Chad ford

[wadesworld]

Henry is all but gone, money talks, people walk.   10-14 million guaranteed  for 3 years see ya.   The NBA is ruining the farm system by taking freshman that are not
even that good yet. Kevon Looney is a perfect example, not sure he will ever make it.   He got $3 millon or so over 3 years.  Uncle Sam takes 40%, family takes who
knows, friends need a few dollars and by 22 he is in Europe or the D league, almost broke.  Hope that is not the case.  Now 10-14 is 5-7, that you can live along time
on and the next contract if good, is Wes Mathews money or Jimmy Butler.  Needs to improve his outside shot, much like DWade, became a shooter, at MU he was a
slasher.

This is hard to follow.

[Marcus92]

The comparison to Kevin Love raises a few interesting points.

Kevin Love — UCLA (measurements from 2008 NBA pre-draft camp)
6'9.5" with shoes  255 lbs  6'11.25" wingspan  8'10" standing reach
29.6 mpg  17.5 ppg  10.6 rpg  1.9 apg  0.7 spg 1.4 bpg, .559 FG%, .354 3PT%

Henry Ellenson — Marquette (measurements from 2014 USA Basketball)
6'10" with shoes  228 lbs  7'1.5" wingspan  9'0" standing reach
32.5 mpg, 15.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.9 spg, 1.6 bpg, .428 FG%, .246 3PT%

The numbers are surprisingly close overall, with a few differences standing out.

1. Surprised to see that Ellenson is slightly taller and has a bigger wingspan and standing reach. Not a huge difference, but a positive for Henry.
2. If you look at photos of Love at the time, he was noticeably heavier than Henry is now. Today, Love is at almost the exact same weight but has clearly gained muscle and reduced his body fat.
3. Kevin's offensive game was further along as a freshman than Henry's, as evidenced by the higher scoring average and shooting percentages. Probably helps that he also played on an absolutely loaded Final Four team (including Russell Westbrook, Darren Collison and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute).

Love was drafted #5 by Minnesota, one spot behind his teammate Westbrook. (Imagine having two U.S. Olympians on the same college roster.) Obviously, scouting isn't just about numbers. But they do help fill in the picture.

[MU82]

The NBA is ruining the farm system by taking freshman that are not even that good yet.

NBA honchos are on the record as wanting to bolster the farm system by forcing kids to do two years of college -- even the next LeBron or the next Kobe or the next Durant. They would love to keep them as indentured servants another year.

The NBA players union, understandably, is against this. They want players earning as early as possible and getting to that second contract as early as possible because it lifts pay throughout their constituency.

Neither side really has the interest of the athlete's physical, mental and emotional development in mind. At least the NBAPA has the athlete's financial development in mind.

Regardless, it's a collectively bargained item. The NBA cannot unilaterally enact a rule forcing athletes to remain in college for a second year.

[Jay Bee]

The comparison to Kevin Love raises a few interesting points.

Kevin Love — UCLA (measurements from 2008 NBA pre-draft camp)
6'9.5" with shoes  255 lbs  6'11.25" wingspan  8'10" standing reach
29.6 mpg  17.5 ppg  10.6 rpg  1.9 apg  0.7 spg 1.4 bpg, .559 FG%, .354 3PT%

Henry Ellenson — Marquette (measurements from 2014 USA Basketball)
6'10" with shoes  228 lbs  7'1.5" wingspan  9'0" standing reach
32.5 mpg, 15.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.9 spg, 1.6 bpg, .428 FG%, .246 3PT%

The numbers are surprisingly close overall, with a few differences standing out.

Per game averages and FG% aren't things I normally look at.. consider digging deeper:
Love shot 59.5% eFG%. Henry is at 45.8%.
Only 20% of Love's FGA's were 3's. Henry is at 25%.
2FG% - and this is important - 61.1% for Kevin; 48.7% for Henry.

Not close.

Love's rebounding %'s were elite on both sides of the glass.. Henry's very good on the d-glass, offensively he's not as good. (15.4% to 8.1% OR adv to Kevin; 28.5% to 23.6% DR adv to Kevin).

Getting to the line.. Kevin drew fouls at a 25%+ higher clip.

ORtg.. Kevin 127 on 28% usage.
Henry... 99 on 26%.

Really, not all that close.

[WarriorPride68]

I looked at "247" top JUCO prospects for 2016. Nearly all of them are committed. One that isn't is Jabari Craig (6'10), who committed to USC last year but didn't qualify. Evidently MU was recruiting him then. Now it seems like only East Carolina is looking at him.

The list: http://247sports.com/Season/2016-Basketball/CompositeRecruitRankings?InstitutionGroup=JuniorCollege

MU had offered Willis (#9 on list) & Rivers (#14 on list)

As expected, no interest from MU anymore

"Pear River CC forward, Jabari Craig, will visit Cal St Northridge this weekend. He will then decide btwn Northridge, LMU, ECU & Miami (OH)"

[Lennys Tap]

Again, the NBA rookie scale with a fourth year option for pick number seven is 14.5 M. 

The number ten pick is 11.6M. 

Following the season, if Henry is told by pre-draft services he will be in top ten, I am sure he will depart. 

Wojo and staff, please start looking for a PF.........

This is a problem with a possible 1 and done. Until it's official he's gone it's tough to recruit someone at Henry's position - and if he decides to leave there will be almost nobody who's any good still available.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

This is a problem with a possible 1 and done. Until it's official he's gone it's tough to recruit someone at Henry's position - and if he decides to leave there will be almost nobody who's any good still available.

