Vander Blue

[mikekinsellaMVP]

You missed the point as well when it comes to Matthews.  Matthews became an NBA player during his senior year making a huge jump from his junior year.

Something else kind of important happened between Wes' junior and senior year that wouldn't have happened for Vander.  Not trying to downplay Wes' contribution, but how much of that was a "jump" in skills and how much was a new coach -- in Wes' words -- "taking the chains off?"

[#UnleashSean]

Tell that to Wesley Matthews or Buddy Hield.  Staying another year could have been the catalyst from becoming undrafted to drafted. School provides an environment with unlimited resources to improving your game, while going at it alone provides a much more difficult ascent.  Blue had an opportunity to put the team on his back and show the nation what he could do.  Instead, he chose a route that sent him into obscurity where the threshold fQataror success is much higher.

Wesley wasnt drafted though.

[Herman Cain]

Still trying to get a call-up, but doing well in the lower leagues. Whats the average D-League salary now?


http://hoopshype.com/2017/02/14/vander-blue-i-know-im-an-nba-player-i-know-its-gonna-happen/

Thanks for posting. I am hoping Vander realizes on his dream. I respect the young man for staying focused and positive. He has come a long way.

Vander had a big chance this summer in the Rookie League. He played in both sessions for the Mavs. He perform well in the first session in Orlando, but he did not perform in the bigger stage in Las Vegas. If he could have put together two strong performances I think he may have at least earned an invite to an NBA training camp.

He has now had a longer career with the LA D Fenders than with MU.I think he will get one last chance if he stays in the D League.

[muhoops1]

Something else kind of important happened between Wes' junior and senior year that wouldn't have happened for Vander.  Not trying to downplay Wes' contribution, but how much of that was a "jump" in skills and how much was a new coach -- in Wes' words -- "taking the chains off?"

You beat me to it.  Wes made the jump when Crean bailed!  That was the best move for him.  Was the 3rd option in the 3 Amigos.  Crean goes Crimson and Wes shines.

[JWags85]

He has now had a longer career with the LA D Fenders than with MU.I think he will get one last chance if he stays in the D League.

Unfortunately, even as someone who is a big Vander fan, the Lakers are the wrong team for that shot.  You take out guys like Deng, Metta World Peace, and Nick Young (who is probably getting traded), and you have one of the youngest cores in the league.  They have their developmental guys, Vander hasnt been called up in awhile, it wont happen now.

His best bet is to go the Dwight Buycks route and perform well in Europe to gain some further notice.

[tower912]

Watching Henry play for the Drive a few times this year, I am struck by the number of 6'4 guards in the NBDL who all shoot better than Vander did at MU.    (Maybe he can now).     Last week, I watched Gabe York (how is that name for a blast from the past?), trying to make the conversion to a PG, absolutely rain 3's to try to rally his team.     And it occurred to me that Vander is one of 50 guys in the NBDL his size who can do exactly what he does hoping to get one of a handful of slots on the end of the bench in the show.   It is like being a cute blonde in Hollywood.   So much evenly matched competition for so few spots.   

[GGGG]

Watching Henry play for the Drive a few times this year, I am struck by the number of 6'4 guards in the NBDL who all shoot better than Vander did at MU.    (Maybe he can now).     Last week, I watched Gabe York (how is that name for a blast from the past?), trying to make the conversion to a PG, absolutely rain 3's to try to rally his team.     And it occurred to me that Vander is one of 50 guys in the NBDL his size who can do exactly what he does hoping to get one of a handful of slots on the end of the bench in the show.   It is like being a cute blonde in Hollywood.   So much evenly matched competition for so few spots.   

This pretty much nails it.  Also doesn't have much upside at that height.

[Nukem2]

His best bet is to go the Dwight Buycks route and perform well in Europe to gain some further notice.

Should have done that a couple years ago.  Father Time, unfortunately, is starting to run out on Vander.  As others have posted, there are too many 6'4" guys in the NDBL who can do what he does.  Vander is probably leaving a lot of money on the table sticking the D-League chasing a dream that is fading?

[Silkk the Shaka]

Watching Henry play for the Drive a few times this year, I am struck by the number of 6'4 guards in the NBDL who all shoot better than Vander did at MU.    (Maybe he can now).     Last week, I watched Gabe York (how is that name for a blast from the past?), trying to make the conversion to a PG, absolutely rain 3's to try to rally his team.     And it occurred to me that Vander is one of 50 guys in the NBDL his size who can do exactly what he does hoping to get one of a handful of slots on the end of the bench in the show.   It is like being a cute blonde in Hollywood.   So much evenly matched competition for so few spots.

Crazy the razor thin margin that can take you from $30k in the d-league to a 2-year guaranteed couple million $ deal like Buycks got

[GGGG]

Should have done that a couple years ago.  Father Time, unfortunately, is starting to run out on Vander. 

He's 24.  Got plenty of years left to earn $$$.

