Mar 6, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies point guard Tony Wroten (1) passes the ball around Portland Trail Blazers center Meyers Leonard (11) during the game at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden–USA TODAY Sports

Grade: C-

Statistics: 35 games played, 7.8 minutes, 2.6 points, 1.2 assists, 0.8 rebounds per game

When he declared for the draft, I never would have expected Tony Wroten to be playing in the NBA playoffs this season. He’s averaging 2.8 minutes in the six games he’s played in, but he’s still getting playoff action. After a season that was split between the D-League and the NBA, I still think he made a mistake going to the league after just one year at Washington. Some of that might be my selfishness wanting a legitimate point guard this season, but I also think he could have improved his draft stock as well as improved as a player.

Rather than spend most of his time at shooting guard (despite not being able to shoot), Wroten would have been able to blossom as an oversized point guard, something all NBA teams relish. Nonetheless, he declared and left the Huskies after one season. After being drafted by the Grizzlies, he played 10 games in the D-League, where he put up similar numbers to what he did at UW. He averaged 15.7 points and 3.2 assists while starting two games for the Reno Bighorns. His final two outings sold the Grizzlies on him, scoring 21 and 27 points in his last two games for the Bighorns.

In between D-League stints, Wroten saw time in 35 NBA games. He averaged 2.6 points and 1.2 assists acting as a backup combo guard for the Grizzlies. His best outing came in a 101-77 win over the Brooklyn Nets, where he scored a season-high 11 points and dished out four assists in 23 minutes. He was rewarded with 26 minutes the next game, but shot just 1-7 and didn’t play more than 17 minutes the rest of the season.

With Mike Conley Jr. manning the point, the Grizzlies are set there for a while, but if Wroten can improve on his shooting, he could find his role as a sixth man backing up Conley and Tony Allen. Like Terrence Ross, Wroten is oozing with potential, so I’m looking forward to seeing if he can put it to use in the NBA.

July 17, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Memphis Grizzlies player Tony Wroten (8) during the first half of the game against Washington Wizards the at Cox Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten into their summer league games and each have played five and four games, respectively. This gives a small sample size of what to expect from them the rest of the summer league.

Obviously, this can’t give us much of a glimpse of what their first season will look like in the NBA. Especially because Summer League rosters are vastly different than the actual NBA rosters. Make the level of competition a lot higher in the NBA season. At the end of the Summer League and part-way through the NBA season we will have to catch up with them again.

Here is a look at their stats thus far in the 2012 NBA Summer League:

Highlights for Wroten’s first game:

Wroten had a good debut for the Memphis Grizzlies and it was his best game against the New York Knicks where he scored 19 points, had 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals.

Ross on the other hand, had a very impressive debut on July 13 against the Houston Rockets. Ross scored 21 points, had 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. His most recent game against the New York Knicks Ross only had 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist.

He showed off a highlight reel dunk in this video against the Sacramento Kings (45 second mark):

He seems to be impressing a lot of people in Toronto with his athleticism and shooting ability. TheStar.com a Toronto Paper posted these comments from Raptors Coach Dwane Casey:

“Now he’s come out here in the Summer League with a high motor,” Casey said this week. “That’s the thing we were looking at. I was told I had to stay on him, but I haven’t seen that yet. So far, so good. He’s been listening, and he’s been our hardest-working guy in the Summer League.”

So far, so good for both Wroten and Ross. They both wanted to be in the NBA as soon as they were ready and now they are doing their best to take advantage of that opportunity.

Scott Suggs Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

The Washington Huskies team is certainly different this year. There is a lot that is unseen and unheard of for the coming season. Not only for fans but for the national media and the nation’s attention.

Once again, UCLA and Arizona are flying high on the national radar. Both had huge recruiting classes and are returning some important players from last season. USC is actually gaining some ground in the spotlight. Many are talking about a completely different Trojan squad with Jio Fontan back in the mix.

The Huskies, however, look to be an enigma. The national media isn’t sure what to do with them. Are they good? Are they bad? Who is their best player? Do they have a deep bench? Do they not? And with all these questions they don’t know how to answer, they still can’t regulate Washington out of the race. Or maybe they don’t want to.

Take for example, the article that I read last night by Eammon Brennan on ESPN.com. He is breaking down the Pac-12 in “best/worst case scenarios” and he also lists the top player for each team on the side. At the top he has 5 stories lines to follow during the summer.

However, his comments are really straight forward for every team in the Pac-12 but for Washington he seems befuddled. Take a look at his best/worst case scenario for UW.

Best-case scenario: For as much as Tony Wroten impressed NBA scouts with attacking athleticism last season, let’s not forget that Wroten posted a 95.5 offensive rating on the 13th-highest usage rate (32.2 percent) of any player in the country. Maybe losing Wroten to the NBA draft isn’t that bad, after all. If Abdul Gaddy and C.J. Wilcox form a more efficient backcourt, and Aziz N’Diaye can add to his low-post repertoire, this team might be a better — or at least more cohesive — offensive unit.

Worst-case scenario: The Wroten departure may not hurt, at least compared to last season, but the loss of versatile swingman Terrence Ross is a definite downer. Ross wasn’t just productive, he was efficient. Even with him, the Huskies couldn’t manage to make the NCAA tournament. Without him, and without Lorenzo Romar’s typical recruiting haul, the Huskies could struggle to get close.

On first read through you think, how is that even a “best or worst” case scenario. In fact, both the worst and the best sound like the same. On second read through, you can better understand his reasoning: the best case scenario is that UW is more cohesive and the worst is that they struggle to get close to the NCAA tournament.

However, it isn’t clear. And that is not Brennan’s writing style. The rest of the Pac-12 is answered in a pretty straight forward fashion.

Now, let’s look at his ‘most important player’ for the Husky team:

Washington: Scott Suggs
C.J. Wilcox and Abdul Gaddy are the most recognizable names on the roster. But don’t forget about Suggs, a sharpshooter who averaged 7.4 points and shot 45 percent from 3-point range as a junior two years ago. The 6-foot-6 Suggs, who redshirted last season because of a foot injury, could be one of the X factors for the Huskies.

Sure, he declares Suggs as the guy but does it in a way that leaves you guessing if it is really Gaddy or Wilcox. Especially, when his last line is “could be one of the X-factors”. Brennan doesn’t seem convinced it is actually Suggs. When in every other Pac-12 school he is definite on his choice with no other current players listed (except Arizona but that is only to state that it will elevate his pick for most important player).

