SU is an NBA fan and these days, even more a fan of college hoops.  I tuned into the NBA draft last night – mostly to see if the Michigan players who declared for the draft got selected.  I was happy to see Jordan Poole actually go in the 1st round to the Warriors (good spot for him given their style and all the injuries although he will be in the G-League next season) and then Iggy Brazdeikis actually got picked by the Knicks in the 2nd round.  SU can check him out in White Plains at the County Center in the G-League next year.

But here is the issue: who are these other guys?  Sure, we know about the Duke players and even the North Carolina ones who went high up in the 1st round.  The problem is that so many freshmen opt out after one year and we never get to watch them to any great degree.  It was interesting to hear some of the commentary on ESPN regarding how certain players were whatever number in the ESPN 100 coming out of high school and then dropped down come draft day.  SU’s conclusions:

• The talent evaluators are just not that good.  It’s even worse in college football when you hear about the 5-star players who declare for a school and then turn out to be a bust.
• If players are going to opt out after one year, then let them go right from high school to the NBA or the G-League.  SU is not sure what the point is to play the one year in college.  They are clearly not there to get the education.  At least in the NBA they will get paid.  Sure, Zion Williamson was a phenom this year and by the way, Coach K had 3 of the top 10 picks and still didn’t win it all.  But you feel like others probably peaked last night on the draft stage and it will be all downhill from here out.
• Most of the guys picked last night are not going to make it in the NBA.  SU was thinking back to previous drafts and some players are just never heard from again.  Some leave too early and it costs them.  Others hang around for a few years but the League sours on them quickly for the next big shiny thing.
• Is the ability of the top 10-12 players really that much better than the next 20-30?  Or even 50?  Guys are athletic but if they can’t shoot (which by the way is a problem for a large percentage of the group), they will not make it in the NBA.  Better to play in college, hone your skills and show what you can do.  Let the top 15 go directly to the NBA each year if that’s what they want to do, and I will enjoy watching the next 40-50 top players in college.

There is a case to be made on both sides and SU gets that.  But I should be able to recognize more of the players as a fan.  There were players from Auburn and Tennessee who I watched in the NCAAs but the Kentucky players were a mystery to me.  The NCAA and the NBA need to fix the system.  The G-League was a good start.

Yankee fans feeling good this morning after they knocked around the Astros last night.  But let’s see how they do against Verlander and Cole.  That will be the true test of the all right-handed line up.