[MerrittsMustache]

Watching Henry play for the Drive a few times this year, I am struck by the number of 6'4 guards in the NBDL who all shoot better than Vander did at MU.    (Maybe he can now).     Last week, I watched Gabe York (how is that name for a blast from the past?), trying to make the conversion to a PG, absolutely rain 3's to try to rally his team.     And it occurred to me that Vander is one of 50 guys in the NBDL his size who can do exactly what he does hoping to get one of a handful of slots on the end of the bench in the show.   It is like being a cute blonde in Hollywood.   So much evenly matched competition for so few spots.

Exactly.

Look at the college guards drafted in the 2nd Round of the 2014 Draft (the year Blue could have been drafted had he stayed). They're all bigger than VB or true PGs and all of them are better shooters from distance. The only way Blue could have had a chance at being drafted would be if he played 30+ minutes at the point as a senior and carried MU on a tourney run with shooting and distributing. 6'4" slashers are a dime a dozen.

[Markusquette]

Can we focus a little attention on the fact that Blue seems to have grown up?  Really enjoyed reading the interview.  We're all so focused on the "what could have been" scenarios as opposed to the now.  Vander's working his butt off in the G-League and is on the right track as one of the best players in it. He's still reppin' Marquette plenty as well.

Wish him the best and I think his time will come to be a role player on an NBA squad.  He's better than the guards coming off Milwaukee's bench already.  Should lose Vaughn and give Vander a shot.

[Silkk the Shaka]

He's 24.  Got plenty of years left to earn $$$.

Yep, Vander was a young college player, so leaving a year early was almost like leaving as a soph. A good amount of player development still takes place between age 24 & 27. There's still time to get his game in NBA shape.

Speaking of, did anyone else know Markus Howard is only 17 years old?

[wadesworld]

Can we focus a little attention on the fact that Blue seems to have grown up?  Really enjoyed reading the interview.  We're all so focused on the "what could have been" scenarios as opposed to the now.  Vander's working his butt off in the G-League and is on the right track as one of the best players in it. He's still reppin' Marquette plenty as well.

Wish him the best and I think his time will come to be a role player on an NBA squad.  He's better than the guards coming off Milwaukee's bench already.  Should lose Vaughn and give Vander a shot.

Vander is definitely not better than Rashad Vaughn (who isn't good).  Not for what is needed in the NBA.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Exactly.

Look at the college guards drafted in the 2nd Round of the 2014 Draft (the year Blue could have been drafted had he stayed). They're all bigger than VB or true PGs and all of them are better shooters from distance. The only way Blue could have had a chance at being drafted would be if he played 30+ minutes at the point as a senior and carried MU on a tourney run with shooting and distributing. 6'4" slashers are a dime a dozen.

Agreed. I actually thought Blue was one of the rare players that could have actually benefited from staying a year rather than declaring after a dominant tournament run. Only way Blue was going to make the Association was as a PG...which he had never played in college. If he came back and showed he could run the point effectively and improved his 3P shooting (two very big ifs), I think he could have had a shot. But who knows, its a purely academic exercise at this point.

[GoldenDieners32]

Agreed. I actually thought Blue was one of the rare players that could have actually benefited from staying a year rather than declaring after a dominant tournament run. Only way Blue was going to make the Association was as a PG...which he had never played in college. If he came back and showed he could run the point effectively and improved his 3P shooting (two very big ifs), I think he could have had a shot. But who knows, its a purely academic exercise at this point.

You never know, he still has a chance

[Markusquette]

Vander is definitely not better than Rashad Vaughn (who isn't good).  Not for what is needed in the NBA.

I'd give Vander a shot over Rashad.

[MerrittsMustache]

I'd give Vander a shot over Rashad.

Yeah. Why wouldn't a team go with the older, smaller, worse-shooting option?

[Babybluejeans]

I feel like Scoop has this same conservation every couple months. Vander's had his chances and it didn't work out. He's probably not going to develop into a different player now. The good news is that he's still got a decade and maybe more to collect some shekels (perhaps literally) overseas. Go East young man.

[dw3dw3dw3]

Some times it works out. That was sort of Crowder before this year. Some guys have a little something extra that doesn't show in the stat sheet or measurements, but makes guys like Brad Stevens want them on their teams.

I'm not sure Vander is that guy, but it's great to hear him staying positive and holding on to his dream. Also interesting to hear that he summers with Crowder. Crowder's shooting took a massive jump forward this year, so maybe they are working together on that. Vander is at a respectable 37% this year on 5 attempts a game. If that jumps into the low 40s next year I think he gets the call.

[MUBurrow]

I really like Vander a lot and would love to see him stick in the association. If I were him, the opportunity cost of what I could have made overseas these past couple of years would be piling up and weighing a little more heavily all the time. But he seems at peace in his personal calculation of what keeping the dream alive is worth to him, and I respect him for that.

[oldwarrior81]

2 seasons ago Vander was playing more of a combo guard spot in the D-League, averaging over 5 assists per game.

Looks like he's at the 3 this year.   3pt% is a respectable 37.2% on 183 attempts this year.

[Markusquette]

Yeah. Why wouldn't a team go with the older, smaller, worse-shooting option?

Vaughn sucks.

[wadesworld]

Vaughn sucks.

Which tells you where Vander is.

[GoldenDieners32]

Vaughn sucks.

he went to unlv right?