What is going on?

Honestly, the answer is that the media, fans, both nationally and locally are unsure what to do with this team. Two of the most talented players may be guys that have yet to hit the court, Andrew Andrews and Mark McLaughlin. Then there is a guy named Suggs, who was red-shirted all last season due to injury. Gaddy has been an enigma from the beginning so he just adds to that puzzle. Aziz N’Diaye has been working on his offensive game, but fans have heard that before. Shawn Kemp is supposed to be in better shape and knows the system. We could go on and on about why there are more questions than answers right now but I won’t.

Instead, I will leave you with my best/worst case scenario for this enigma in the media’s eyes. They will either (best case), fly under the radar or (worst case) leave us in mystery for all of next season.

Terrence Ross (Washington) is introduced as the number eight overall pick to the Toronto Raptors. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

This is part I of a two part series looking at the next set of Husky basketball players who have a chance to join the long line of Husky greats taken in the NBA draft. Part I will focus on the incoming seniors, while Part II will look at the underclassmen possibilities…

On Thursday night, the Washington Huskies saw two players taken in the first round of the NBA draft. Terrence Ross was taken at #8 by the Toronto Raptors, while Tony Wroten was taken at the #25 spot by the Memphis Grizzlies. This is the first time in Husky history that two players on the team were taken in the 1st round. It is still amazing to me that a team with two first round caliber players missed out on the NCAA tournament. But, that’s a discussion for a different day. Lorenzo Romar has certainly been able to maintain a pretty good stream of players being taken in the NBA draft.

Since the 2004-05 season, Romar he has seen nine of his players selected in the NBA draft. And usually there is at least one every year. Let’s take a look at his track record.

In 2005, Nate Robinson was taken in the 1st round with the 21st pick.

In 2006, Brandon Roy was taken in the 1st round with the #6 pick, while Bobby Jones was taken in the 2nd round with the 47th pick. Will Conroy went undrafted, but has played on various 10-day contracts in the NBA while bouncing around the D-League and international leagues.

In 2007, Spencer Hawes was taken with the 10th pick of the 1st round.

In 2008, no one selected.

In 2009, Jon Brockman was taken in the 2nd round of the NBA draft with the 38th pick overall. In addition, while undrafted, Justin Dentmon was able to make his way up through a couple international leagues and the D-league into the NBA on a few short-term contracts.

In 2010, Quincy Pondexter was taken with the 26th pick of the 1st round.

In 2011, Isaiah Thomas was taken with the 60th and last pick of the NBA draft.

So, 9 players have been taken in the last 8 drafts and only in one of those years no players were selected. That is a pretty good track record for potential recruits to look at. Everyone talks about how John Calipari has a track record of getting players to the NBA. But, really, does anyone really believe that these 5-star one-and-done prima donas wouldn’t have gotten to the NBA without Calipari’s help? But, with Romar a number of his players were 4-year players who really did need the time to “develop”.

Thus, it leads us to the inevitable discussion of who will be the next Husky great to get the call from the NBA. There are essentially two questions to ask here. First, are there any players on  the current roster who look like definite NBA talent for the 2013 draft? And second, will Romar get any of the one-and-done players in the 2013 recruiting class that would enter the draft in 2014?

First, let’s examine the current roster. In this article, I am focusing on the three seniors on the roster who will definitely be hoping that the NBA comes calling next summer. In Part II, I will examine the underclassmen to see who else might be possibilities to be drafted in 2013 or 2014.

Washington Huskies guard Abdul Gaddy. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

When you look at the seniors on the roster, you have Abdul Gaddy, Scott Suggs, and Aziz N’Diaye. Since this is their final year of eligibility, each of them will hope to get the call to the NBA next year. It is their last chance to shine, to show improvement on the things they need to work on, and wow the scouts with their athleticism, potential, leadership. Last, but not least, they must demonstrate that they are winners. This is a season of unknowns in 2012-13. Will this team with arguably less talent be able to get to the NCAA tournament, while the team with two first round picks could not? Getting to the Big Dance will likely depend on whether these three seniors have the kind of season that will also get them into the NBA draft.

Let’s start with the team’s starting point guard Abdul Gaddy. Gaddy has been somewhat of an enigma for Husky fans since he arrived. Gaddy was a highly touted 5-star recruit, rated the #2 point guard in the nation out of high school. He originally committed to Arizona for Lute Olsen. But, once Olsen decided to retire, he decided to stay closer to home. Many figured he would be a one-and-done type player, except that that wasn’t an option since he was too young to enter the draft. In fact, he was the youngest player in all of Division I in the country that year.

But, after a pretty disappointing freshman season, many people chalked it up to age (he was only 17) and inexperience. Gaddy did show some improvement during his sophomore year until he suffered that torn ACL early in the year that knocked him out of the rest of the season. Gaddy came back last year as the starting PG and played more minutes than any other Husky player. He was reliable and durable and definitely started to grow into the position. With a roster full of high fliers, but with no obvious leaders, you could see him grow more and more into that role of elder statesman as the season wore on.

Gaddy seemed comfortable as a play-maker, but definitely lacked much of the necessary explosiveness to be an effective scorer. He improved his outside shooting, but seemed to struggle taking defenders off the dribble or defending quicker guards. It will be interesting to see if he can finally blossom into the 5-star recruit that he was hyped as 3 years ago. This is his last chance to show NBA scouts that he has a future in the league. Currently, he has gone from a sure-fire NBA prospect to missing from the Mock Boards of both DraftExpress.com and NBADraft.com. He will definitely need to show the same level of reliability, improved leadership, and improved scoring ability to get himself back on the board.

Cal State Northridge Matadors guard tries a hook shot over Washington Huskies center Aziz N'Diaye

Aziz N’Diaye is another senior with a shot at an NBA career. In fact, his chances of playing in the league may be even better than Gaddy’s. While Aziz clearly has his limitations on the offensive end, his size and athleticism is definitely something that NBA scouts are looking for. As the old saying goes “you can’t teach height”. But, it goes beyond that. He is so strong and muscular, that he is very difficult to move out of the post and his ability to run the floor will be very effective in breaking up fast breaks and getting down the floor for rebounds on the offensive side. He could still use some improvement on his footwork, but his athleticism gives him the ability to recover when out of position to disrupt opponent’s shots.

