BASKETBALL FUTURE ASPLODE?

MAYS DECLARING FOR DRAFT

James Mays has announced that he will test the waters of the NBA Draft but will not hire an agent, leaving the door open for a possible return for his senior season if he withdraws from the draft before June 18. I was pretty surprised when I first heard the news, but it makes sense from the standpoint that he will be able to attend pre-draft camps to hone his skills and see where he stacks up to the top players in the country. This will probably provide him with better practice than Clemson's off season shoot arounds and conditioning. Clearly this is exactly what Mays has in mind, judging from his quote in the Charleston Post & Courier: "This will give me an opportunity to evaluate where I stand as a player. If I don't do as well as I hope to, by not signing with an agent, I will have a great opportunity to remain at Clemson and finish my college career."

I was discussing the issue with some friends over drinks last night and one brought up the fact that Mays had already flunked out once and perhaps his declaring for the draft is a preemptive strike and that maybe he has hit academic troubles again and wouldn't be able to return next year even if he wanted to. Of course this is a completely unsubstantiated theory, but hey, that's what blogs are for.


DENDY DISSES CLEMSON CAGERS

Laron Dendy, he of the four star recruiting ranking and four schools in three years high school standing, has decided to decommit to the Clemson basketball program. He was ranked the 18th best power forward in the nation and was to join Clemson for the 07-08 season before questionable academics caused him to be reclassified as a junior. Schools he is now interested in include Sakerlina, Arizona, Maryland, Texas, and Florida (oh, and still Clemson).

He had been committed to the Tigers for over two years. Apparently two years worth of weekly recruiting letters filled with all sorts of big, confusing words was enough of a turnoff for this guy to make him think of trying to take his game to less scrupulous coaches like Gary Williams, who we all know will give a scholly to anyone who can ball regardless of the fact that their IQ falls in Forrest Gump territory. Okay, maybe that's a little harsh on Dendy, I don't know the kid, maybe he got caught up in the wrong sort of "diploma-mills" like Prince Ave Prep in Pickens and can't help that his academic responsibilities have been neglected by those who are supposed to have his best interests in mind but probably on have future signing bonuses floating in their heads. I hope he gets his academics in order and ends up at some school, and I hope it's Clemson, but with the departure of his main recruiter on the Tiger staff, this is looking less and less likely.