Few freshmen but lots of grad transfers

[Lennys Tap]

Few freshmen but lots of grad transfers

So far Wojo has recruited High school kids well but he's been shut out on Jucos and grad transfers.

[NYWarrior]

So far Wojo has recruited High school kids well but he's been shut out on Jucos and grad transfers.

Matt Carlino, hello

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

So far Wojo has recruited High school kids well but he's been shut out on Jucos and grad transfers.

Car3no?

[Lennys Tap]

Car3no?

My mistake - but that was a bit of a special circumstance. Brian Brunkhorst is Matt's uncle.

[jsheim]

This is a good thread about Henry and NBA$$.

I used to think that he would stay because of Wally and strong family motives (that are certainly there).

But the payday numbers plus the draft rank plus the week 2016 class. Its Smart to go with those projections. And the family will be smart.

What do you think about Stone...I've always thought him 1-n-done...where is he projected?

[oldwarrior81]

Most of the mock drafts have Stone in the 10 thru 16 range. 

Which is generally the second highest ranked true center in the draft.  Behind the big Austrian kid at Utah.  Tells something about where the pro game has been headed with the need for 6-10+ guys to stretch the floor.

[MU82]

On the broadcast last night, Bardo did a very nice job of shooting down those who keep saying Henry isn't ready. And his intro into his comments was something like, "People who watch Henry Ellenson might think he's not ready for the NBA, so why is there all this talk about him being a lottery pick?"

Bardo said it isn't necessary for Henry -- or anybody in his position -- to be NBA-ready. Especially defensively, NBA GMs fully expect these players to be nowhere near NBA-ready. Bardo said it's all about the size, the skill set and the potential, and NBA GMs like what they see of somebody who can be developed long-term.

Anybody with any understanding of how this all works knows Bardo -- a long-time observer, a real good college player and a guy who had an NBA cup of coffee -- is absolutely correct.

[Spotcheck Billy]

^ one just has to look to the Bucks to see a club drafting for future development

[Golden Avalanche]

My mistake - but that was a bit of a special circumstance. Brian Brinkhorst is Matt's uncle.

Special circumstance or not, Wojo convinced him to spend his last few months in college with the basement squad of the Big East. Had to take some recruiting talents to do that.

[Lennys Tap]

Special circumstance or not, Wojo convinced him to spend his last few months in college with the basement squad of the Big East. Had to take some recruiting talents to do that.

Absolutely concede that. But getting Matt only made a really, really bad team a really bad team.

This year Damian Lee would have made us an NCAA team and others we missed on would have given us at least a shot. Getting any of them was, IMO, much more important to the program and a better measuring stick of Wojo's heft with that type of recruit.

[Goose]

Golden

Landing Matt was a special case deal. It was win-win for both parties and Matt's family has a 50 year history with program. Pretty much a slam dunk recruit for Wojo and decision for Matt.

[Golden Avalanche]

Golden

Landing Matt was a special case deal. It was win-win for both parties and Matt's family has a 50 year history with program. Pretty much a slam dunk recruit for Wojo and decision for Matt.

Even with the history, it was a slam dunk decision to join a bottom feeder? Ambitious crew they're running.

[MU82]

Absolutely concede that. But getting Matt only made a really, really bad team a really bad team.

This year Damian Lee would have made us an NCAA team and others we missed on would have given us at least a shot. Getting any of them was, IMO, much more important to the program and a better measuring stick of Wojo's heft with that type of recruit.

So disappointing to have a heft-less coach.

[Lennys Tap]

So disappointing to have a heft-less coach.

Few things sadder.

[We R Final Four]

On the broadcast last night, Bardo did a very nice job of shooting down those who keep saying Henry isn't ready. And his intro into his comments was something like, "People who watch Henry Ellenson might think he's not ready for the NBA, so why is there all this talk about him being a lottery pick?"

Bardo said it isn't necessary for Henry -- or anybody in his position -- to be NBA-ready. Especially defensively, NBA GMs fully expect these players to be nowhere near NBA-ready. Bardo said it's all about the size, the skill set and the potential, and NBA GMs like what they see of somebody who can be developed long-term.

Anybody with any understanding of how this all works knows Bardo -- a long-time observer, a real good college player and a guy who had an NBA cup of coffee -- is absolutely correct.

I said a month or so ago that HE will be a lottery pick regardless if he steps on the college court again. Just the way it is. Is he NBA ready? Absolutely not. Does that matter in the least?apparently not.
If a GM passes up Buddy Hield on his way to get HE and keeps his job--God bless them.

[brewcity77]

Absolutely concede that. But getting Matt only made a really, really bad team a really bad team.

This year Damian Lee would have made us an NCAA team and others we missed on would have given us at least a shot. Getting any of them was, IMO, much more important to the program and a better measuring stick of Wojo's heft with that type of recruit.

Worth considering the circumstances in the two we aggressively pursued. Both Damion Lee and Shonn Miller signed with borderline blue-blood programs and coaches that have won national titles in the past 3 years (before this season). It sucks losing out on guys that could have been true difference makers for this season, but it's no surprise Wojo (with one year and a losing record) doesn't have the heft of Rick Pitino or Kevin Ollie just yet considering their accomplishments.

It will be interesting to see what happens this offseason, especially if Henry leaves. Clearly it would leave a big hole that any senior PF worth his salt would have the chance to fill. Will Wojo be able to lure someone with a bit more experienced team and a gaping hole where the guy preceding you just left in the lottery? I'd say that would be a better test of his mettle.