While shooting 38% from the free throw line is not very encouraging, his ability to take up space on the defensive end and intimidate guards who drive into the lane could prove quite useful at the next level. His solid minutes on a team without much front line depth last year helped relieve some of the injury concerns by NBA scouts, but his propensity to foul too much has to keep them concerned. Hopefully Aziz will be able to stay out of foul trouble this year, he will improve somewhat on his post play and offensive skills, and he will be able to continue to show his durability. Currently, NBADraft.com has him as the #56 player taken, which is late in the 2nd round. But, DraftExpress.com does not have him on the board. If undrafted, I do think Aziz might be able to carve out a niche in the NBA as an undrafted free agent.

Scott Suggs is someone who is not really being talked about right now in the NBA draft. After redshirting last season, it is difficult to really know what we are going to get from him. After the former Mr. Basketball from Missouri arrived at UW, he had a disappointing freshman season (which many people, including me, felt he should have redshirted), an improved sophomore year, and a promising junior year. While he is certainly a good shooter from outside and a solid defender, his ability to dribble and run the offense need work. He needs to take on more of a leadership role next year, and needs to be a threat to drive to the basket with his tall athletic frame and ability to pass out of traffic. A lot of people are excited to see what he will look like in this 5th year. He could potentially have a real breakout season with the absence of obvious scorers ahead of him like Ross and Wroten. He biggest competition for touches and shots will come from CJ Wilcox. But, being more featured on offense could give him a chance to shine. But, I don’t believe that even a big time season would get him into the NBA draft . I think he could have a chance to make it someday, but it would likely similar to the route taken by Dentmon and Conroy via the D-League. Or, more likely he’ll carve out a nice little career overseas.

So, of the current crop of seniors, I see Aziz N’Diaye as the most likely to be drafted. Tomorrow, I’ll look at who else might make it among the rest of the roster.

Tony Wroten Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Tony Wroten was drafted 25th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2012 NBA Draft. Wroten will join another former Husky, Quincy Pondexter.

He landed in about the expected position, some had him lower, some had him higher. Ultimately around 20-30 is where many thought he would land.

Let’s look at  instant reaction from around the internet on the selection of Wroten.  We will look at Grizzlies Fan’s reaction,  Memphis Blogs, NBA Writer(s), Husky fans reaction, and more.

Random Memphis Fan Tweet

(this seems to be the general consensus for the Grizzlies fan base).

The Tony Wroten pick is seriously growing on me he has rare size and athleticism for a PG #Gogrizz

— Bubba Johnston (@RJBubba74) June 29, 2012

Grizzlies Site: Commercial Appeal (Memphis)

This is what the media in Memphis is saying about the pick and the scrutiny of Wroten’s shot.

You know who else couldn’t shoot coming into the NBA draft? Rajon Rondo. You know who else? Ricky Rubio. You know who else? Russell Westbrook. You know who else? Mike Conley. No, Wroten will never be the “shooter” the Grizzlies have lacked for so long, but shooting (unlike, say, rebounding) is a skill that can be improved. In the meantime, the Grizzlies acquired a big, strong, explosive guy who can defend, get to the rim and see the court. Chris Wallace called him the second-best passer in the draft, behind North Carolina’s Kendall Marshall. That’s good stuff, right there.

NBA Writers Panel (Fansided)

There are four opinions of the pick on the panel. This is the one I felt worth sharing from Jack Winter. You can read the rest here.

Wroten has potential for days, his combination of size, ballhandling ability, vision, and athleticism an extremely rare commodity. He can’t shoot at all and has some character concerns, but this late in the draft is easily worth the risk. He doesn’t fit well on this Grizzlies roster, though, as Mike Conley deserves the vast majority of lead guard minutes and the team lacks shooting. With next year in mind, Doron Lamb would have been a better pick. Long term, though, it’s tough to go wrong with Wroten.

Husky Fan Reaction

A fairly typical reaction from Husky fans. Most were just elation for two first round picks. But this type singled out just the selection of Wroten.

Tony Wroten Jr gets to play with former Husky Quincy Poindexter!!! Lovin all the HUSKIES in TN!!!

— Shay-Shay Kardashian (@Zphiiilosophy) June 29, 2012

Husky Media Reaction

Gregg Bell of GoHuskies.com, you can read the full story here.

Wroten joins former Husky Quincy Pondexter on the Grizzlies. Though they didn’t play together, Romar believes the UW bond will form immediately in Memphis.

“I just know he is going to take Tony under his wing,” Romar said. “Tony is going to learn under him.”

Terrence Ross. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten should both find themselves drafted in the first round. Ross could even make it into the top 10 and Wroten into the top 20. It could be the highest pair of picks for the Huskies in recent years.

Griffin Bennett and Mark Knight will be tracking the NBA draft and updating this post to keep you informed on what is happening with Ross and Wroten. Rumors, trades, speculation, and where they are selected. Have this open while you watch the draft or keep up with us while you are at work.

