welcome.

[NavinRJohnson]

Navin,

Fair enough on the critique, but my comment on the emotional vs. fact based is in relation to how the system works, not how Dr. Blackheart or any white, fat surburban sweater vested man thinks.  In this case, the fact based will hold him back as that is how the system works.  So, he is stuck at MU, walking around campus, going to classes for 2+ months now.  That is a fact...a NCAA fact, one that I don't agree with, btw.

Again, that assumes he has any interest in college, and the he will actually end up transferring to another school. Logical assumption, but by no means guaranteed in my mind.