Jeff Teague

Draft Decisions: College Losers

Jason Brubaker — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:19:11 -0700

NBA Draft Deadline: Losers

This is a lonely time for basketball fans. The NBA Finals have ended, the LeBron/Kobe puppet commercials are dwindling, and the rush of Draft hype is only about to begin. Thankfully, we had a little excitement with the “withdrawl deadline”, or there would have been no conceivable reason for getting out of bed in the morning.

But while the deadline brought hope for some teams (Maryland, Notre Dame), it also set an ominous tone for others (Wake Forest, USC). With the deadline now in the rearview mirror, here’s a look at the winners and losers.

LOSERS

Wake Forest. The Deacons looked to have a terrific future last season, entering February with a 17-2 record, owning wins over two top-ranked teams, and led by a nucleus of underclassmen. They ended the season with a humbling beatdown at the hands of Cleveland State, and now are looking to fill two major holes, as Jeff Teague and James Johnson will be wearing NBA uniforms next year. Without their two top scorers, the Deacons will turn to sophomore Al-Farouq Aminu, who suddenly becomes the go-to scorer on a team devoid of proven scorers. The Deacons could still make the NCAA, but they won’t be challenging for an ACC crown again this season.

North Carolina. It was considered a foregone conclusion that Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington would be gone after winning the title, but that still doesn’t mean the Heels won’t miss them. Lawson was a game changer in the NCAA tournament, using his speed and improved shooting to lead the Heels to blowouts in every round. Ellington’s shooting balanced out the Tar Heel attack, and both players provided veteran leadership, along with seniors Danny Green and Tyler Hansbrough. The Heels have a great class coming in, and did retain freshman forward Ed Davis, but there’s no doubt there will be an adjustment without Ellington and Lawson.

Florida. It’s still unclear whether Nick Calathes will be playing in Greece or the NBA next season, but one thing is sure- he will not be back in Gainesville. That’s bad news for Gator fans, considering Calathes did a little of everything last year, He was a heady playmaker and a clutch scorer, although rumors abounded of his rocky relationship with his teammates. Without him, the Gators will lean heavily on freshman guard Kenny Boynton, and hope the rest of the team makes considerable steps in their game. Otherwise, it could be another NIT year for Florida.

Oklahoma. Once again, the fact that it was a foregone conclusion that Blake Griffin would declare doesn’t make it hurt the Sooners any less. Griffin was a one-man wrecking crew in the paint, and it goes without saying his production will be hard, if not impossible, to replace. The Sooner did get some good news when guard Willie Warren decided to return for his sophomore year, but you don’t lose a guy like Griffin and not feel it.

Gonzaga. The Zags knew they would lose Jeremy Pargo, Micah Downs and Josh Heytvelt. Now, they’ve added Austin Daye to that list as well, as the lanky forward with tantalizing potential will not be returning to Spokane next year. Blessed with a ton of talent, Daye never quite took over games like he could have, but he would have had a huge role in the offense next year, and could have seen his stats take a giant leap. Gonzaga will still be the team to beat in WCC, but another Sweet 16 run may be too much to ask.

USC. It’s hard to blame anyone for leaving the mess at USC right now. High-flying guard Demar DeRozan will be a lottery pick, so his decision was an easy one, despite an up-and-down season. But losing Taj Gibson and Daniel Hackett means the Trojans will almost certainly struggle next year, especially as the threat of an NCAA investigation looms. With Coach Tim Floyd resigning, and the the Trojans losing three key players, look for a very rough season next year.

Syracuse. Outside of UNC, few teams will be plugging more holes then the Orange, who lost guards Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf, as well as forward Paul Harris. After a sensational sophomore year, Flynn is projected as a lottery pick, and it’s hard to fault him for taking the leap. However, Devendorf and Harris are projected as second-round picks at best, and both would have benefited from another year of expanding their games in college. Replacing their top three scorers, as well as their three best playmakers, won’t be easy. The Orange still have enough talent for an NCAA berth, but another Sweet 16 is asking too much.

Others: St. Mary’s (Patty Mills), Pittsburgh (DeJuan Blair), UCLA (Jrue Holiday), Louisville (Earl Clark), Duke (Gerald Henderson), Arizona (Chase Budinger, Jordan Hill), Arizona State (James Harden)

>> Return to Part One: Winners

2009 NBA DRAFT: NBA Team Needs/Capsules - NBA Mock Draft - Top 100 Prospects

Jeff Teague to Remain in NBA Draft

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:25:36 -0700

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest guard Jeff Teague announced on Monday that he is hiring an agent and remaining in the 2009 NBA Draft. Teague, along with all other NCAA underclassmen, had until Monday at 5 p.m. ET to decide whether to remain in the Draft or come back to school.

Teague declared for the NBA Draft on April 8 but did not hire an agent, leaving open the possibility of returning to Wake Forest for his junior season. However, with the deadline nearing, Teague announced his intentions of staying in the Draft to pursue a professional basketball career.

Teague, a 6-2 guard from Indianapolis, Ind. (Pike HS) led Wake Forest to a 24-7 record this past season and a second place finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference. A second team All-ACC selection, Teague led the Demon Deacons with 18.8 points per game and 110 assists. He was named to the All-America second team by the Sporting News and by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

Teague scored exactly 1,000 points and dished out 184 assists in his two-year career as a Demon Deacon.

The NBA Draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 25, at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

2009 NBA Draft: Best Scorers

CHN — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:49:27 -0700

2009 NBA DRAFT: NBA Mock Draft - Top 100 Prospects - NBA Team Needs/Capsules - 2010 NBA Draft

2009 NBA Draft Skills Challenge: Best Scorers

While the 2009 NBA Draft isn't loaded with deadly long-range bombers, there are definitely some guys adept at getting the ball in the hoop. Blake Griffin isn't a traditional scorer from the SG or SF position, but he can score the ball in a variety of ways. Stephen Curry can light it up with the best of them, and some of our experts considered him the best scorer available, even better than the probable #1 pick. The highly efficient James Harden appears in everyone's lists, but opinion is mixed. Meanwhile, Jodie Meeks and Marcus Thornton shredded the SEC last year, but our opinions on those guys were highly scattered. Dionte Christmas, Tyrese Rice, and Jermaine Taylor were some of the less-heralded prospects given some love.

As part of our NBA Draft Skills Challenge series, CHN experts ranked the Best Scorers in the Draft. Click on player name for profile & scouting report. Our experts rankings will be updated once the official Entry list is finalized.

Jason Brubaker

1) Blake Griffin
2) Stephen Curry
3) James Harden
4) Jodie Meeks
5) Jeff Teague
6) Dionte Christmas
7) Toney Douglas
8) Chase Budinger