• 7:30 – First round over. We are signing off. Check back tomorrow for thoughts on the Draft. (MK)
• 7:10 – Wroten will join Quincy Pondexter in Memphis. And remember Memphis was  team that sold but is now maybe in limbo. VERY VERY small chance but possible that team could come to Seattle. (MK)
• 7:06 – Don’t downplay the impact that having two players selected in the first round will have in recruiting. The number one thing that top players want to see is how the program will get them paid. (GB)
• 6:51 – The NBA Draft selection committee slotted Wroten to go anywhere from the 5th to the 25th. He ended up 25th. (MK)
• 6:49 – Memphis Grizzlies select Tony Wroten Jr. with the 25th overall pick. (MK)
• 6:45 – Atlanta passes on Tony. Just goes to show that off season promises don’t mean much. Now I hope the Heat grab him up. (GB)
• 6:36 – We heard all year that Atlanta “loves Wroten”. Let’s see how much. (GB)
• 6:29 – Draft fatigue setting in. That or this drinking game is kicking in. (GB)
• 5:51 – Rumors that Raptors are after Steve Nash to join Ross. (MK)
• 5:48 – Starting to get into a realistic Wroten range as he is the best PG on the table. (MK)
• 5:28 – From Dave “Softy” Mahler – “If the #Raptors pick up the option on Terrence Ross 3rd year, he’ll be guaranteed $6.7 Million” (MK)
• 5:23 – From the ESPN Stats Twitter – “Terrence Ross is 4th UW player to be drafted in top 10 in common draft era Roy/Hawes/Schrempf” (MK)
• 5:20 – Now does Wroten shoot up the draft boards, drop down the draft boards, or go where projected (bottom of first round)? (MK)
• 5:18 – “First off I want to thank God, without him I wouldn’t be here. It’s a blessing.” He then credits his defensive ability and shooting as why the Raptors liked him. (MK)
• 5:17 – Jay Bilas loves Ross’ shooting ability, says he and John Jenkins are the best shooters in the draft. He also lists rebounding and transition.
• 5:16 – Toronto Raptors Select Terrence Ross. (MK)
• 5:13 - Philadelphia 76er fans on Twitter are hoping for Terrence Ross. (MK)
• 5:08 – We’re officially in Ross territory here. He could pop at any time now. (GB)
• 4:44 – MJ and the Kittens take MKG with the second pick. The winner takes the winner. Great pick, in my opinion. (GB)
• 4:38 – Davis to New Orleans. No shocker there. I love the snapback hats they’re giving out, though. Very stylish. – (GB)
• 4:30 – Anyone in for a little drinking game? Drink if you hear “wingspan”, “upside”, “reach”, “ceiling”, or “potential”. More to come later, I’m sure. (GB)
• 4:19 – The draft committee nailed the Wroten projection with 5-25. Huge range but he could fall to the bottom of the first round or could be a “crazy” pick early in the draft. NBA GMs slobber over potential. Wroten oozes potential. (MK)
• 4:10 – My personal preferences for both of our guys: Ross goes New Orleans to create a great nucleus of Gordon/Davis/Ross and Wroten goes to a top contender like Boston/Miami/Atlanta/and maybe Memphis. (GB)
• 3:50 – Terrence Ross sporting a green bow tie. Looking pretty fly! https://twitter.com/MikePradaSBN/status/218475742026141697/photo/1 - (GB)
•  3:48 – Draft Express updated his mock draft with Terrence Ross to the Bucks at 14. Wroten at 30 to Golden State. (MK)

Also in the category of “good news”, Terrence Ross has been invited to the NBA Draft green room which usually means that the player has a good chance of being selected in the lottery. This will be even more exposure for the Washington program, especially with a pivotal 2013 recruiting class watching on TV.

With the draft a day away, it’s a great time to check out the mock drafts from all around the interwebz. Nothing is more exciting and pointless than NBA mock drafts BUT that doesn’t mean we can’t join in the speculation.

Chad Ford – ESPN

Ross: 12 – Milwaukee. Ross worked out for the Bucks on Tuesday. I don’t think it was a game-changer, but if Tyler Zeller is off the board, I think they might opt for Ross over Meyers Leonard. Yes, they need a big man more, but they also need a big wing who can shoot the basketball and there is a lot of pressure in Milwaukee to win now. Leonard is a project. Ross can play right now.

Wroten: 23 – Atlanta. The Hawks don’t have any depth behind point guard Jeff Teague. Sources say that, in the past few weeks, they’ve become enamored with Wroten. His shot is broken and he can be wild, but he has enormous upside as a big point guard who can see the floor and get to the rim.

ESPN “Experts” – ESPN

Ross: 18 – Houston. I initially had Ross here when I thought the Timberwolves would be drafting at No. 18, but Ross is a good fit for Houston as well (that is, if the Rockets end up keeping the pick). He is a good value at this point in the draft, and the team could use another wing following the trade of Chase Budinger. – David Thorpe

Wroten: 24 – Cleveland. Wroten isn’t really a need here, so much as I believe he’s the best player still left on the board. But I do think he can fit in Cleveland. He has the size to play the 2 and is a terrific slasher and defender. His shot is broken, but when playing alongside Kyrie Irving‘s shooting skills, I don’t think that’s as big of an issue. – Chad Ford.

Aran Smith – NBADraft.net

Ross: 7 – Golden State. Unlike last year when everyone knew exactly who the Warriors were targeting, Klay Thompson, this year GM Bob Myers has shrewdly kept it a mystery. It’s no secret this team needs a 3 and would love to see either MKG or Harrison Barnes slide to them. Ross is a talent with a legitimate chance to be the top wing prospect from this year’s draft class. He’s had tremendous workouts, so if the team really likes him it could be a risk to trade down 4-5 spots in the hopes of getting him. Ross is dangerous from outside, where he sports a clean release and sweet rhythm in catch and shoot opportunities. A smooth wing with NBA athleticism, Ross does an excellent job at stretching the floor by recognizing and occupying open space. He also shows a nice ability to pull up for mid-range shots. Ross’ strong finish to the season only helps his cause. NBA Comparison: Eddie Jones

Wroten: Not in first round.

Jeff Goodman – CBSSports.com

Ross: 18 – Houston. The Rockets dealt Chase Budinger for this pick and may package it — or one of their other first-round selections. If not, Ross may be too talented to pass up as an athletic wing who can shoot it.

Wroten: 31 – Washington DC. He’s got the size and athleticism and is worth the risk early in the second round.

Bill Simmons and Chad Ford – Grantland.com

Ross: 11 – Portland. With the 11th pick, I’m grabbing Terrence Ross for Portland and, more important, for the nitpicking lunatics on the Blazers Edge message board. In a league that’s moving in the direction of athletic swing guys who can shoot 3s and play multiple positions, it seems logical to spend a lottery pick on an athletic swing guy who can shoot 3s and play multiple positions, right? – Bill Simmons

Wroten: Not chosen in mock (only 22 picks).

Sam Amick – Sports Illustrated

Ross: 17 – Dallas. This seems to be the floor for Ross, whom I’m told could go as high as No. 10 to New Orleans. The Mavs would be tempted to grab Marshall to help fill a potential hole at point guard (depending on what happens in free agency), but Ross — who was among the NBA’s 14 invitees to the green room on draft night — is too talented to pass up. He has phenomenal range, size and top-tier athleticism (37½-inch vertical jump). He averaged 16.4 points and shot 45.7 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from three-point range as a sophomore.

