Originally Posted by
Greg_Newton
This will probably be unpopular, but I think this whole situation is a little unsettling from a distance, and that the bolded seems like a disingenuous sentiment.
I mean... if I put myself in his shoes, I have a hard time blaming him for his decision, or even disagreeing with it. I'm 6'7, the best athlete on the team, and Coach K told me I have the highest basketball IQ of anyone he's ever recruited when he was trying to get me to come to Duke. However, now I can't crack the rotation, even occasionally as an energy guy, when I'm the only guy between 6'4 and 6'8 and our historically poor perimeter defense is full of guys who let ballhandlers waltz right by them and don't compete for rebounds. Then, after benching me for months, Coach K gives me a nice slap in the face by putting me in for the last few seconds of the humiliating loss to Lehigh so I can sacrifice my fouls for him before going back to the bench. Then, not only does K go all out for a one-and-done who would jump me on the depth chart next year, he goes after any transfer from CMU to Mississippi State that looks like me once he misses, and continues to go all out for a one-and-done who would jump me on the depth chart the following year.
I may be shy, but I'm a very talented basketball player who most high-major programs would be ecstatic to have, and would appreciate. Why in the world would I stay in this situation?
Perhaps he was just a head case, or became a terrible player since I saw him last summer or something, but on the surface... I just don't like how this played out, at all.