# Let's discuss the NBA draft **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 23, 2005, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-nba-draft/309571 "2005-06-23T18:39:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-nba-draft/309571/21 "2005-06-29T21:28:29Z")
> [@watsonwil](#): > > Regarding Bowie being #2. Sure, he was bad compared to MJ. But he had a decent career, despite the injuries. He was a bust, but there have been way bigger busts. Shouldn’t Bowie be judged on his own merits and not those who were drafted behind him? It’s a hindsight thing, and pretty common. It so happens that Bowie was drafted one spot ahead of the best player ever, so it makes his status as a major bust look that much worse. Bowie’s career was mediocre, and for a #2 overall pick, 11 PPG and 7.5 RPG over ten years is definitely a bust. It’s just made more glaring because Bowie was picked ahead of not only Jordan, but Charles Barkely and John Stockton, as well as a number of other decent-to-good players. Kevin Willis went nine spots behind Bowie and became a better, twice-as-durable version of what Bowie was supposed to be. > [@](#): > > [mini rant] > I can’t wait until a few years pass so that Michael Jordan obsession will die down. > > Though I recognize he was the greatest player to lace them up, he dominates every list and poll that is out there. > > When people were discussing whether Robert Horry was the greatest clutch playoff performer of all-time, sports radio callers AND hosts were foaming at the mouth. They were offended that anyone would consider anyone OTHER than MJ the greatest at ANYTHING. Horry’s made a bunch of clutch shots, but I think if you say “greatest clutch playoff performer” it’s fair to object and add MJ’s name. Horry’s hit many individual shots, but he’s never been so much as a second option on any team. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-nba-draft/309571/22 "2005-06-29T23:06:14Z")
> [@](#): > > Drafting third, the Chicago Bulls want a big center. Specifically, they’d like to obtain the University of Houston’s Akeem Olajuwon. But the Houston Rockets select the 7-foot center with the No. 1 pick. > > Then the Portland Trail Blazers choose another center, 7-foot-1 Sam Bowie of Kentucky. Chicago’s stuck with Michael Jordan. “We wish he were seven feet, but he’s not,” Bulls general manager Rod Thorn says. "There just wasn’t a center available. What can you do? > > “If we had our choice between Bowie and Jordan, we would still have taken Jordan. But Olajuwon was the big prize. (Jordan) is a very good offensive player. But he’s not an overpowering offensive player.” [http://espn.go.com/classic/moments/s/june.html](http://espn.go.com/classic/moments/s/june.html) ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-nba-draft/309571/23 "2005-06-30T02:42:40Z")
The three players I actually cared about in this draft: Randolph Morris - Was SO hoping the Hawks would take him and then cut him in training camp. Now I’m just hoping he manages to come back to UK so Tubby can run his ass for 3 months for being stupid. Chuck Hayes - Undrafted, to no one’s surprise, although I think he could be a good player for someone despite being a bit small for his position. Hardest worker I’ve ever seen, and is practically the definition of a college player. Kelenna Azubuike - If he could show any emotion whatsoever on the floor, he’d have been taken early in the 2nd. Instead, he’s going to be playing in Europe for a few years before coming back to Lexington to sell insurance. (And now the countdown to Big Blue Madness begins…) ---
**Author:** ![Amok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Amok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amok)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-nba-draft/309571/24 "2005-06-30T02:54:34Z")
> [@brianjedi](#): > > Randolph Morris - Was SO hoping the Hawks would take him and then cut him in training camp. Now I’m just hoping he manages to come back to UK so Tubby can run his ass for 3 months for being stupid. Can he even return? I know high schoolers can still go and play for a college after being drafted if they don’t sign with an agent (though the team that picked them still owns their rights till something like a year after their class graduates). But even that rule is relatively new; I remember it being implemented in the past few years and I’m not sure if anyone has ever taken advantage of it. When it comes to underclassmen, if they don’t withdraw before the deadline, I thought that’s it, they lose their college eligiblity, even if they haven’t signed with an agent (and I don’t know if Morris did). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-nba-draft/309571/25 "2005-06-30T03:00:57Z")
> [@Amok](#): > > When it comes to underclassmen, if they don’t withdraw before the deadline, I thought that’s it, they lose their college eligiblity, even if they haven’t signed with an agent (and I don’t know if Morris did). No, they can still go back if they haven’t signed with an agent. Dee Brown did it this year because he injured himself and decided it would hurt his draft status. Morris did sign with an agent, so he’s never paying college ball, and Pat Forde rips him for it on [ESPN.com](http://ESPN.com). > [@Forde](#): > > Of the SEC’s undrafted group, the kid who has to feel lousiest today is Morris. He nearly joined Atlanta AAU teammates Dwight Howard and Josh Smith in the draft out of high school but chose to attend Kentucky instead. Once there, Morris spent all season proving that he had no business in the draft, averaging a listless 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds. He was considered one of the most underachieving freshmen in the nation. > > But instead of returning for several seasons of seasoning, he stunned Kentucky by _faxing_ coach Tubby Smith his declaration to enter the draft. Even after working out to tepid reviews, Morris left everyone hanging until the last minute and then issued a release through his new agency, SFX, saying that he was staying in the draft. (Now that Morris has gone undrafted, it’s high time for SFX to earn its money.) > > Between those two events, Morris spent his time scrupulously avoiding contact and counsel with Smith. That obviously would have made too much sense. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-nba-draft/309571/26 "2005-06-30T03:05:23Z")
According to LEX 18 News and Morris’s high school coach, he never signed with an agent. Whether that’s true or not, I don’t know, but it leaves the door open. He’d have to repay all the expenses for his pre-draft exhibitions, and then he could come back (if Tubby would take him back.) He’s lazy, slow and needs a lot of work. Hopefully he’s learned this. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-nba-draft/309571/27 "2005-06-30T03:09:06Z")
> [@brianjedi](#): > > According to LEX 18 News and Morris’s high school coach, he never signed with an agent. Whether that’s true or not, I don’t know, but it leaves the door open. If he only announced it at the last minute, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s all confused. Actually I’m confused too. I found a [FoxSports.com](http://FoxSports.com) article that said the deadline for underclassmen to withdraw was last Tuesday. Brown did withdraw before that, and since Morris didn’t, he’s done anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-nba-draft/309571/28 "2005-06-30T03:14:42Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > If he only announced it at the last minute, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s all confused. > > Actually I’m confused too. I found a [FoxSports.com](http://FoxSports.com) article that said the deadline for underclassmen to withdraw was last Tuesday. Brown did withdraw before that, and since Morris didn’t, he’s done anyhow. No, that’s the thing. There’s a NCAA rule from 2001 that says if a player goes undrafted, hasn’t signed an agent and repays all expenses, he can return to college basketball. It’s only happened once (a player at UC-Irvine in 2001 or 2002) but it’s possible. No one’s sure if the announcement he sent through SFX means he’s officially signed with them. ---
**Author:** ![Amok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f17d59/32.png) [@Amok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amok)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-nba-draft/309571/29 "2005-06-30T03:27:24Z")
I knew there was a difference between high schoolers and underclassmen, and I thought it was that underclassmen were done if they didn’t withdraw before the deadline, but it looks like you guys are right. As long as they’re completely undrafted (and don’t sign with an agent) they can go back to school, whereas with high schoolers they can go to school even if they are drafted (again, as long as they don’t sign with an agent). Thanks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-discuss-the-nba-draft/309571.md?page=1)