Wroten: 30 – Golden State. The talent is easily worth taking here, even with the red flags about Wroten’s decision making and lack of shooting range. He puts serious pressure on defenses and could be a potent option for coach Mark Jackson coming in behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

Scott Howard-Cooper – NBA.com

Ross: 17 – Dallas. The emerging sophomore has signs of a big-time scorer, with range on his shot and athleticism, with the versatility to play either swing spot.

Wroten: 30 – Golden State. The pick probably changes — to Miles Plumlee, Draymond Green or maybe Evan Fournier — if the Warriors go guard at No. 7.

David Aldridge – NBA.com

Ross: 13 – Phoenix. Last year, the Suns almost took Iman Shumpert in the first round before opting for forward Markieff Morris. They’ll get the guard they want this time with Ross, who has impressed a lot of teams during the interview process and who has caught Phoenix’s eye.

Wroten: Not listed in first round.

What can we learn from all of this? First off, the general sentiment is that Ross probably won’t sneak past Dallas at 17 and that in no way is Wroten guaranteed a first round selection. If Wroten falls out of the top 30, would you consider his decision to leave early a smart one? What teams are most ideal for Ross and Wroten?

The bottom line is that there isn’t one. Thursday’s draft will be a fun one for Dawg fans and it will certainly be filled with drama and intrigue.

Terrence Ross gets 14th Green Room invite w/Davis, T-Rob, Beal, MKG, Barnes, Lillard, Waiters, Rivers, Drummond, Lamb, Henson Zeller Leonard

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 25, 2012

Mar 27, 2012; New York, NY, USA; Washington Huskies guard Terrence Ross (31) drives to the basket during the first half of the semifinal round against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at the NIT held at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

This is a big invitation for Ross as he has been projected all over the place but has recently impressed many people; fans, general managers, media members, etc. He has been able to really show of his shot, his athleticism, and ability to play defense.

I have seen Ross mentioned as high as 7 because Jerry West seems to be really intrigued by Ross. Draft Express has him at 13 to the Suns, some have him in the top 10 and most have him around 15. However, there have been others that have put him in the 20 range.

In my opinion, both Ross and Tony Wroten could be one of those guys that make a leap up the draft board. In the NBA, general managers draft based on potential almost as much as any sport (baseball beats it out). And both Ross and Wroten show extreme potential and athleticism.

This invite  is big for Ross, it means a few things:

• The NBA views him as one of the top 14 players in the Draft.
• He will most likely get selected in the top 15. There was only one player that slipped out of the top 15 last year that sat in the green room, Chris Singleton who went 18 to the Washington Wizards.
• Ross’ hype has increased ten-fold since his workouts with teams.

Thursday night is the draft. Stay tuned to see where Ross and Wroten goes. TheHuskyHaul.com will be covering it throughly; pre, during, and post draft.

June 4, 2012; Westwego, LA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Terrence Ross talks to the media following a pre-draft workout with the New Orleans Hornets at the Alario Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten were the only Huskies invited to the NBA combine as they are the two that will be drafted. Ross and Wroten have been showing off their skills to NBA executives and all the buzz out of the combine is that both are drastically improving their draft stock.

Ross coming out of UW was projected as a potential lottery pick while Wroten heard that he could go anywhere between 5th and 25th. Wroten was projected with such a disparity because of how much fans, coaches, and NBA executives disagree about him. He is an enigma because he doesn’t really project like anyone currently in the NBA. There are a few that he shares similar traits with, but none where he looks to line up exactly like or even close.

Wroten has been compared to Tyreke Evans, Rajon Rondo, John Wall, Iman Shupert, Deron Williams, and even Gary Payton. However, it never quite fits. This is why when the NBA committee looked at him and the NBA they gave him such a wide range.

At the NBA combine both Ross and Wroten are impressing people.

Jeff Goodman of CBS put Ross in his 12 winners:

Terrence Ross – I pegged Washington’s wing as a lottery pick prior to the start of the season — and he’s got a chance to move into the top 14. Ross has the length, athleticism and also the perimeter shot. He made more shots than most — and he also did a nice job on the defensive end.

And Wroten has brought a lot of praise too.

Who helped their stock the most in Chicago, according to sources? Damian Lillard, Meyers Leonard, Austin Rivers, Tony Wroten…

— The Hoops Report (@TheHoopsReport) June 9, 2012

They both also came in a little bit taller in terms of measurements.

• Wroten measured at 6’4 3/4 with no shoes on and 6’6 with shoes. That is taller than many expected him to be because basketball players are usually referenced with shoes on. He weighed 203, with a 6’9″ wingspan, and 8’5″ reach.
• Ross measured at 6’6″ without shoes and 6’7″ with shoes on. This is about an inch higher than expected though as the season went on last year, people were noticing that he was just barely shorter than Darnell Gant. He weighed 196.6, with a 6’7 1/2″ wingspan, and a 8’5″ reach.
• Wroten also was the fastest in the sprint. This is great for his stock as he not only was the fastest at his position but the fastest at the combine.

Ross has shown that he can really shoot the ball from all over the court, can play defense, and has tons of athleticism to get to the rim. The one thing scouts are still wanting to see from him is his dribbling.

Wroten on the other hand is showing the opposite in terms of shooting; he is struggling with his shot. But he has an explosive ability to get to the basket, showing impressive passes, athleticism, and improved defensive ability.

Many are now speculating that Ross will break into the top 15 and Wroten still has a shot to be a high draft pick on potential alone. The NBA loves potential.

March 8, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Tony Wroten (14) defends against the Oregon State Beavers during the second round of the 2012 Pac 12 Tournament in the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

After one season with the Huskies, Tony Wroten will soon realize his dream of playing in the NBA. But, what kind of pro will Wroten become? I ask the question “What kind of pro will Tony Wroten become?”, because he’s not the player now he will be one day.

I first heard about Wroten when he was 14 and ranked the #1 in the country; I didn’t know they had such rankings, but there you have it. Wroten continued on the national radar throughout his high school years, known as a point guard with incredible vision, ball handling ability and size, which taken as a whole, gave him first rate court awareness. I remember listening to the radio prior to Wroten’s decision on which college he’d attend, and the host fielded a call who happened to be a relative of Tone’s. She said she really wanted him to attend UW, so he could drop dimes left and right for the home team. Well, UW it was, but ironically Wroten soon became more known for his slashing, driving ability to get to the rim, rebound and finish.

Wroten has his detractors, most of whom, I’ve not agreed with. Those few that I have seen their point, I’ve understood in the context of a freshman season. So too, with Wroten and the NBA commentators and pundits. I recently read a criticism from an NBA writer who argued that Tone is overrated, lacks a jump shot, turns the ball over too much, etc. This would be a huge blight on his ability to make an impact at the next level, if that’s the player Wroten forever will be.

Romar, who has come to the defense of Wroten time and time again in the face of his detractors, has been quick to point out that many (most?) early entry players are not fully developed; they’re young and still a work in progress. However, the teams and smart GM’s are able to project a player based on the talent and heart they show, develop them and reap the future fruit. Someone, some team, will see this in Wroten and pick him – likely in the first round – on June 28th.

Development

I believe Wroten will be a fine NBA player, but what does he need to improve upon to realize his potential?

First, bring his athleticism to bear in a team concept. Yes, even the NBA runs sets and Wroten will want to make the maximum impact by playing team ball, forcing his will upon defenders, but in a way that benefits his teammates.

Second, commitment on the defensive end. Wroten can be a solid defender at the NBA level. His length and disruptive approach will generate easy buckets on the other end, but defense largely is a choice and he won’t be able to take any plays off, especially guarding the league’s best point guards.

Third, add versatility to his offensive game, including using his off-hand and developing a jumper. This is perhaps the most common criticism leveled against Wroten’s game. Competing against NBA level defenders will prod Wroten to develop his right hand; he’ll have to go right from time to time, because they’ll simply clog the left side. Further, there are several point guards who come into the league with a sub-par perimeter game but improve over time.

Draft boards have Tone all over the map, probably going somewhere in the late first round, though of course Wroten could improve his stock at the combines. According to his Twitter feed, Wroten worked out with the Golden State Warriors Monday, and a few boards have him going to Indiana, which I find very intriguing given their length, hard-nose style and already good perimeter play. A point guard with Wroten’s passing ability and court vision could prove to be a real asset to a team and system like Indiana. We’ll see where Tone lands soon enough. His impact will be great, even if not realized initially.

The 2011-2012 season has been over for some time now. Our two stars have declared early for the NBA draft and Lorenzo Romar seems to be done recruiting for next season. The Dawgs have added two new names to the roster, though one will likely red shirt this season as per NCAA regulations regarding transfers.

So what can Husky fans expect out of next year’s team? It’s a bit hard to tell at the moment, especially in light of last season’s less than stellar outcome. While the 2011-2012 team was young, but talented, the lack of depth may have ultimately led to the early season losses and the late season collapses. 2012-2013 looks to be loaded with much more experience and, hopefully, a much deeper bench that will allow Romar and staff to execute the type of high octane defense that has been such a staple of this program.

With seven freshman on last season’s roster it is easy to see why the team may have struggled early on. Next season the roster will feature two redshirt freshmen, five sophomores (four if Austin Sefarian-Jenkins does not return), one redshirt sophomore, two juniors, and four seniors (though Perry Blackwell will be redshirting). Now I must state that experience does not always equal talent, but it certainly is not a deterrent.

Only two incoming players will have had zero experience with Romar’s program and both players are experienced college ball athletes. Along with the preseason trip to Europe and Africa, this team should be a much more prepared unit than the 15 guys that took the court against Seattle Pacific University in early November, 2011.

The biggest question is most certainly “Who will replace Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten?”. With Scott Suggs returning from his medical redshirt season, it is easy to imagine Suggs slipping right into Ross’ starting possession and immediately make a positive impact. Suggs was our most consistent 3-point threat in the 2010-2011 season and he appeared confident in his shot throughout the exercises in the pregame warm-ups. Suggs has a chance to be one of the leagues leading scorers if he can not only knock down his jumper, but also drive the line with regularity to keep the defenses from cheating out to cover him.

C.J. Wilcox also has the potential to jump into the starting 5 with his excellent outside shooting. At times, Wilcox was a streaking shooter hitting either all of his shots or none at all. There is no stopping Wilcox once he gets hot, just take a look at the 2009-2010 game against UCLA for proof.

I should also throw the new Husky’s name in here, Mark McLaughlin. While I have seen very little of his game outside of the occasional highlight video, McLaughlin is another tall wing with excellent scoring abilities. McLaughlin could provide excellent 6th man support, much like Wilcox this past year. Who knows, McLaughlin may turn out to be a better scoring threat than either Suggs or Wilcox, though my money is on the later players.

As for point guard production, the majority of the burden will fall upon Abdul Gaddy who is still struggling to live up to the hype set before his freshman year. Gaddy showed much more aggressiveness in the final stretch, but it proved to be too little too late. Gaddy is a well controlled guard with great court vision who, unlike Wroten, can see his teammates on the perimeter while attacking the lanes and is very comfortable kicking it out for an open J. Gaddy needs to be willing to move inside the paint and drop in the teardrop over the opposition frontcourt or simply bank his shot off the glass into the rim. When Gaddy executes inside, it looks all too easy and often leaves me wondering why in the world he doesn’t attempt such things more often.

With next year’s starting five likely featuring two outside threats versus two point guards. We may see more driving shots from whoever is at the 1 position as the defense spreads to covers the 3-point threat. I also believe that Andrew Andrews is in a position to provide stellar relief for Abdul Gaddy.

Andrews has shown to be a fairly solid outside shooter and is also known for having great speed and passing abilities. I’ve been told that Andrews has come out of practices looking like the best point guard on the court. We can only hope that these rumors are true. Hikeem Stewart can also improve his impact on the game by spending the summer with a shooting coach. As it stands Stewart is a 1-dimensional player without much of a shooting game, making it far too easy for opponents to simply sit back and let Stewart jack up shots that will never fall.

The second question the Huskies will have to address is “How will the frontcourt perform?”. In many ways, this is a more important question than replacing Ross and Wroten. Players almost always step up their offensive production when called upon to do so and considering the holes our team needs to fill is in our deepest position, well we as fans shouldn’t stress ourselves too much in that regard.

The Huskies lose Darnell Gant to graduation, leaving Aziz N’Diaye as the only major minute grabbing big man. Desmond Simmons will pick up most of Gant’s minutes as Simmons proved himself to be an amazing rebounder and hustler whenever he got into the game. Simmons did hit the proverbial freshman wall late in the season, but the fact that it took so long to occur is a testament to the work ethic Simmons possesses. I believe that Simmons and N’Diaye will be responsible for most of the dirty work off the glass, but expect some support for our outside guards.

The Husky frontcourt will also add in 6’10 redshirt freshman, Jernard Jerreau. While Jerreau is still built like a beanpole, he has put on weight since arriving to the UW campus. Another summer of working out will hopefully see an additional 10 or 15lbs of muscles added to his physique. The frontcourt should also see reasonable production from Shawn Kemp Jr and Martin Breunig, both of whom showed potential on the offensive side of the ball. Their defensive lapses is what likely kept both players from receiving more minutes throughout the year. I am a big fan of Breunig. During his limited playtime, he really impressed me on the offensive end and I like the way he executes. I also enjoy Kemp Jr. dunking the ball next to the rim, rather than trying to lay it in as N’Diaye so often does.

So can the frontcourt establish itself as a respectable threat such that our backcourt benefits? I would say…yes. The Husky frontcourt will not be one of the top in the nation, heck it likely won’t be one of the top in the conference (see: UCLA for frontcourt depth). What the Husky frontcourt will be is a reminder for teams that the pick-and-roll still exists, that cheating out to the perimeter leads to easy dunks and lay-ins, and that dropping the ball inside to our big men is not any less effective than hitting a 15 foot jumper.

Last season our frontcourt averaged only 28% of our points, I’d like to see that number jump to 35%. Our team relied far too much on backcourt production last season and that wears down players quicker than one might imagine. Sure, we managed to score nearly 80 points per game, but our defense suffered from the effort required on the offensive end. If the post can establish themselves as a scoring threat, the perimeter players will not be asked to run off of so many screens or cut across the baseline as often. I’m not saying those things should stop by any means, but if we can get a nice pass to the block for a 1-on-1 situation, our frontcourt should be talented enough to score a majority of the time. N’Diaye has really begun to put together some solid post moves that are near impossible to stop at 7 feet tall.

Overall, I would say this team may be slightly more consistent than 2011-2012, but I fear a similar post season outcome. UCLA and Arizona look very dangerous with some very talented freshmen joining their respective teams. Stanford also looks to be a threat, losing very little from last year’s NIT championship team. What this means for the Huskies is with a successful non-conference season of their own, the Pac-12 could finally start making a return to dominance in the NCAA tournament.

At this point, I would predict the Huskies to finish in 3rd, maybe 4th place, with a 12-6 or 11-7 record. As the season draws nearer and more information begins to come out from the various camps and practices, I’ll speculate more on how each individual Pac-12 team should fair in the coming season.

Go Dawgs!

March 8, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Tony Wroten. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Tony Wroten Jr. is labeled as an enigma by many, not only on the court but off. He has been called a “showboat”, “head-case”, “selfish”, and many other such names by his critics. His fans have used words like; “impressive”, “powerful”, “personable”, “charming”, and other similar adjectives. This has always been a debate since he set foot on the campus.

However, what isn’t debated is that Wroten has an extreme amount of talent. He is strong, athletic, and can find his way to the hole. He has decided that with his talent and mindset that he is ready for the NBA and about a month ago decided to enter his name into the draft.

He said he was projected between the picks of 5-25. This is a huge range! Many of you are probably thinking, if the committee is giving out that big of ranges, where do I submit my resume?

I think that this extreme range is partly due to the fact that he isn’t like any other player in the NBA. Or is he? Jeff Goodman tweeted yesterday this message:

The most difficult player thus far when playing the Comparison Game is to find someone like Washington’s Tony Wroten.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanCBS) May 8, 2012

I started to think about it, and mind you I don’t watch a ton of NBA especially once the Sonics were stolen, but I also couldn’t come up with a clear-cut example of who Wroten plays like. Therefore, I did some digging.

Draft Express says he plays similar on offense to Tyreke Evans:

He’s a very ball dominant player who sees the majority of his looks in isolations or pick-and-rolls, being aTyreke Evans-esqe force at times lowering his shoulder and barreling his way into the lane.

In the NBAdraft.net forums, a commenter questions if Wroten’s skill set is more similar to John Wall:

After seeing today’s Washington game I’m convinced that Wroten is a better passer than tyreke [evans] and I would say a more “willing” passer as well, with all this tyreke/wroten comparison, I was thinking to myself what other player is there at that size with similar skill set?

John Wall?

The TrailBlazers SB Nation site had a discussion on drafting Wroten and someone brought up a comparison to Rajon Rondo:

Rondo. Wroten has the tools to be the next Rondo, and truthfully he has the court vision, the question is, once in the NBA can he learn to make the easy pass, instead of the highlight one.

Obviously, these last two are not from experts but from fans. However, fans are more willing to offer their opinions on the comparison game than many experts are at this point. Goodman received replies to that tweet from fans saying: John Wall, Rajon Rondo, Iman Shupert, Antonio Daniels, and a left-handed JR Rider.

No one seems to have a grasp on who plays like Wroten. He seems to have his own unique style and/or holes in his game that many point guards don’t have. However, if you had to nail it down to one player, who do you think Wroten plays most like?

What do you think?

Robert Swift would probably have been better served to go to college for a couple years before entering the NBA Draft. Mandatory Credit: Fernando Medina-US PRESSWIRE

Recently there was a very interesting piece on ESPN with a discussion between Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless about Mark Cuban’s comments that college basketball players ought to wait two or three years after graduating high school before they can enter the NBA draft. NBA commissioner David Stern also weighed in with his thoughts that players should wait at least two years until entering the NBA draft as well. Both acknowledged that the NFL has a rule requiring college football players to attend college for three years before they enter the NFL draft.

There are multiple issues involved in this that are sometimes difficult to untangle. These issues generally revolve around what is best for the individual player, what is best for the player’s in general (the union), what is best for the profitability of NBA teams, and what is best for the good of college basketball. But, to summarize, they come down to these main points:

Pros of having players wait:

1) The players would be better served to have more time developing their game as starters in college, rather than sitting on the bench in the NBA or in many cases not even being drafted at all.

2) The players would be better served getting more of the education finished and being closer to a degree, especially if the NBA doesn’t work out.

3) The college game would be more entertaining and individual teams would have a lot more stability if players were staying around for 2-3 years. Those players could then spend more of their time finding ways to focus on the team aspect of the game, rather than inflating their statistics and highlight reels for NBA scouts.

4) Piggy-backing on #3, if players were more focused on developing the “team” concept in college, then they might be more team oriented in the NBA as well, which might improve the overall NBA game as well.

5) Too many players are jumping to the NBA before they are ready and often with disastrous effects of not being drafted or not getting guaranteed contracts. Why waste their college eligibility because they received some bad advice?

Cons of having players wait:

1) If a player has the talent and skills, why shouldn’t they be allowed to pursue their economic best interests? What other industries outside of the NBA and NFL force players to wait years after graduating high school to pursue their interests…

Counter-point: there are plenty of jobs that legally require college degrees to even enter the profession including teachers, engineers, doctors, etc…

2) If they let players go straight to the NBA who are ready (Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, etc) it might actually help the college game. Teams like the ones John Calipari builds would not be possible, which would provide for more parity in college basketball and make for more entertaining basketball.

3) Why not let players declare for the NBA draft and if they do not like where they are drafted they can return to college? If you decide to take a job interview with a prospective employer and decide afterwards that that company is not a good fit for you, does your university kick you out of your classes anyways?

It should be noted that the NFL requires players wait three years for safety reasons and has the full support of the player’s association. The players in the NFL are so strong and so fast that they would absolutely destroy an underdeveloped 18/19-year freshman, even if they have incredible natural talent. It is important for the development of the body to have those three years of weight training and practice to prepare themselves for the rigors of the NFL. Even with that said, the average NFL career of a player who makes an opening day roster is just 6 years. For starting running backs, who take some of the worst pounding of any position, their effective peak time is often just 3-4 years.

There is another factor at play when comparing the NFL to the NBA. In the NFL, there really are not many options for players who do not want to go to college or who do not get drafted in the NFL draft after their senior year. There is the Canadian Football League with its 8 teams. There is the Arena Football League. Occasionally other minor leagues come and go such as the World League, NFL Europe, the Continental Football League, and the USFL. But, realistically if a player doesn’t make an NFL roster, their football career is effectively finished. Even if they do find a spot on one of the existing alternative leagues, the pay is so low they can barely live off of it. So, college truly is the “minor league” of the NFL, where players can be adequately prepared for a professional career. Thus, it makes sense for those players to maximize their time in college so they have the best chance of making an NFL roster.

This is not so much the case with basketball. A player who does not make an NBA roster or who chooses not to play college basketball has lots of other options to pursue. There are dozens of international basketball leagues around the world where the pay is often very good. Those leagues vary in overall talent, but the EuroLeague and many of the teams in Spain, Italy, Turkey, Greece, France, and Lithuania play basketball at a very high level and often produce some of the best players in the NBA. Even some of the minor leagues in far-flung countries like Belgium, Israel, the Philippines, and Korea can give a player with no real hope of making the NBA a very comfortable living.

In addition to the myriad of options outside of the United States, there is the National Basketball Development League. The NBDL, as the official farm system of the NBA, is a place where drafted players not ready for the NBA or aspiring undrafted players can play in front of NBA scouts and NBA hired coaches to prepare themselves for making the jump to “The Association”. So, the worries that one might have for the players jumping into the NBA draft too soon or even foregoing college altogether are not quite as concerning as it would be for the NFL.

Then there is the whole issue of players leaving for the NBA based solely on “potential” rather than anything they did in college. Seattle fans witnessed first hand too much focus on “potential” and not enough on proven abilities when the Supersonics went through their binge of drafting and signing centers who never turned into anything. The Robert Swift incident still leaves a bad taste in the mouths of Sonic fans, even years after they left town. 1st round picks like Saer Sene, Johan Petro, and Vladimir Stepania, plus the signing of Jim McIlvaine didn’t help matters… Heck, they might even contributed to the reasons for the team leaving town.

But, how could the fortunes of the Sonics, Seattle sportsfans hair density, and Robert Swift’s own future have changed had he been required to attend USC (where he originally committed) for at least two years to develop his game, rather than get saddled with high expectations and lots of splinters from sitting on the bench in Seattle? What would the Huskies have been like with a 2nd year from Spencer Hawes or two years with Martell Webster? What would the Huskies look like next year if Tony Wroten had to return and he went through this past season knowing he was returning rather than always having the NBA draft in the back of his mind?

Fans of basketball have witnessed the gradual breakdown of fundamentals first in the NBA and now increasingly in college basketball, even with increasing athleticism. What could the sport be like with both? Would more time in a system result in better basketball.

Of course, these are questions we will never know. But, it is certainly worth having that conversation.

Would it be better for the college game if players had to stay two or even three years in college?

Would it be better for the college game to allow players to go straight to the NBA and skip college?

Would it be better to allow a player to declare for the draft, even be drafted, but still allow them to return to college if they change their minds?

Would it be better for the NBA game to have players wait until they are more ready to contribute right away and have the draft more about current skill than it is about “potential”?

The NBA is having that conversation right now and the decisions that they may will affect college basketball in general and the Huskies in particular…

Two days after his teammate Terrence Ross decided to leave for the NBA, Tony Wroten joined him in leaving Montlake and will hire an agent to prepare for his future as a pro. His time at UW was brief and not without controversy. He may have been the most polarizing Husky in recent memory but his skills are undeniable.

Is he ready to make the jump? Most will say he’s not. He has not jumper to speak of and never seemed to completely master the team concept in college. He could definitely have used another year to develop at UW.

On the other hand, there are reports that teams like the Atlanta Hawks have told him that they love him and will take him in the first round. It’s hard for any man to turn down guaranteed money and your dream in the NBA. It’s hard to hate a kid for chasing his dream.

I think what rubs Husky fans the wrong way about this is that he preached his loyalty to Seattle and UW all throughout his recruitment and into the season. He even went as far to say that he was going to stay all four years at UW and lead us to a Final Four (no one believed him). After failing to get the Huskies even to the NCAA tournament, he decided to leave the team ‘high and dry’ without even a guarantee to be a lottery pick.

Either way, it’s time to move on. I trust that Tony and his family made the right decision and I think he will eventually thrive in the NBA.

On to next year.

Speaking of that… Poll time!